Ralph Willis AO (born 14 April 1938) is a former Australian politician who served as a Cabinet Minister during the entirety of the Hawke-Keating Government from 1983 to 1996, most notably as Treasurer of Australia from 1993 to 1996 and briefly in 1991. He also served as Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Transport and Communications and Minister for Finance. He represented the Victorian seat of Gellibrand in the House of Representatives from 1972 to 1998. Early life Willis was born in Melbourne to Stan and Doris Willis and educated at Footscray Central School, University High School and Melbourne University, gaining a Bachelor of Commerce. He subsequently worked as a research officer and industrial advocate for the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) during the time that Bob Hawke was ACTU President. He and his wife Carol Willis (née Dawson) have three children, Sandra, Fiona and Evan. Political career In 1972, the year that the Whitlam Government was elected, Willis was elected to the House of Representatives for the safe Labor seat of Gellibrand in Melbourne's western suburbs. After Labor's defeat at the 1975 election, Willis was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet, serving initially as Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, and from 1980 as Shadow Treasurer. In January 1983, however, he was replaced as Shadow Treasurer by Opposition Leader Bill Hayden, who gave the position to Paul Keating in an unsuccessful attempt to shore up his own position as party leader. Hawke Government As a former ACTU official, Willis was regarded as a protégé of Bob Hawke, and some expected Hawke to make him Treasurer upon his election as Prime Minister in March 1983. However Hawke decided to appoint Paul Keating to the role instead, making Willis the Minister for Employment Relations and giving him a major role in establishing and overseeing the Prices and Incomes Accord, one of the central policy reforms of the Hawke Government. Willis retained this role following the 1984 and 1987 elections, before being appointed Minister for Transport and Communications in 1988. After the 1990 election, Willis became Minister for Finance. Following Keating's resignation as Treasurer in June 1991 in an unsuccessful attempt to challenge Hawke for the leadership, there was media speculation that Willis would be given the role, but he was passed over a second time when Hawke ultimately decided to appoint John Kerin. However, Kerin's period as Treasurer was troubled, and after