Paul Keating has unleashed a withering retort to Bob Hawke's new biography, claiming he propped up Hawke for four years as prime minister beacuse he was too depressed to act.
The new biography by Mr Hawke's wife, Blanche d’Alpuget, understates the "emotional and intellectual malaise" that debilitated Hawke as PM, Keating claims in a letter published in The Australian.
"The fact is, Bob, I was exceedingly kind to you for a very long time," he says in the letter.
"I carried you through the whole 1984-1987 parliament, insisting you look like the prime minister, even if your staff … were otherwise prepared to leave you in your emotional hole."
Mr Keating, who served as treasurer to Mr Hawke before ousting him in 1991, composed the three-page letter after reading an extract of the biography at the weekend.
The letter was reportedly delivered by hand to Mr Hawke's Sydney office on Monday, the day the biography was launched.
The book describes how Mr Hawke succumbed to depression in 1984 as his daughter Rosslyn began using heroin.
Mr Keating reveals that he rebuffed Mrs d'Alpuget when she tried to interview him for the biography.
"I told her she could not write about your years with me, without dealing honestly and fully with your long years of depression and executive incapacity."
Mr Keating said he is considering writing his own book to "record without favour how lucky you were to have me drive the government during your down years, leaving you with the credit for much of the success".
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