snoop1130 Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 Australia's 'larrikin' former prime minister Bob Hawke dies at 89 By Colin Packham FILE PHOTO: Australia's former prime minister Bob Hawke gives a speech at the Labor Party's federal election campaign launch event in Brisbane August 16, 2010. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz/File Photo SYDNEY (Reuters) - Bob Hawke, a transformative and charismatic left-wing lawmaker with a "larrikin' streak who served as Australian prime minister from 1983 to 1991, died on Thursday aged 89, his family said. "Today we lost Bob Hawke, a great Australian – many would say the greatest Australian of the post-war era," his wife and former biographer Blanche d’Alpuget said in a statement. While others may have struggled to dismiss a reputation for boisterous, if well-meaning, behaviour, silver-haired Hawke said it helped him win favour with working-class voters. Prime Minster Scott Morrison hailed Hawke's ability to speak to all Australians. "Bob Hawke was a great Australian who led and served our country with passion, courage, and an intellectual horsepower that made our country stronger," he said on social media. Hawke's death comes ahead of a Saturday general election, with his opposition Labor party is narrowly ahead in the polls. "The Australian people loved Bob Hawke because they knew Bob loved them, this was true to the very end," Labor party leader Bill Shorten said in a statement. Hawke earned his reputation as a "larrikin", or loveable rogue, in part due to his world record for drinking a "yard", or 1.4 litres, of beer in 11 seconds while at Oxford University. Robert James Lee Hawke, a former trade union leader, was first elected to parliament in 1980 and was named leader of the centre-left Labor Party less than a month before a snap general election in 1983. Voters embraced Hawke and Labor won an unlikely landslide against a conservative government led by Malcolm Fraser, who had been in power for nearly a decade. Hawke became Australia's 23rd prime minister. "I regard Bob Hawke as the best Labor prime minister this country has ever had," former conservative leader John Howard, who served as Fraser's treasurer, said this year. Inheriting an economy languishing in recession and with double-digit unemployment and inflation, Hawke embraced economic deregulation that belied his connections with Australia's largest trade unions. Hawke won support from the political left to float the Australian dollar, remove controls on foreign exchange and interest rates and lower tariffs on imports within months of his inauguration. The reforms triggered a wave of economic growth, allowing Hawke to introduce universal healthcare, strengthen social security for poor families and enact stronger environmental legislation. EFFORTS AGAINST APARTHEID Within months of Hawke becoming prime minister, Australia won sailing's America's Cup in 1983, ending 132 years of U.S. dominance over the oldest trophy in world sport. Hawke led the celebrations, famously sticking up of anyone who might over-do the revelry, declaring on television: "Any boss that sacks a worker for not turning up is a bum." Australia also made its mark on the international stage under Hawke, who shifted diplomatic priorities away from Britain, fostering closer ties with the United States, China, Japan and Southeast Asia. He also spearheaded international efforts to impose economic sanctions on South Africa over apartheid. Hawke was riding high in opinion polls by the mid-1980s and won re-election in 1987 despite an economic downturn. He won a fourth election in 1990 to become Australia's longest-serving Labor prime minister but his popularity began to wane amid a recession. Paul Keating, Hawke's treasurer and the architect of Labor's economic policies, pressured him to step aside as his position weakened. However, with no sign that Hawke would retire, Keating challenged him for the leadership in 1991. Hawke saw off the first challenge but eventually lost to Keating a few months later in a party-room coup. He quit politics three months later. Hawke divorced his wife of nearly 40 years, Hazel Masterson, after leaving politics and public life and married his biographer, Blanche d'Alpuget. He appeared as a media commentator and was in demand as a public speaker. -- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-16 Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post PJPom Posted May 16, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted May 16, 2019 (edited) A bloody good bloke, nothing further needs to be said. Edited May 16, 2019 by PJPom Spelling 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post pegman Posted May 16, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted May 16, 2019 Very commendable what he and the other Commonwealth leaders, except for despicable Thatcher, did to end South Africa's apartheid regime. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmerjo Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 I best remember him for 17% interest rates,could do with them again now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfd101 Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 8 hours ago, pegman said: Very commendable what he and the other Commonwealth leaders, except for despicable Thatcher, did to end South Africa's apartheid regime. Malcolm Fraser actually, in Australia's case. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfd101 Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 The death of Bob Hawke reminds us that there was once a high-quality Labor government in Oz that understood Economics 101 and knew how to bring the people - not to mention the trade unions - along on major reform (including the most important decision any Oz government has made since WW2, namely the float of the dollar). Makes the current pollies, of both sides, look pathetic by comparison. The effect - if any - on the election outcome tomorrow is unpredictable. Reminder of past glories might just push Little Billy over the line. But the comparison with now might have the opposite effect ... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamypoko Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 I've only just heard about him from an Australian friend here in LOS. Seems you lost a real character. My condolences Australia. RiP! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiFelix Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 I believe he was the greatest PM Australia has ever seen. RIP Bob. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car720 Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 This much I know. He was not one to put up with this new age nonsense. Go in Peace mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmen Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Man was a rhodes scholar. Highly educated larrikin. He will be missed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnapat Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 There are a few drama/ documentaries about the Hawke/ Keating era on Youtube. Although I'm not an Aussie I can fully recommend taking a look. This was when the world had proper Pam's who stood up for their beliefs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evadgib Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 13 hours ago, pegman said: Very commendable what he and the other Commonwealth leaders, except for despicable Thatcher, did to end South Africa's apartheid regime. Thatcher's stance re the IRA rendered her unable to do anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJPom Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 14 hours ago, pegman said: Very commendable what he and the other Commonwealth leaders, except for despicable Thatcher, did to end South Africa's apartheid regime. Hate to mention it but has anyone looked at South Africa recently? I wouldn’t call it a very successful outcome. Now call me racist, I prefer realist. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncc1701d Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Illegally destroyed domestic aviation. http://www.vision.net.au/~apaterson/aviation/pd89_document.htm#HAWKE https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_Australian_pilots'_dispute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyfromoz Posted May 20, 2019 Share Posted May 20, 2019 he was the greatest. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibeachlovers Posted May 20, 2019 Share Posted May 20, 2019 On 5/17/2019 at 3:11 PM, car720 said: This much I know. He was not one to put up with this new age nonsense. Go in Peace mate. While I took no notice of Australian politics at the time Hawke was leader, he appears to have been "as rough as guts" for which he was very popular. Certainly I'd prefer all politicians to be such. Unfortunately, none are now, except perhaps one. He is another reminder of a better age that has passed away. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillageIdiot Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 Bob seemed a likeable sort. A typical Aussie... forever the lad. That said, he had a nasty streak in him - as so many of them do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ballpoint Posted May 21, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted May 21, 2019 A story told by the NZ deputy PM at the time, when he and a cabinet minister were playing golf against Bob Hawke and the Aussie High Commissioner to NZ. ... at the end of 18 holes it was all square and getting late. There was an official dinner we all had to attend that evening. After 19 it was still all square. On the 20th hole, in the gathering gloom, before we drove off on a short par-3 hole, Bob turned and said to his high commissioner, "McKinnon put the bloody ball on the green or I will send you to Tripoli." I piped up: "Prime minister, I don't think you have a mission in Tripoli." Bob's response was: "I'll bloody soon get one." 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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