PM Transcripts

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PRIME MINISTER
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISThR, THE BON P J KEATING MP
THE HON JOHN DAWK[ NS MP
I congratulate John Dawkins on his courageous personal decision to relinquish the post
of Federal Treasurer to return to the backbench, with a view to eventually retiring from
Parliament before the next election.
I am, of course, saddened at the departure from the Cabinet of a friend and colleague
of such distinction, passion and ability.
As I said in the Parliament tonight, in John Dawkins we saw the Cabinet Minister's role
performed par excellence.
John Dawkins has had a highly significant mninisterial career, spanning about I1I years.
Among his many achievements, his spearheading of the formation of the Cairns Group
of agrcultural trading nations stands out as a major contribution to public fife in
national and international terms.
He has, of course, achieved many other things in public life in Australia, in a range of
Ministries. He will be remembered for reforms to public sector management; his
transformation of the tertiary education system, and his tireless work on the
Government's Expenditure Review Commidttee. Most recently and particularly as
Treasurer, he has played a significant role in the reformation of Australia's economy for
a new, outward looking and competitive era.
He has been one of the great reformers within the Labor Government.
He leaves the office of Treasurer with Australia growing strongly; with inflation
beaten; and with economnic indicators pointing inexorably towards a strong recovery
and new prosperity for Australians.
I salute John Dawkins and congratulate him on the grace and style with which he
reached and announced this important personal decision. I extend my best and
warmest wishes for the future to him, to his wife Magge, and to their family including
their newborn baby girl, Alice Esther.
CANBERRA 17 DECEMBER, 1993