Biography of Paul Keating: Former Prime Minister of Australia

Paul John Keating was born on 18 January 1944 in Sydney. He attended De La Salle College in Bankstown where he acquired the Intermediate Certificate in the year 1958.

Mr. Keating left school at 15, joined the Australian Labor Party at the moment and in 1966 became President of the NSW Youth Council, the predecessor to Young Labor.

Mr. Keating was In 1969 elected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Blaxland, focused across the localities of Bankstown where he had lived all his life.

In 1975 he became the youngest ever federal Minister and held the portfolio of Minister for Northern Australia in the Whitlam Cabinet.

Career

Between 1976 and 1983 Mr. Keating served in the Opposition Shadow Ministry and was the spokesperson for some of the portfolios which include agriculture, minerals and energy. During this era, Mr. Keating becomes additionally President of the NSW Branch of the ALP.

When the ALP was again elected to Government in March 1983, Mr. Keating became Treasurer, a function he held till 1991.

This position noticed Mr. Keating put in force far-accomplishing monetary reforms, which include the modern deregulation of the monetary sector, the go with the flow of the Australian dollar, significant tax reform and the dismantling of many protectionist barriers.

These reforms assisted the enlargement of the Australian economy. He becomes liable for deregulating the airline and telecommunications industries and for organizing a countrywide framework for power.

Mr. Keating became Prime Minister in December 1991 and led the ALP to a historic fifth term of Government in March 1993. As Prime Minister, he continued his progressive reform program which included the establishment of a National Training Authority, a national superannuation scheme to redress low national savings and labor market, and training reforms that addressed Australia’s long-term unemployment problems.

Other key achievements of the Keating Government included the review of the Sex Discrimination Act, the historic Mabo legislation which recognized the land rights of Australia’s indigenous people and the introduction of legislation ensuring the protection of endangered species.

Mr. Keating raised proposals for constitutional reform to make Australia a Republic. Mr. Keating focused on Australian external policy towards the Asian region. He took an active role in the establishment of APEC, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and initiated its annual leaders’ meeting with its commitment to a regional free trade agenda. He also developed strong bilateral links with Australia’s neighbors, especially Indonesia.

Following the defeat of the ALP in March 1996, Mr. Keating resigned from Parliament.

He keeps taking a near interest in the national problems with which he becomes related in public life. Mr. Keating is Visiting Professor of Public Policy at the University of New South Wales and has been presented with Honorary Doctorates in Laws from each Keio University in Tokyo and the National University of Singapore.

On 15 April 2003 Mr Keating was awarded a Doctorate of Laws LLD Honoris Causa from the US in reputation of the economic and legislative reforms overseen with the aid of using him as Treasurer and Prime Minister and for his work fostering better relations in the Asia-Pacific.

Mr Keating’s book, Engagement: Australia Faces the Asia-Pacific, examines Australia’s overseas policy targets and achievements at some stage in his time period as Prime Minister and was posted in March 2000.