Bob Hawke

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Bob Hawke bigraphy, stories - 23rd Prime Minister of Australia

Bob Hawke : biography

9 December 1929 –

Robert James Lee Hawke AC GCL (born 9 December 1929) is an Australian politician who was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia and the Leader of the Labor Party from 1983 to 1991. After a decade as President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, he was elected to the House of Representatives as the Labor MP for Wills in 1980. Three years later, he led Labor to a landslide election victory and was sworn in as Prime Minister. He led Labor to victory at three more elections in 1984, 1987 and 1990, thus making him the most successful Labor Leader in history. Hawke was eventually replaced by Paul Keating at the end of 1991. He remains to date Labor’s longest-serving Prime Minister, and is Australia’s third-longest-serving Prime Minister.

Retirement and later life

After leaving Parliament, Hawke entered the business world, where he achieved considerable success. He and Hazel Hawke divorced (for the sake of the Labor cause, she had put up with his open relationship with Blanche d’Alpuget while he was Prime Minister), and shortly afterwards he married d’Alpuget. Hazel Hawke died on 23 May 2013 following complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

He had little to do with the Labor Party during Keating’s time as Prime Minister, although he sometimes criticised him publicly. Encyclopædia Britannica online After Keating’s defeat and the election of the Howard Government at the 1996 election, he began to be more involved with Labor again, openly supporting Opposition Leader Kim Beazley.

Parliament House for the national apology to the Stolen Generations.]]

In the run up to the 2007 election, Hawke, then 78, made a considerable personal effort to support Kevin Rudd, making speeches at a large number of campaign office openings across Australia. As well as campaigning against WorkChoices, Hawke also attacked John Howard’s record as Treasurer, stating "it was the judgement of every economist and international financial institution that it was the restructuring reforms undertaken by my government, with the full cooperation of the trade union movement, which created the strength of the Australian economy today". Similarly, in the 2010 election campaign, Hawke leant considerable support to Julia Gillard.

In February 2008, Hawke joined former Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam, Malcolm Fraser and Paul Keating in Parliament House to witness Prime Minister Kevin Rudd deliver the long anticipated apology to the Stolen Generations.

In 2009, Hawke helped establish the Centre for Muslim and Non-Muslim Understanding at the University of South Australia. Interfaith dialogue was an important issue for Hawke, who told the Adelaide Review that he is "convinced that one of the great potential dangers confronting the world is the lack of understanding in regard to the Muslim world. Fanatics have misrepresented what Islam is. They give a false impression of the essential nature of Islam."

In 2011, Hawke publicly supported New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally, who was facing almost certain defeat, in her campaign against Liberal Barry O’Farrell, describing her campaign as "gutsy".

In April 2013, Hawke was noted in previously secret US embassy and consulate reports as “Then-ACTU President Bob Hawke was the embassy’s most valued Labor contact, as he conferred regularly with embassy officers and the US consulate in Melbourne”.

Member of Parliament

Hawke’s first attempt to enter Parliament came during the 1963 federal election. He stood in the seat of Corio and managed to achieve a 3.1% swing against the national trend, although he fell short of winning the seat. After passing up opportunities to stand throughout the 1970s, he was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1980 election for Wills, Melbourne. Immediately upon his election to Parliament, Hawke was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet by Labor Leader Bill Hayden as Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Employment and Youth.Hurst, J., (1983), p. 262 Throughout that time, opinion polls continually indicated that, in contrast to Hayden, Hawke was regarded as "a certain election winner". In order to quell speculation over his position, Hayden eventually called a leadership ballot for 16 July 1982.Kelly, P., (1992), p.24 Hawke stood, but Hayden was able to defeat him and remain in his position, although his five-vote victory over the former ACTU President was not large enough to dispel doubts that he could lead the Labor to victory at an election.Hurst, J., (1983), p. 269