The Sweetest Victory

Overview

At the end of January, 1991, Prime Minister Bob Hawke finally and openly reneged on his promise to stand aside for Paul Keating. A disastrous leadership contest was now inevitable. The rest of the year was virtually consumed by the hostility between the nation's two most powerful men, as the clash of personal ambitions paralysed the government. Ultimately, Paul Keating triumphed, taking over as Prime Minister, and in March 1993, he led the Labor Party to victory for an unprecedented fifth term in government - "the sweetest victory of all".