RIP - Bob Hawke

[Bornadog]

Aged 89, predicted he wouldn't see the outcome of Saturday's election.

Condolences to family and friends

[Bulldog4life]

Re: RIP - Bob Hawke

Aged 89, predicted he wouldn't see the outcome of Saturday's election.

Condolences to family and friends

Ditto BAD

[Twodogs]

Re: RIP - Bob Hawke

I got home from School one day to find Bob Hawke and Ralph Willis (local member) sitting at the kitchen table talking to my dad. No security, No limos parked out the front, just three blokes having a beer. I'm betting that kids don't get home from school these days to find the PM sitting at the kitchen table. And I bet the PM doesn't sit there and answer every impertinent question it's ever occurred to that kid to ask the PM if he ever got the chance!


Bob Hawke was a great Australian for so many reasons. Just one of those was igniting a sense of fair play and egalitarianism in my mind.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: RIP - Bob Hawke

I got home from School one day to find Bob Hawke and Ralph Willis (local member) sitting at the kitchen table talking to my dad. No security, No limos parked out the front, just three blokes having a beer. I'm betting that kids don't get home from school these days to find the PM sitting at the kitchen table. And I bet the PM doesn't sit there and answer every impertinent question it's ever occurred to that kid to ask the PM if he ever got the chance!


Bob Hawke was a great Australian for so many reasons. Just one of those was igniting a sense of fair play and egalitarianism in my mind.

Great story TD.

[Twodogs]

Re: RIP - Bob Hawke

Great story TD.

Thanks B4L. The old man was heavily involved in Union/ALP affairs and would often mention conversations that he had with Hawke or Cain. The best one I remember was not long after Joan Kirner had become Premier and she had to make an appearance at Footscray town hall. It was all "This is so and so Premier and this is such and such" and Joan was bored shitless but remained polite shaking hands and acknowledging people until the old man (he worked at the council) appeared before her. All of a sudden she broke into a huge smile, put her arm around dad, gave him a big hug and laughed and talked with him for quite a while.

Mum taps me on the shoulder and says "Have a look at the Councillors will you?" they were all standing there with filthy looks on their faces glaring at dad and Joan carrying on like long lost siblings. Mum rolled her eyes and said "and your father wonders why these people always have the shits with him!"

[Bulldog4life]

Re: RIP - Bob Hawke

Thanks B4L. The old man was heavily involved in Union/ALP affairs and would often mention conversations that he had with Hawke or Cain. The best one I remember was not long after Joan Kirner had become Premier and she had to make an appearance at Footscray town hall. It was all "This is so and so Premier and this is such and such" and Joan was bored shitless but remained polite shaking hands and acknowledging people until the old man (he worked at the council) appeared before her. All of a sudden she broke into a huge smile, put her arm around dad, gave him a big hug and laughed and talked with him for quite a while.

Mum taps me on the shoulder and says "Have a look at the Councillors will you?" they were all standing there with filthy looks on their faces glaring at dad and Joan carrying on like long lost siblings. Mum rolled her eyes and said "and your father wonders why these people always have the shits with him!"

You should write a book TD. Serious.

[Murphy'sLore]

Re: RIP - Bob Hawke

Fantastic, TD! Wish I could have been in your shoes.

[Bornadog]

Re: RIP - Bob Hawke

Great story TD

[westdog54]

Re: RIP - Bob Hawke

I got home from School one day to find Bob Hawke and Ralph Willis (local member) sitting at the kitchen table talking to my dad. No security, No limos parked out the front, just three blokes having a beer. I'm betting that kids don't get home from school these days to find the PM sitting at the kitchen table. And I bet the PM doesn't sit there and answer every impertinent question it's ever occurred to that kid to ask the PM if he ever got the chance!


Bob Hawke was a great Australian for so many reasons. Just one of those was igniting a sense of fair play and egalitarianism in my mind.

I've got a similar story, though slightly less high-powered.

My wife is the niece of a former Police Commissioner (I won't say who or which service).

My first time meeting him was on a Saturday afternoon, at her grandfather's house, wearing sandals and K-Mart shorts and polo shirt, form guide in one hand and a bottle of home brew in the other.

Bob Hawke was the prime minister of my childhood. My earliest introductions to politics involved watching Bob Hawke on the news on TV.

It was only later in life that I gained a greater appreciation of his immense contribution to what our nation has become.

What I'd give for the political stability of the Hawke years.

TD said it well, his sense of fair play was unshakeable. He got what a 'fair go' meant more than any other leader this nation has ever had.

[Eastdog]

Re: RIP - Bob Hawke

Aged 89, predicted he wouldn't see the outcome of Saturday's election.

Condolences to family and friends

Ditto

[Twodogs]

Re: RIP - Bob Hawke

Fantastic, TD! Wish I could have been in your shoes.

Great story TD

You should write a book TD. Serious.

Id have to leave it a while or i'd get sued! Especially when you consider that a lot of the kids I went through Young Labor with are all looking to take government today. Although I have quite a few pictures of Bill Shorten as a gangly 16 yo, I could print those
and not have any trouble. Probably!!!!

[Twodogs]

Re: RIP - Bob Hawke

I've got a similar story, though slightly less high-powered.

My wife is the niece of a former Police Commissioner (I won't say who or which service).

My first time meeting him was on a Saturday afternoon, at her grandfather's house, wearing sandals and K-Mart shorts and polo shirt, form guide in one hand and a bottle of home brew in the other.

Bob Hawke was the prime minister of my childhood. My earliest introductions to politics involved watching Bob Hawke on the news on TV.

It was only later in life that I gained a greater appreciation of his immense contribution to what our nation has become.

What I'd give for the political stability of the Hawke years.

TD said it well, his sense of fair play was unshakeable. He got what a 'fair go' meant more than any other leader this nation has ever had.

Hawke was a phenomenon. There is one story about how taxi drivers would refuse to let him pay fares for years before he became PM "Don't worry about it Bob! You can make it up to us when you are in the Lodge!"


I was at a ALP function many years ago when Gough Whitlam walks into the room and makes a beeline for the old man "How have you been Norris old comrade?" he says and then points to me and says "And this must be ummm, Carl, is it?. That boy you're always telling me you are so proud of?"

I'm standing there pointing into midair and saying "That's Gough Whitlam. And he knows my dad's first name!! bugger that, he knows my first name!" The girl I had talked into coming along ("but why would I want to go to a Labor party function?" "Because you might get to meet Gough Whitlam" "OK, when you put it like that") was VERY impressed!