Kirribilli agreement
Encyclopedia
A Kirribilli agreement refers, in Australia
n culture, to an agreement - typically confidential - between a leader and their deputy leader for the handing over of power on the satisfaction of an agreed precondition.
The term was first used to describe a 1988 agreement between the then Prime Minister of Australia
, Bob Hawke
, and his Commonwealth Treasurer
, and deputy leader, Paul Keating
which was effected at Kirribilli House
. Hawke agreed that he would resign in favour of Keating at an unspecificified time after the 1990 election and preceding any subsequent election. On Keating's insistence, the undertaking was witnessed by ACTU
secretary Bill Kelty
, and Sir Peter Abeles, a businessman and friend of Hawke. In 1991, having secured a fourth term a year earlier and having had his leadership capacity belittled to the assembled Canberra press gallery in a deemed "treacherous
" speech by Keating, Hawke reneged on the agreement, prompting Keating to resign as treasurer and challenge him for the prime minister
ship. Although his initial challenge in June 1991 failed, he again challenged Hawke in December 1991 and won.
John Howard
had such an agreement with his treasurer and deputy party leader Peter Costello
. As witnessed, manually noted, and later reported by then Defence Minister Ian McLachlan
:"(An) undertaking (was) given by John Howard ... in Peter Costello’s room that if Alexander Downer
resigned and Howard became PM then one and a half terms would be enough and he would hand over to Peter Costello." Howard reported that the meeting took place but that no such deal was struck..
As Howard's 64th birthday approached in 2003, he asserted his intention to stay on as leader. Costello made several public statements that did little to hide his distemper at the decision. Howard went on to remain leader of the Liberal Party of Australia
when the Liberal-National
coalition won the 2004 federal election and in December of that year became Australia's second longest serving prime minister.
After the 2004 election Costello did not exercise his right to challenge for the leadership. In speculation throughout 2005 several Liberal ministers began to be mentioned as possible challengers to Peter Costello's inheritance. They were defence minister Brendan Nelson
, Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer
, health minister Tony Abbott
and backbencher
Malcolm Turnbull
. All in time themselves served as Liberal party leader either before or subsequent to that year.
There was a further period supposition that Costello would challenge Howard for the leadership in the lead-up to the 2007 federal election. Howard remained prime minister and Costello treasurer until the coalition government lost power in the election of November 2007. John Howard also lost his parliamentary seat
, and Peter Costello declined to assume the leadership of the now opposition Liberal Party or even to serve his full elected term as a Member of Parliament.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n culture, to an agreement - typically confidential - between a leader and their deputy leader for the handing over of power on the satisfaction of an agreed precondition.
The term was first used to describe a 1988 agreement between the then Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
, Bob Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
, and his Commonwealth Treasurer
Treasurer of Australia
The Treasurer of Australia is the minister in the Government of Australia responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. He is the head of the Department of the Treasury. The Treasurer plays a key role in the economic policy of the government...
, and deputy leader, Paul Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
which was effected at Kirribilli House
Kirribilli House
Kirribilli House is the official Sydney residence of the Australian Prime Minister. The house is located at the far eastern end of Kirribilli Avenue in the harbourside suburb of Kirribilli...
. Hawke agreed that he would resign in favour of Keating at an unspecificified time after the 1990 election and preceding any subsequent election. On Keating's insistence, the undertaking was witnessed by ACTU
Australian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
secretary Bill Kelty
Bill Kelty
William John "Bill" Kelty, AC is an Australian trade unionist and a well-known figure in the Australian labour movement, who served as Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions from 1983 to 2000....
, and Sir Peter Abeles, a businessman and friend of Hawke. In 1991, having secured a fourth term a year earlier and having had his leadership capacity belittled to the assembled Canberra press gallery in a deemed "treacherous
Treachery
Treachery is a statutory offence in Australia. There was also an unrelated statutory offence bearing that name in the United Kingdom, but it has been abolished. Both of these offences were derived from or inspired by the related offence of treason. The name treachery was chosen because it is a...
" speech by Keating, Hawke reneged on the agreement, prompting Keating to resign as treasurer and challenge him for the prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
ship. Although his initial challenge in June 1991 failed, he again challenged Hawke in December 1991 and won.
John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
had such an agreement with his treasurer and deputy party leader Peter Costello
Peter Costello
Peter Howard Costello AC is an Australian politician and lawyer who served as the Treasurer in the Australian government from 1996 to 2007. He is the longest-serving Treasurer in Australian history. Costello was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1990 to 2009, representing...
. As witnessed, manually noted, and later reported by then Defence Minister Ian McLachlan
Ian McLachlan
Ian Murray McLachlan AO is an Australian landowner, former first-class cricketer, and former member of the Australian House of Representatives.-Early life:...
:"(An) undertaking (was) given by John Howard ... in Peter Costello’s room that if Alexander Downer
Alexander Downer
Alexander John Gosse Downer is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was Foreign Minister of Australia from March 1996 to December 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history...
resigned and Howard became PM then one and a half terms would be enough and he would hand over to Peter Costello." Howard reported that the meeting took place but that no such deal was struck..
As Howard's 64th birthday approached in 2003, he asserted his intention to stay on as leader. Costello made several public statements that did little to hide his distemper at the decision. Howard went on to remain leader of the Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
when the Liberal-National
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
coalition won the 2004 federal election and in December of that year became Australia's second longest serving prime minister.
After the 2004 election Costello did not exercise his right to challenge for the leadership. In speculation throughout 2005 several Liberal ministers began to be mentioned as possible challengers to Peter Costello's inheritance. They were defence minister Brendan Nelson
Brendan Nelson
Dr Brendan John Nelson is a former Australian politician and former federal Opposition leader. He served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from the 1996 federal election until 19 October 2009 as the Liberal member for Bradfield, a northern Sydney seat...
, Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer
Alexander Downer
Alexander John Gosse Downer is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was Foreign Minister of Australia from March 1996 to December 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history...
, health minister Tony Abbott
Tony Abbott
Anthony John "Tony" Abbott is the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian House of Representatives and federal leader of the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. Abbott has represented the seat of Warringah since the 1994 by-election...
and backbencher
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives since 2004, and was Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party from 16 September 2008 to 1 December 2009.Turnbull has represented the Division...
. All in time themselves served as Liberal party leader either before or subsequent to that year.
There was a further period supposition that Costello would challenge Howard for the leadership in the lead-up to the 2007 federal election. Howard remained prime minister and Costello treasurer until the coalition government lost power in the election of November 2007. John Howard also lost his parliamentary seat
Division of Bennelong
The Division of Bennelong is an Australian electorate in New South Wales. The division was created in 1949 and is named for Bennelong, an Aboriginal man befriended by the first Governor of New South Wales, Arthur Phillip...
, and Peter Costello declined to assume the leadership of the now opposition Liberal Party or even to serve his full elected term as a Member of Parliament.
See also
- Granita pactBlair-Brown dealThe Blair–Brown deal was an alleged gentlemen's agreement made between the British politicians Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in the summer of 1994...
- a similar deal in British politicsPolitics of the United KingdomThe politics of the United Kingdom takes place within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is the head of state and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government...
.