June 1991 Australian Labor Party
Leadership spill

← 1983 3 June 1991 December 1991 →

Candidate Bob Hawke Paul Keating Caucus vote 66 (60.0%) 44 (40.0%)

Leader before election Bob Hawke Elected Leader Bob Hawke

A leadership spill in the Australian Labor Party, the party of government in the Parliament of Australia, was held on 3 June 1991. It was the first of two ballots that year with Prime Minister Bob Hawke surviving the ballot against Treasurer Paul Keating, who then went to the backbench.

Background

Bob Hawke had been leader of the Labor Party since 3 February 1983, and Prime Minister since the 1983 election, with Labor winning a record four elections under his leadership. However, the unexpectedly close win at the 1990 election, coupled with the deepening economic recession, fuelled tensions within the government over economic policy.^{[citation needed]}

Furthermore, a re-energised Liberal opposition led by John Hewson, a qualified economist, gained ground in the opinion polls.^{[citation needed]} Hawke had alienated key NSW Right faction powerbroker, Senator Graham Richardson by late 1990, with the latter bluntly telling Hawke he no longer had the support of the Right.^{[citation needed]}

Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Paul Keating launched his first June challenge against Hawke after the latter apparently reneged on a Kirribilli agreement that he would hand over the leadership in 1990.^[1]

Candidates

• Bob Hawke, incumbent Leader, Prime Minister of Australia, Member for Wills
• Paul Keating, former Deputy Prime Minister, former Treasurer, Member for Blaxland

Results

Australian Labor Party
Deputy Leadership spill, 1991

← 1990 1995 →

Candidate Brian Howe Graeme Campbell Caucus vote 81 (73.6%) 18 (16.4%)

Deputy Leader before election Paul Keating Deputy Leader after election Brian Howe

The following tables gives the ballot results:

Leadership ballot

Deputy leadership ballot

Aftermath

Hawke's public support continued to decline before in December 1991, he called on another spill which Keating won 56–51.