Paul Keating in conversation with Kerry O'Brien

Paul Keating, visionary, reformer, true believer, rabble rouser, polymath, and our most intriguing prime minister bares his soul to the country's sharpest political interviewer, Kerry O'Brien.
Kerry and Paul wrestle with history to produce a tour de force of political wisdom and personal insight that weaves through the Keating years in a unique and compelling way. Building on the transcripts of the must-watch ABC TV event of 2013 - Keating: the Interviews - Kerry has gathered an enormous bank of new material, gleaned during many hours of further conversation with Keating, to create a book that is more forensic and all-encompassing than the very successful TV series. Kerry O'Brien captures the hallmarks of the man - the nimble mind, the wit, the grandeur of vision, the complexity and the stubborn drive for power - as Keating explains the historic events, back room stoushes and moments of drama and pathos that the political world inevitably holds.
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[@davidnikon8501]

I am living better because of Super Annuation. Thank you Mr Keating.

[@bondjames7007]

Mr Keating didn’t, doesn’t pay your Superannuation it is paid to you by your Employer. Why did Mortgage Rates go up to 18% when he was Treasurer with Bob Hawke. I worked for NAB at the time..he brought incredible stress to Home Buyers - Bob Hawke couldn’t stand whinging Paul….. Paul was hopeless as a PM - He wanted Bob Hawkes job, he got it failed miserably -;Bob thought it was hilarious !!! People have very short memories….

[@patricknaughton4444]

Simply the best, Better than all the rest. Better than anyone. Pity the voting Australians of the naughties didn't recognise that he is Better than all the rest, and continues to be a guiding light to this day. Yes, it took a long while, but we all love him now. Long live Paul Keating. Simply. Ballinasloe, Ireland.

[@patricknaughton4444]

Galway Ireland. Great visionary, gifted political leader with a heart of gold. Promises, promises, delivered in full. Really, it's what we hope to see from our politicians but rarely get. Always easy to listen to and understand. Explains exactly what he is about. A joy to listen to the many parliamentary debates, and pronouncements, yes a great entertainer too. Brilliant Man.

[@narelledavy6425]

A Republic, a new flag and recognition of our First Nations people 👏👏👏 We miss you PK

[@narelledavy6425]

Singularly the best political duo, Hawke and Keating. We miss such extraordinary visionary and capability. I’m disappointed we haven’t yet got to a Republic…

[@MrMangoman48]

The best prime minister of Australian

[@neddyladdy]

Keating is always good value to listen to,

[@bondjames7007]

Interesting to listen to…..Fini

[@robsmithadventures1537]

I'm not Australian but have a great respect for Keating. He was such an eloquent and passionate speaker. His quips and his witty retorts in parliament are truly astounding. Great guy and he's everything a politician should be.

[@bondjames7007]

You are joking are you that confused ?

[@richardosborne2067]

Yes.they no longer exist.all bankster puppets now

[@jackwright1070]

The best thing that ever happened to Australia love this man

[@kenw.simpson1007]

You excrescence.

[@haxx7128]

Jack Wright absolutely right

[@Heath-Gallagher]

are you serious?

[@psablincoln]

love this man. Always will. When I was staying in Australia in the early 1990s, I used to tune on the TV whenever he answered the opposition questions. Australia was indeed lucky to have Hawke, Keating at the helm. But, in the end, Howard got elected. A real tragedy as he Howard opposed all moves towards a republic and a formal agreement with the Aborigines.

[@jimhaut480]

Want to get "REAL" Idiot ? ? / Check out the Heffernan report, & Rod Culleton !

[@fightington]

Worse than that, it was the start of a twenty year devolution of the country while the good life keating built for them was pissed away on wine and luxury couches and by ppl who now thought they were part of a new class above working class people who lucked out being ground floor on a speculative housing bubble, that fed on the desperation and poverty of their own countrymen in the working class who became the working poor while demons like scumo had a field day without keating to keep them in their box

[@aparnaladdipeerla5256]

Amazing to hear Mr Keating 👏

[@billk9856]

47:30 Keating basically predicts the Ukraine war.,,,, seven years ago

[@burntoutelectronics]

48:23 incredible insight. Just shows the conflict in Ukraine could have, at least largely, been avoided.

[@SalaciousBCrumb-tu5ci]

Prescient

[@keithnewman8280]

1st President of the Republic

[@patricknaughton4444]

Yes

[@JamilH64]

"Prime Ministers are very useful to a Treasurer (much laughter)...but they are no longer useful if they don't do the tricks. So when Bob stopped doing the tricks, I had to do Bob in."

[@patricknaughton4444]

The true driving force in the Bob Hawks reign and himself as Prime Minister.

[@Me-od6nt]

Two legends. What a great interview. Thanks for posting

[@NotChukkov]

I think this was even better than the TV interviews

[@LillaArtist]

+Ace Alderman totally agree x

[@artkidolee2162]

He’s fascinating!

[@IamCharz]

Loved it ! Love You Paul J Keating

[@tomcross3000]

51:10 fascinating, and i am inclined to think our dear pjk did power dress and i just love that 😍 our inkwell writing black widow pm. And i disagree with his description about his voice, it did have strength, it did hit. He did project it and it was better than howard’s. It was strong and unsparing but it could also be soothing like in these interviews, now that is a rare enough gift in anyone, and you have it, paul. Its not weak at all.

[@bondjames7007]

Why was he named the Undertaker by the Media ?

[@tomcross3000]

@@bondjames7007 if you're gonna space out your question marks then i'm just not going to give you very in depth answers. why do you think?! he was called the undertaker because bob was the face of the partnership, paul was the one always delivering the bad news, copping the criticisms.

[@hannotn]

Two genuinely great Australians.

[@nathanwhite4259]

No one has passion like this in politics anymore.

[@MsMp15]

What a PM he was!

[@AstrumAnimal]

Beautiful! Best thing I've heard from parliament in 10 years. Thank you!

[@GoddyofWar]

He's obviously too old to do it now, but if a healthy and spry Keating walked into today's Parliament, the modern Coalition would fill their dacks AND the replacement pair they put on afterwards.

[@derek5168]

My favourite prime minister in my life down to earth common sense with a good sense of humour and a thorough knowledge of political history and in 1983 when bob hawke was elected I didn't think nothing could top that with his ministry whith ministers like John button

[@grahamriddell3439]

Brilliant Man. We are still benefiting from his policies today.

[@bondjames7007]

Which benefit/s ?

[@hickory01au]

Thanks paul you have done a great job with super

[@kanebanner]

THE KING

[@bondjames7007]

Queen

[@TheDeemac508]

Keating has such vitality and confidence, it’s infectious. His admiration for Churchill is a little surprising. Churchill was a successful war time prime minister and a disastrous peace time minister and prime minister. He was a remarkable writer and orator, but his part in the 1926 general strike made him a hated figure in Britain. He believed in the class system. He saw the working class as cannon fodder for the Empire to exploit, and this at a time when the term “working class” had real meaning and comprised millions of his fellow citizens. He was an imperialist, monarchist and his meddling in Iran in the 50s haunts us still. Eisenhower rejected Churchill’s pleas to delay the D day landings, and he was right. A delay would have been disastrous. Churchill’s “moral clarity” is stretching a point. He was right about Britain needing to re arm to combat a threat from Nazism, but he was wrong on a multiplicity of other issues and he displayed an extraordinary contempt for those of a different class. His ambitious were always displayed in the arena of foreign policy and militarism. His domestic policy ambitions were almost nonexistent. Ironically Churchill lived very much beyond his means and enjoyed substantial patronage through a secret trust, established by his rich admirers, something that we would regard today as corruption He was appointed PM because the Labour Party under Clement Attlee would not serve under lord Halifax (the preferred candidate of the Conservative parliamentary party and a person who still supported appeasement). Attlee demonstrated far more moral clarity as a peace time PM than Churchill. His 1945 government created on the ruins of a bankrupt Britain was a staggering achievement. Churchill opposed the formation of the national health service and the nationalization of Britain’s vital infrastructure. Keating is right in his admiration of FDR, he was a giant of a man, deeply concerned with the welfare of others.

[@shtuwang]

magnificent

[@narelledavy6425]

So brilliant, so full of foresight, so arrogant and thankfully so 👏👏👏👏

[@sasrebel]

What a gun. amazing watch.

[@simonscott1121]

Most of our current pollies wouldnt even follow what he's saying.

[@margarethandasyde8652]

God believes Keating is God and who can contradict God!

[@benjaminglover1570]

Last of the greats.

[@MrMeldarionx]

The older Paul Keating gets the better he was .. just ask him.

[@bondjames7007]

Very true ….he is his best Reviewer of himself

[@patricknaughton4444]

Think I know exactly what he would say, and he is spot on...ha

[@lianastanley8654]

Luv him miss him so much x x x

[@petersmith8134]

Smartest Prime Minister Australia has ever had.

[@floydpokino7861]

Love this guy. He would have made a great President. he had great vision for the country

[@bondjames7007]

What Visions did he have….please explain…

[@rnanerd6505]

Anyone who hasn't watched it, check out Keating and the cultural cringe.... legendary;)

[@seannorris4295]

I love both of these men

[@jadesmith6823]

47:05 Great mind on Russia and Ukraine now 😳

[@raytrevisan8564]

an interesting assessment of Shorten's and the ALP's prospects for next year's election

[@theredgiraffe]

A true statesman.

[@ForeverBennett]

Loved, Paul. Loved Bob too. We haven't had a great leader since them.

[@geoffmccoll4640]

This was the best dignified man person that I never had met before I died two years from know.

[@abbeymclaren6778]

Love love my Prime Minister...best math man For the average lass..love U lad. ❤️ Ipso Facto lol .

[@melbguy1]

I wondder how many pairs of red shoes Keating has in his WIR?

[@peterkirgan2921]

A comedian & great politician !!! thanks Paul

[@kw5732]

How's the irony.. we now have Charles and Camilla 🙄

[@fightington]

And Russia in a proxy war with NATO in Ukraine

[@brettbrett9973]

A question about apparence ? How things have changed.That is 7 years ago.

[@brendankane1879]

'Oh mighty ship of state.

[@tessfernandez9872]

The Man

[@coco360]

Kerry: "Where's Bob Hawke in that?" Keating: "Hmm?"

[@jadesmith6823]

Rank and file ❣️❤️❣️

[@victoriamedina4207]

shift the preco-pernicon-opscurantasies.... hahahaha GOLD

[@fightington]

Pre-copernican

[@atanliar]

Keating talks about integrating Australia into the Asean and Asian economy but when Singapore attempted to buy into the Ansett Airlines, he was the one who opposed the Singapore deal and perhaps that resulted the demise of the Airline several years later. Did Keating ever raise the matter of the mass slaughter, of the left-wing Indonesians and Indonesians Chinese, in the post 1965 coup with Suharto, considering his close political relationship with the latter ? It believed up to a million had been liquidated by the New Order under Suharto. Perhaps, Keating had introduced the word, "recalcitrant" to many Malaysians' English vocabulary when he described the then Malaysian PM, Mahathir over the latter's Bohemian, political views.

[@tomcross3000]

The fact you space out your question marks says it all.

[@bondjames7007]

Keating is the same as Bob Carr - they are always singing the praises of China. Why they are still living in Australia beats me …..

[@michellesterry7307]

What is the secret to Kerry's hair???

[@fenxian]

"Acupuncture makes you wake up bright, not dull"😅 Acupuncture well received in west, but not traditional medicine. How could u take portion of medical treatment, reject other portion? They have to work together, combined with western's if neccesary.

[@richardosborne2067]

He should be PM again.Common sense.

[@patricknaughton4444]

Agree entirely, but he has given more than enough. Would three years be enough to get the Republic and Flag. A bit of leadership wouldn't go astray Paul, but seriously Mr Speaker, probably best left to someone else.

[@426dfv]

@46:43 watching this in 2022. He predicted exactly what happened in Ukraine in 2022. The NATO expansion is the real cause of the war. He is by far one of the most respectable politician next to Lee Kuan Yew. So insightful.

[@voiceofreason286]

Agree. Nato expansion & US meddling in first Georgia then Ukraine was the catalyst for this war, but try telling people that.

[@SamuliGloersen]

Not that. Bill Clinton dropped the ball in 1992. Every European allied partner took care of one Eastern European ex-soviet country and helped them to transition towards west. Canada helped Ukraine (large immigrant minority ties). But Unites States just let Russia fall into chaos. The only country that could have and should have followed through the victory in Cold War dropped the ball. BEcause Clinton 1992-1996. Clinton did try to reverse on his next term. But was too late with Russia. By that time he had to bomb Serbia and alianate Russia which in turn ment absolute necessity for NATO guarrantees to all Russian neighbours. Not helping Ukraine and Georgia in NATO in 2007, was a serious failure. Misthinking.

[@fightington]

Was spot on!!!!!!

[@Tom.Livanos]

Paul Keating's legacy: the entrenchment of pugilistic energy within Australian politics.

[@robertbattye6788]

According to Keating, it started in 1974 and the bad blood has continued to this day.

[@Tom.Livanos]

@@robertbattye6788 'Me right, you wrong' in politics... including Australian politics... dates back much farther than 1974. Paul Keating cemented it ever deeper in this country. Have you heard people say "I wish they would just get along"? I have. Many times. That was (and is) the vibe.. the energy.. the basic thread.. of my comment here i.e. six years ago. That stated, not everyone has it. Many look to politics for a bit of biff, for entertainment blagh however ya wish to say it... All I may say is that I am not such a person.

[@nicholas1254]

46:37 and by... Kissinger himself now working for the other political side :S

[@brettbrett9973]

Why dont the labour party use this ?

[@peewee27374]

Sorry one more comment, the only better political operator in living memory was Blair. But at the end just a Gigolo.

[@jadesmith6823]

The GST 🤦🤣

[@russe19642]

Rick concert reactions

[@mikip9851]

he would have field day with mal and shorten as well

[@bondjames7007]

They are all Comrades….

[@blusuck]

20:45 hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahha

[@peewee27374]

Knows the problems of the Liberal party and Australian democracy but ultimately a servant of big business. Articulate but Labor/Liberal now wings of the same party. Eureka flag good idea though.

[@davidstewart8906]

That's interesting. Can you explain what you mean by "a servant of big business"? I'm from the US, by the way.

[@fightington]

Don't lump keating in with that

[@yampk1]

You will have Charles & Camilla, William and Kate and on and on it will go....

[@SVAus-ol8bz]

Paul was great as a politician , however I don't agree with him about Churchill being an idol, perhaps to Keating. If Churchill was alive today , he should be tried for war crimes as he directed ships laden with wheat to bypass India and to sail to England to top up reserve food for the Tommy's . Churchill contributed to the Bengal famine where over a million people died of starvation in Bengal.

[@gotcha1737]

DALAI KEATING?

[@CityThatCannotBeCaptured]

He carried Hawke the entire time the two of them were in Parliament. There is NO doubt about this.

[@bondjames7007]

Rubbish….balderdash….BS…….

[@geoffmccoll4640]

How to shag Pual Ketting without being noticed in 2022

[@theursidae6479]

he says lots of "But"s

[@GK-fq3cy]

I don't get the problem with elected President by the people. In Ireland we have such a process if the parliament parties can't agree on a person to take up the role. The prime minister/cabinet still has executive power. Our president is more or less has same power as the queen I'm the UK or your governor general

[@bondjames7007]

The Queen has zero Power in Australia….Republicans &/the Left (ALP, GREENS, TEALS) tell the stupid voters the Queen has Powers she doesn’t in Australia…but stupid people believe lies…

[@jadesmith6823]

Who owns Australia now and his much do they put back into it?

[@Heath-Gallagher]

china owns australia mate

[@jadesmith6823]

@@Heath-Gallagher yep

[@PascalsWager5]

Dissapointed that he believes in the veracity of accpuncture

[@jazzmusicsongs4934]

+PascalsWager5 A lot of intelligent people do.

[@PascalsWager5]

That's true. Having an "unintelligent" opinion certainly doesn't make you an unintelligent person.

[@jazzmusicsongs4934]

+PascalsWager5 It's still being taught so I don't think it could be called an unintelligent practice.

[@PascalsWager5]

Really? Do you consider that the criteria? Reiki is also being taught, as are all manner of dubious (and dangerous/ evil) practices all around the world. What if I believed that Female genital mutilation was an acceptable, healthy practice? Would I be exempt from being accused of holding an unintelligent P.O.V based on the fact that the practice is still taught?

[@jazzmusicsongs4934]

I don't think that is the criteria but Acupuncture is taught in detail about what it can do for each area of the body so someone has put some intelligent thought into the practice. Reiki is based around how spiritual and soulical forces can affect someone's body and that really can't be measured so, even though it is taught, I don't consider it intelligent apart from the thought of how much effort someone has put into imagining what could happen if those forces were real.

[@fionagrant2023]

Vile man Keating 😡🤢🤢🤮🤮

[@kenw.simpson1007]

Demonic

[@chrisbutler1852]

This guy should seriously give it away. So out of touch

[@Heath-Gallagher]

absolutely,he pissed millions of jobs up against a wall,privatised the shit out of the place,campaigned for a GST in the mid 80's and then against it when he knew he'd lose office if he pushed for it,almost ruined the ABC and SBS with that stupid merger idea. resided over 17% interest rates when japans at the time were around 5%,and absolute joke of a man.

[@fightington]

No

[@allthingsaustralia4861]

WORST PRIME MINSTER EVER! Second worst GILLARD Third RUDD.

[@Behemoth29]

Let me guess... Your favourite prime ministers are 1) Howard 2) Abbott 3) Turnbull

[@dratz50]

@@Behemoth29 Come now. Turnbull? What right winger would embrace him?

[@StygiaN-WeB]

gold

[@stephenspreckley8219]

Rag dolls, lol!