The former Labor leader and long-serving governor-general leaves a legacy of reform, including as one of the key architects of universal healthcare in Australia.
Bill Hayden, who rose from a pinched working-class childhood to become Labor leader and eventually Australia’s governor-general, but was denied the chance to become prime minister has died in Queensland, aged 90.
Aged just 28, Hayden was among the youngest of Australian politicians when he entered the federal parliament as the Member for the Queensland seat of Oxley in 1961.He retained the seat for 27 years before resigning in August 1988 to become Australia’s 21st governor-general. He served in the vice-regal role for a near-record seven years, second only to Lord Gowrie’s nine years from 1936 to 1945.
Hayden, however, had long before earned his place in Australian political history when, as social security minister in the Whitlam government, he fought and won a long battle to establish Australia’s first universal health insurance system, Medibank – now known as Medicare.He became treasurer late in the Whitlam government’s period, replacing Jim Cairns.
“Without Bill Hayden’s instinctive grasp of the relationship between facing our nation to the world and securing our prosperity for the future, the government in which he served might not have achieved the same degree of engagement in our region that still benefits Australia today,” Albanese said.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Bill Hayden, giant of the Labor Party and legend of the labour movementThe former Labor leader and long-serving governor-general leaves a legacy of reform, including as one of the key architects of universal healthcare in Australia.
Read more »
Bill Hayden, giant of the Labor Party and legend of the labour movementThe former Labor leader and long-serving governor-general leaves a legacy of reform, including as one of the key architects of universal healthcare in Australia.
Read more »
ALP giant Bill Hayden dies aged 90Former Labor Party leader and Governor-General Bill Hayden has died, aged 90.
Read more »
Former Labor leader and governor general Bill Hayden diesPrime Minister Anthony Albanese called him a "legend of our labour movement".
Read more »