Who was Bob Hawke?
Bob Hawke was the Labor Prime Minister of Australia from 1983 to 1991, the country's longest-serving Labor leader in the role. Known for his popularity and charm, he led major economic reforms during his time in office.
Hawke was born in Bordertown, South Australia, in 1929 and grew up in Western Australia. He was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, where he set a record for drinking a yard of ale quickly.
Before entering parliament, Hawke was president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, becoming one of the most famous public figures in Australia.
Prime Minister
Hawke won four elections. His government, with Treasurer Paul Keating, floated the Australian dollar, deregulated the financial system and introduced Medicare.
He promoted consensus between unions, business and government through the Prices and Incomes Accord. He also helped establish the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, known as APEC.
Hawke was replaced as Prime Minister by Keating in a party leadership challenge in 1991. He remained popular with Australians and died in May 2019, days before a federal election. He is remembered for his famous comment after Australia II won the America's Cup in 1983.