Bill Hayden - Governor-General, After politics, Further reading

Australian statesman, born in Brisbane, Queensland, NE Australia. He studied at Queensland University, then served in the state civil service (1950–2) and the police (1952–61), before he joined the Australian Labor Party and entered the federal parliament in 1961. He served under Gough Whitlam and replaced him as Party leader in 1977. In 1983 he surrendered the leadership to the more charismatic Bob Hawke, and was foreign minister in his government (1983–8). As Governor-General of Australia (1989–96), he characteristically refused the customary knighthood which accompanies the post, and was rumoured to be Australia's first republican governor-general. In 1998, he was appointed to the Constitutional Convention which was to discuss whether Australia should become a republic.

The Hon Bill Hayden

21st Governor General of Australia
In office 16 February 1989 – 16 February 1996
Preceded by	Sir Ninian Stephen
Succeeded by	Sir William Deane
Born	23 January 1933 Brisbane Queensland

William George Hayden AC (born 23 January 1933), Australian politician and 21st Governor-General of Australia, was born in Brisbane, Queensland, the son of an American-born sailor of Irish descent.

By 1982 it was clear that Fraser was manoeuvring to call an early election, and Hawke began mobilising his supporters to challenge Hayden's leadership. On 16 July Hayden narrowly defeated Hawke's challenge in a party ballot, but Hawke continued to plot against Hayden. Labor under Hawke won the election, and Hayden became Foreign Affairs Minister, a position he held until 1988, performing competently but without evident enthusiasm.

Governor-General

After the 1987 federal election Hawke offered Hayden the post of Governor-General to give him a dignified exit from politics and some consolation for having robbed him of the chance to become Prime Minister.

After politics

In 1996 Hayden was recognised as the Australian Humanist of the Year by the Council of Australian Humanist Societies.

After Hayden left office in 1996, however, it became apparent that he still resented how he had been treated by the Labor Party.

Further reading

John Stubbs, Hayden, William Hienemann 1989 Bill Hayden, Hayden, An Autobiography, Angus and Robertson 1996 ISBN 0-207-18769-X

Political Offices
Preceded by: Jim Cairns	Treasurer of Australia 1975	Succeeded by: Phillip Lynch
Preceded by: Gough Whitlam	Leader of the Australian Labor Party 1977–1983	Succeeded by: Bob Hawke
Preceded by: Tony Street	Foreign Minister of Australia 1983–1988	Succeeded by: Gareth Evans
Government Offices
Preceded by: Sir Ninian Stephen	Governor-General of Australia 1989–1996	Succeeded by: Sir William Deane