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Paul Keating was born on 18 January
1944 at Bankstown, Sydney, into a
working class Catholic family . He
left De La Salle College at 14 and
worked as a clerk with the Sydney
County Council, continuing with evening
study at Belmore Technical College
and managing a rock band, the Ramrods.
He joined the ALP and in 1968 became
a research officer with the Federated
Municipal Employees Union. An admirer
of Jack Lang and a member of the NSW
right, Keating entered federal parliament
as the member for Blaxland in 1969.
He was the Minister for the NT (1975)
in the last weeks of the Whitlam Government.
In opposition Keating held the shadow
portfolios of agriculture (1976),
minerals and energy (1980 – 1983)
and treasury (1983). In government
from March 1983, Keating as Treasurer
and Hawke as Prime Minister floated
the Australian dollar, deregulated
financial markets and put into place
the Prices and Incomes Accord.
Keating challenged Hawke for the
Labor Party leadership in mid 1991
but was defeated and retired to the
back bench. He challenged again in
December 1991 and won.
As Prime Minister Paul Keating outlined
plans for Australia in the Asia-Pacific
region, for Aboriginal reconciliation
and for the creation of an Australian
republic.
He was Prime Minister until March
1996 when he was defeated by the Coalition
led by John Howard.
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