Book Paul Keating

Paul Keating is a former Australian union official and Labor leader who held office as the nation's 24th prime minister between 1991 and 1996. Born in Sydney, he left school at 14, joined Labor at that same age, led Young Labor in his state and worked as an union research assistant before winning the federal seat of Blaxland in 1969 at just 25. He briefly held a ministry in the closing weeks of the Whitlam government in 1975 and earned a reputation as a formidable parliamentary debater. After Labor's 1983 election win he became treasurer under Bob Hawke, and the pair drove sweeping economic reforms, including the Prices and Incomes Accord, floating the Australian dollar, cutting tariffs, deregulating finance, delivering the first federal budget surplus in the nation's history and overhauling the tax system. He served as deputy prime minister in 1990 and 1991 before taking the top job. Keating has been named an Australian National Living Treasure, holds a honorary doctorate from Keio University and has an affiliation with the University of New South Wales. As a speaker he offers bold insight into economic reform and leadership.