Paul Keating was Australian Prime Minister from 1991-96 and Treasurer from 1983-91.

Broadcast date: Wednesday 02 November 2011

Paul Keating was appointed Federal Treasurer upon the election of the Hawke Labor government in 1983. During his eight-and-a-half years in the role, he presided over the dismantling of the century-old protectionist economic framework and introduced an open, competitive economic model.

He became Prime Minister in December 1991 and led the Australian Labor Party to an historic fifth term in 1993.

Changes under Keating's leadership included a more intense focus on Australia's economic and strategic relationships with Asia, and the development of a major legal structure to return lands to Australia's indigenous people. Domestic economic reforms included the dismantling of a centralised wage fixing system in favour of an enterprise bargaining model and establishing universal superannuation.

After Words: Post-Prime Ministerial Speeches is published by Allen and Unwin

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