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.
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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]
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The following tables gives the ballot results:
Name | Votes | Percentage | |
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Bob Hawke | 66 | 60.0 | |
Paul Keating | 44 | 40.0 |
Candidate | Final ballot | % | |
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Brian Howe | 81 | 73.6 | |
Graeme Campbell | 18 | 16.4 | |
Abstentions | 11 | 10.0 |
Hawke's public support continued to decline before in December 1991, he called on another spill which Keating won 56–51.