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After Words: The Post-Prime Ministerial Speeches
A unique volume of speeches and occasional pieces written entirely by former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating
Books of speeches are rarely published as a compendium of work by one person. After Words is unique in Australian publishing by virtue of its scale and range of subjects, and that all the speeches are the work of one eye and one mind: former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating. Each speech has been conceptualized, contextualized and crafted by Paul Keating. Subject to subject, idea to idea, the speeches are related in a wider construct, which is the way Paul Keating has viewed and thought about the world. The speeches reveal the breadth and depth of his interests—be they cultural, historical, or policy-focused—dealing with subjects as broad as international relations, economic policy and politics. Individual chapters range from a discussion of Jorn Utzon's Opera House through to the redesign of Berlin, the history of native title, Australia's relationship to the countries of Asia, the role of the monarchy, to the shape of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2, and more. After Words contains an analytic commentary on Australia's recent social and economic repositioning, in the minds of many, by its principal architect. The speeches, more often than not, go beyond observations, as Paul Keating sketches out new vistas and points to new directions. For those interested in matters that go to the future of Australia and the world, After Words presents, unmediated, a panoply of issues which the policy mind and writing style of Paul Keating has sculpted into a recognizable landscape.
Books of speeches are rarely published as a compendium of work by one person. After Words is unique in Australian publishing by virtue of its scale and range of subjects, and that all the speeches are the work of one eye and one mind: former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating. Each speech has been conceptualized, contextualized and crafted by Paul Keating. Subject to subject, idea to idea, the speeches are related in a wider construct, which is the way Paul Keating has viewed and thought about the world. The speeches reveal the breadth and depth of his interests—be they cultural, historical, or policy-focused—dealing with subjects as broad as international relations, economic policy and politics. Individual chapters range from a discussion of Jorn Utzon's Opera House through to the redesign of Berlin, the history of native title, Australia's relationship to the countries of Asia, the role of the monarchy, to the shape of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2, and more. After Words contains an analytic commentary on Australia's recent social and economic repositioning, in the minds of many, by its principal architect. The speeches, more often than not, go beyond observations, as Paul Keating sketches out new vistas and points to new directions. For those interested in matters that go to the future of Australia and the world, After Words presents, unmediated, a panoply of issues which the policy mind and writing style of Paul Keating has sculpted into a recognizable landscape.
640 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
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About the author
Paul John Keating
8 books2 followersFormer Australian Prime Minister (1991-1996) and Treasurer (1983-1991).
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 26, 2015
Paul Keating is a romantic. He believes that politics is an art based upon passion and intuition.
This book, a collection of his speeches post PM, also shows his scathing side and his fierce intelligence. No wonder he is so feared and despised by the reactionaries in Australia because he calls them for what they are small minded parochial hicks. Keating likes the big picture, he goes for the guts of the problem or the solution and then figurers it out from there.
This book, a collection of his speeches post PM, also shows his scathing side and his fierce intelligence. No wonder he is so feared and despised by the reactionaries in Australia because he calls them for what they are small minded parochial hicks. Keating likes the big picture, he goes for the guts of the problem or the solution and then figurers it out from there.
February 3, 2012
‘Better to wear some criticism than to never take responsibility for what should be done.'
'After all, what does a democracy mean if not the right, the privilege, the chance to take responsibility?’
Paul Keating was elected to the Australian Federal Parliament in 1969. When Labor (under Bob Hawke) was elected to government in March 1983, Paul Keating was appointed Treasurer. Paul Keating was Prime Minister from December 1991 until 1996.
‘After Words’ is a collection of Paul Keating’s post-prime ministerial speeches: thirteen years of collected speeches (55 in total) on a variety of topics. The topics include Australian politics; architecture; friendship and privacy; native title; art; history; music; economics; Australia’s role in Asia and international relations; financial systems; and thoughts on nationhood. Oh, and on John Howard as well.
Paul Keating is known to many of us for his famous turn of phrase and his rapier wit. He is remembered kindly by many for his reform of Australia’s financial system and less kindly by those who suffered through high interest rates and ‘the recession that we had to have’. And many of us were concerned about his warning (in 1986) that ‘Australia was in danger of becoming a banana republic’. But whether you liked or loathed Paul Keating, you always had a sense of what he stood for and that his actions were usually motivated by a sense of a bigger picture rather than political expedience.
To see Paul Keating in action – especially during Question Time) (there are plenty of clips on YouTube, for those interested) is to witness a particular form of performance art. Few politicians are in his league. His searing insults have remained in our collective memory, and a successful satirical musical called ‘Keating!’ has been very successful.
But there is more to Paul Keating than this, and this book of speeches provides a more complete view. These speeches are drawn from book launches, conversations, editorials, eulogies and event openings and include:
(On the arts)
Building a Masterpiece: the Sydney Opera House
Film and Art in the Australia of Nationalism and Cynicism
Introduction to Mahler’s Symphony No 2
Eulogy on the Death of Geoffrey Tozer
(From book launches)
The Launch of ‘The Longest Decade’
The Launch of ’The History Wars’
The Launch of ‘Churchill and Australia’
(On Social Policy)
A Time for Reflection: Political Values in the Age of Distraction
Obsession: Australia and the Challenge of Asia
The Privacy Imperative in the Information Age ‘free-for-all’
(On International Relations and Foreign Policy)
Peace and Prosperity: The Spiritual Challenge
John Curtin’s World and Ours
Eliminating Nuclear Weapons: A Survival Guide for the 21st Century
I’m tempted to quote from the book, but I’m concerned that without appropriate context any quotes would lose their meaning. Except, perhaps, this from 2001:
‘Out here, on the edge of Asia, a long way from major markets and natural groupings, ideas are all that Australia has to garner a position in the scheme of things and to shield it from the harsher winds of globalisation. Not military might, or a large population, or unique resources; simply ideas.’
This is not a book to read in one (or two) sittings. It is a book to dip into, and to think about. For me, two of the most moving speeches are Paul Keating’s eulogies for Bill Bradshaw and Geoffrey Tozer.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
'After all, what does a democracy mean if not the right, the privilege, the chance to take responsibility?’
Paul Keating was elected to the Australian Federal Parliament in 1969. When Labor (under Bob Hawke) was elected to government in March 1983, Paul Keating was appointed Treasurer. Paul Keating was Prime Minister from December 1991 until 1996.
‘After Words’ is a collection of Paul Keating’s post-prime ministerial speeches: thirteen years of collected speeches (55 in total) on a variety of topics. The topics include Australian politics; architecture; friendship and privacy; native title; art; history; music; economics; Australia’s role in Asia and international relations; financial systems; and thoughts on nationhood. Oh, and on John Howard as well.
Paul Keating is known to many of us for his famous turn of phrase and his rapier wit. He is remembered kindly by many for his reform of Australia’s financial system and less kindly by those who suffered through high interest rates and ‘the recession that we had to have’. And many of us were concerned about his warning (in 1986) that ‘Australia was in danger of becoming a banana republic’. But whether you liked or loathed Paul Keating, you always had a sense of what he stood for and that his actions were usually motivated by a sense of a bigger picture rather than political expedience.
To see Paul Keating in action – especially during Question Time) (there are plenty of clips on YouTube, for those interested) is to witness a particular form of performance art. Few politicians are in his league. His searing insults have remained in our collective memory, and a successful satirical musical called ‘Keating!’ has been very successful.
But there is more to Paul Keating than this, and this book of speeches provides a more complete view. These speeches are drawn from book launches, conversations, editorials, eulogies and event openings and include:
(On the arts)
Building a Masterpiece: the Sydney Opera House
Film and Art in the Australia of Nationalism and Cynicism
Introduction to Mahler’s Symphony No 2
Eulogy on the Death of Geoffrey Tozer
(From book launches)
The Launch of ‘The Longest Decade’
The Launch of ’The History Wars’
The Launch of ‘Churchill and Australia’
(On Social Policy)
A Time for Reflection: Political Values in the Age of Distraction
Obsession: Australia and the Challenge of Asia
The Privacy Imperative in the Information Age ‘free-for-all’
(On International Relations and Foreign Policy)
Peace and Prosperity: The Spiritual Challenge
John Curtin’s World and Ours
Eliminating Nuclear Weapons: A Survival Guide for the 21st Century
I’m tempted to quote from the book, but I’m concerned that without appropriate context any quotes would lose their meaning. Except, perhaps, this from 2001:
‘Out here, on the edge of Asia, a long way from major markets and natural groupings, ideas are all that Australia has to garner a position in the scheme of things and to shield it from the harsher winds of globalisation. Not military might, or a large population, or unique resources; simply ideas.’
This is not a book to read in one (or two) sittings. It is a book to dip into, and to think about. For me, two of the most moving speeches are Paul Keating’s eulogies for Bill Bradshaw and Geoffrey Tozer.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
July 31, 2012
"Beauty is about the quest for perfection or an ideal, and that quest has to begin with aesthetic imagination - something informed by conscience, carved by duty. [Immanuel] Kant called it 'the inner command', the ethical construct one creates to guide one from within." - From Keating's introduction to the book.
Paul Keating is a man of grand ideas; his attachment to Romanticism is what fuelled his leadership of Australia. What a shame it is to see that a mind like Keating's is non-existent in Australia's current politics.
It is refreshing to see Keating's personal command of language in this collection, as his (brilliant) speeches as Prime Minister were written primarily by speechwriter Don Watson. From arts and culture to international relations and pressing economic issues, this is a great book with a wide range of subjects.
Paul Keating is a man of grand ideas; his attachment to Romanticism is what fuelled his leadership of Australia. What a shame it is to see that a mind like Keating's is non-existent in Australia's current politics.
It is refreshing to see Keating's personal command of language in this collection, as his (brilliant) speeches as Prime Minister were written primarily by speechwriter Don Watson. From arts and culture to international relations and pressing economic issues, this is a great book with a wide range of subjects.
January 11, 2016
A man with so much intelligence, ego and wit.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews