Paul Keating urges Australian republic and legacy as he reflects on past and future

In a recent dialogue at the University of Sydney, former prime minister Paul Keating revisited his long-standing agenda for Australia, stressing the urgency of establishing a republic, achieving Indigenous reconciliation and shifting security focus toward Asia. He recounted a solitary audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle, describing the encounter as proof that the hereditary monarchy had become irrelevant for Australia.

Keating reflected on hallmark moments of his tenure, such as the Soviet Union’s collapse, the first APEC summit with President George H W Bush, and his 1992 Kokoda-Day address. He warned that political timidity spreads like a virus, hindering substantive policy, and voiced concern about artificial intelligence’s sweeping impact. Additionally, he expressed support for the current U.S. president’s aim to prevent a third world war, while emphasizing that his personal archive records the core pillars of his political legacy.