Following his defeat in the 1996 Federal Election, Paul Keating resigned as member for Blaxland before the new parliament met for the first time.
Keating had been member for Blaxland since the October 1969 Federal Election. He served 11 full terms in a period just over 26 years.
Keating served as the Minister for Northern Australia in the final three weeks of the Whitlam government in 1975. He was Treasurer in the Hawke government from 1983 until 1991. He was Prime Minister from December 20, 1991 until March 11, 1996.
Statement from Paul Keating.
