Bill Hayden facts for kids
William George Hayden (born 23 January 1933 – died 21 October 2023) was an important Australian politician. He served as the 21st Governor-General of Australia from 1989 to 1996. Before that, he was the Leader of the Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1977 to 1983. He also held important roles as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (1983–1988) and Treasurer of Australia (1975).
Hayden was born in Brisbane, Queensland. He worked as a police officer for eight years while studying economics. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1961 when he was 28 years old. When the Labor Party won the election in 1972, he became the Minister for Social Security. He later became the Treasurer in 1975, but only for a short time.
In 1977, Hayden became the Leader of the Labor Party and the Leader of the Opposition. He led the party in the 1980 election, but they did not win. In 1983, he was replaced by Bob Hawke as leader. After the Labor Party won the 1983 election, Hayden became the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. He left parliament in 1988 to become the Governor-General, a role he held for seven years.
Contents
Early life and education
Bill Hayden was born on 23 January 1933 in Spring Hill, Queensland. He was the first child of Violet Quinn and George Hayden. He had a younger brother and two younger sisters. His father was an American seaman who became a piano-tuner. His mother came from a working-class family.
The family moved to Brisbane during the Great Depression, a time when many people struggled to find work. Bill went to St Ita's Catholic Primary School and later Dutton Park State School. He then went to Brisbane State High School for his high school education. After school, he worked as a clerk. He also joined the Royal Australian Navy for six months as part of national service.
Policing career
In 1953, after his father passed away, Hayden joined the Queensland Police Force. He completed his training in Brisbane. He worked as a police officer in different towns, including Mackay, Calen, and Sarina. To support his family, he also worked other jobs, like driving a milk truck.
In 1956, Hayden moved back to Brisbane. He worked as a plainclothes constable, meaning he wore regular clothes instead of a police uniform. He was also assigned to guard the governor of Queensland at Government House.
Political career (1961–1988)
As a young man, Hayden was interested in politics. He joined the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in 1957. He became a very active member of the party. In 1960, he was chosen to run for the federal seat of Oxley.
In the 1961 Australian federal election, Hayden surprisingly won the seat of Oxley. He defeated the sitting Liberal Party member. He was only 28 years old when he entered parliament, making him one of the youngest members. He quickly became known as a hardworking and good speaker in parliament. In 1969, he became part of the Opposition's main team.
In the Whitlam government (1972–1975)
When the Labor Party, led by Gough Whitlam, won the 1972 Australian federal election, Bill Hayden was given an important job. He became the Minister for Social Security. In this role, he helped create important changes. One of his biggest achievements was introducing Medibank. This was Australia's first system to provide health insurance for everyone.
On 6 June 1975, he became the Treasurer, which means he was in charge of the country's money. He held this position for only five months. The Whitlam government was removed from power by the Governor-General on 11 November 1975.
Leader of the Opposition (1977–1983)
After the Labor Party lost the 1977 Australian federal election, Gough Whitlam stepped down as leader. Bill Hayden was then elected as the new leader of the Labor Party. This also made him the Leader of the Opposition. He was almost 45 years old, making him the youngest Labor Party leader since 1901. His political ideas became more balanced, supporting both private businesses and Australia's alliance with America.
In the 1980 Australian federal election, Labor did much better, gaining more votes. However, they still did not win enough seats to form government. Hayden managed to reduce the government's majority in parliament.
By 1982, there was talk that the Prime Minister might call an early election. But the biggest challenge for Hayden came from within his own party. Bob Hawke, a popular former union leader, wanted to become the leader. In July 1982, Hayden narrowly won a vote to keep his leadership. However, Hawke continued to try and become leader.
On 3 February 1983, several important Labor figures told Hayden that he should resign. He agreed, and Bob Hawke became the new leader on 8 February. On the same day, the Prime Minister called an election. Hayden famously said that "a drover's dog could lead the Labor Party to victory" because the government was so unpopular. This quote became very well known in Australian politics.
Foreign Minister (1983–1988)
The Labor Party won the 1983 election, and Bill Hayden became the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. In this job, he worked to make Australia's relationships with its Asian neighbours stronger. He believed that Australia was changing and would become more connected with Asia.
As Foreign Minister, Hayden also looked after Australia's foreign aid program. He worked to improve how Australia helped other countries. He also tried to build connections with countries like Vietnam and Cambodia, even when other nations disagreed.
Governor-General (1989–1996)
_1988_Bill_Hayden,_Russian_FM_Shevardnadze,_Moscow.jpg)
After the Labor Party won the 1987 election, Prime Minister Hawke announced that Queen Elizabeth II had approved Bill Hayden's appointment as Governor-General of Australia. The Governor-General is the King or Queen's representative in Australia. This appointment was seen as a way to recognise Hayden's contributions, especially since he had stepped aside for Hawke to become Prime Minister.
Hayden resigned from Parliament and stopped his political connections with the Labor Party. He started his role as Governor-General in early 1989. He served during a time when the government changed from Bob Hawke to Paul Keating. His term was usually five years, but it was extended for two more years until early 1996.
As Governor-General, he automatically became the head of the Order of Australia, which gives awards to Australians. The Governor-General is also usually the Chief Scout of Australia. However, Hayden chose not to take this role because he was an atheist, which did not fit with the Scout Promise. Instead, he became the "National Patron" of the Scout Association.
Later life
After he finished being Governor-General, Bill Hayden continued to share his thoughts on public issues in Australia. He joined the board of a magazine called Quadrant. In the discussion about whether Australia should become a republic in 1999, he supported the idea of having a directly elected president.
He also wrote articles for other magazines and newspapers about current social, economic, and political topics. He continued to be an important voice in Australian public life.
Personal life
In May 1960, Bill Hayden married Dallas Broadfoot. They had three daughters and one son. Sadly, their oldest daughter, Michaela, died in 1966 at the age of five after being hit by a car.
In September 2018, Bill Hayden was baptized as a Roman Catholic at a church in Ipswich. He said that he had felt a "gnawing pain in my heart and soul about what is the meaning of life." His family and friends were there for the baptism.
Death
Bill Hayden passed away in Queensland on 21 October 2023, when he was 90 years old. This was exactly nine years after Gough Whitlam's death. The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, announced that Hayden would have a state funeral to honour his life and service.
Honours
Because he was Governor-General, Bill Hayden was the Chancellor of the Order of Australia. In 1999, he received an award from Latvia called the Order of the Three Stars.
The University of Queensland gave him an Honorary Doctorate of Laws in 1990 for his important contributions to Australia. He also received other awards, including admission to the Order of St John Australia.
In 1996, Bill Hayden was named the Australian Humanist of the Year. In 2007, he became a Life Member of the Australian Labor Party.
In 2017, former Prime Minister Paul Keating gave a speech honouring Bill Hayden. Keating said that many of the important changes made by the Labor government in the 1980s were based on the ideas and plans Bill Hayden developed when he was Leader of the Opposition.
Hayden Oration
A series of special talks, called the Hayden Orations, have been created to honour Bill Hayden. These talks are sponsored by the University of Southern Queensland.
- 2016 First Oration, David Hamill, 14 August.
- 2017 Second Oration, Paul Keating, 29 September.
- 2018 Third Oration, Neal Blewett, 15 August.
- 2023 Jim Chalmers, 10 November 2023.
Images for kids
-
Hayden in 1971
See also
In Spanish: Bill Hayden para niños
