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Paul Keating

About Paul Keating

Paul John Keatingthe former Prime Minister of Australia was born to Matthew Keating and his wife Minnie on 18th January 1994 in Paddington, Sydney. Paul Keating, the 24th Prime Minister of Australia led the labor party from 1991 to 1996. Before becoming the prime minister he served as the Treasurer of Australia in the 1983 Hawke Government. He was designated the deputy Prime Minister in 1990 and a year later he successfully challenged Hawke for the Labor leadership.

Early life, education and political career

His schooling was at De La Salle College Bankstown and Belmore Technical College. He took up the job of a pay clerk at Sydney’s electricity authority instead of going for higher education. He joined the labor party in 1959 and became the party’s Youth Council president in1966. In 1969 he won the federal election for the seat of Blaxland. He became Australia’s Prime Minister on 20th December 1991 and held office until 11th March 1996. It was during his tenure that Australia’s first national native title legislation was passed. His government proved efficient in strengthening the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. In 1996 he was deselected to be the Prime Minister.

Personal Life

He married Annita van Iersel in 1975 with whom he had four children- Patrick, Caroline, Katherine and Alexandra. The couple had separated in 1998. He worked in a variety of fields after leaving parliament; such as a visiting professor of public policy at the University of New South Wales, director of various companies and he also held the position of senior adviser of the investment banking firm- Lazard. Right now he serves as the patron of the John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library in Western Australia. Keating's book Engagement: Australia Faces the Asia-Pacific came out in 2000.

24th Prime Minister of Australia
In office:	20 December 1991– 11 March 1996
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Bill Hayden, Sir William Deane
Deputy	Brian Howe, Kim Beazley
Preceded by	Bob Hawke
Succeeded by	John Howard
Leader of the Labor Party
In office:	20 December 1991�– 19 March 1996
Deputy	Brian Howe, Kim Beazley
Preceded by	Bob Hawke
Succeeded by	Kim Beazley
7th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
In office:	4 April 1990�– 3 June 1991
Prime Minister	Bob Hawke
Preceded by	Lionel Bowen
Succeeded by	Brian Howe
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
In office:	4 April 1990�– 3 June 1991
Leader	Bob Hawke
Preceded by	Lionel Bowen
Succeeded by	Brian Howe
Treasurer of Australia
In office:	11 March 1983�– 3 June 1991
Prime Minister	Bob Hawke
Preceded by	John Howard
Succeeded by	Bob Hawke
Member of the Australian Parliament for Blaxland
In office:	25 October 1969�– 23 April 1996
Preceded by	Jim Harrison
Succeeded by	Michael Hatton
Personal details
Born	18 January 1944 (age�70), Paddington, Sydney
Political party	Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Annita van Iersel (m. 1975–present) (separated since 1998)
Children	4
Profession	Politician
Religion	Roman Catholicism