Paul John Keating is an Australian former politician who served as the 24th prime minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996. A member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), he previously served as treasurer of Australia in the Hawke Government from 1983 to 1991 and as deputy prime minister of Australia from 1990 to 1991.
Keating was born in Sydney and left school at the age of 14. He joined the Labor Party at the same age, serving a term as State President of Young Labor and working as a research assistant for a trade union. He was elected to the Australian House of Representatives at the age of 25, winning the division of Blaxland at the 1969 election. Keating briefly served as Minister for Northern Australia from October to November 1975 in the final weeks of the Whitlam Government. After Labor lost power, he held senior portfolios in the Shadow Cabinets of Gough Whitlam and Bill Hayden. During this time he came to be seen as the leader of the Labor Right faction, and developed a reputation as a talented and fierce parliamentary performer.
After Labor's landslide victory at the 1983 election, Keating was appointed treasurer by prime minister Bob Hawke. The pair developed a powerful political partnership, overseeing significant reforms intended to liberalise and strengthen the Australian economy. These included the Prices and Incomes Accord, the float of the Australian dollar, the elimination of tariffs, the deregulation of the financial sector, achieving the first federal budget surplus in Australian history, and reform of the taxation system, including the introduction of capital gains tax, fringe benefits tax, and dividend imputation. Keating became deputy prime minister in 1990, but in June 1991 he resigned from the Government to unsuccessfully challenge Hawke for the leadership, believing he had reneged on the Kirribilli Agreement. He mounted a second successful challenge six months later, and became prime minister.
Keating was appointed prime minister in the aftermath of the early 1990s economic downturn, which he had famously described as "the recession we had to have". This, combined with poor opinion polling, led many to predict Labor was certain to lose the 1993 election, but Keating fought a strong campaign and managed to increase the Government's majority. The Keating Government enacted the landmark Native Title Act to enshrine Indigenous land rights, introduced compulsory superannuation and enterprise bargaining, created a national infrastructure development program, privatised Qantas and the Commonwealth Bank, established the APEC leaders' meeting, and promoted republicanism by establishing the Republic Advisory Committee.
At the 1996 election, after 13 years in office, Labor suffered a landslide defeat to the Liberal–National Coalition led by John Howard. Keating retired from Parliament shortly after the election, but has since remained active as a political commentator, whilst maintaining a broad series of business interests, including serving on the international board of the China Development Bank. Since leaving office, Keating received broad praise from historians and commentators for his role in modernising the Australian economy as treasurer, while reviews of his period as prime minister have been more mixed.
Sol turns thousands of years of human wisdom from the world’s spiritual traditions into a totally unique personality profile. To get your own profile, check compatibility with friends and much more, download the Sol App today.
Some of their strengths
Paul Keating has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Imaginative, Practical, Kind, Passionate, Hardworking, Loyal, and Intelligent.
Smart and Hardworking
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Paul Keating is someone who is a smart, hardworking, reliable, and loyal person, who is detail-oriented and orderly, but also generous and optimistic. A person who is ambitious and motivated.
Charming and Sophisticated
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Paul Keating well know them as someone who can be classy, glamorous, and worldly, like jewelry.
Truthful and Kind
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Paul Keating as someone who is honest, compassionate, imaginative, and instinctual.
A person who enjoys new challlenges, is a magnet for attracting other creative types, good at identifying opportunities, and who is good at forming loyal, lifelong friendships.
Charismatic and Instinctual
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Paul Keating is someone who handles stress better than most people, and who tends to have a powerful charisma and convictions.
They are also someone who is creative, expressive, and insightful, and who has a pioneering spirit with self-determination and natural artistic expression.
Patient and Perseverent
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Paul Keating tends to be someone who is patient, faithful, hardworking and persistent, and who wants to achieve a lot in life. Who tends to be rather private when it comes to expressing feelings, enjoys being independent and self-sufficient, and who is not afraid of any obstacle.
Some of Paul Keating's challenges
While Paul Keating has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Paul Keating can be Suspicious, Stubborn, Hesitant, Narcissistic, Short-tempered, Impulsive, and Unrealistic.
Suspicious and Stubborn
One of Paul Keating's key challenges is that they are someone who can be suspicious and stubborn.
Paul Keating must also exercise caution as they can have a hard time reconciling wants and needs.
Unrealistic and Indecisive
Paul Keating is someone who can be unrealistic, indecisive, and lacking in confidence, who can be impulsive when it comes to making important decisions, have difficulty collaborating with others, can be argumentative and not willling to accept criticism, and who can be disappointed by the high expectations they place on others.
Callous and Stubborn
Finally, Paul Keating also can come across as cold and unemotional, be too dismissive of others' opinions, and be overly suspicious, selfish and crafty.
