Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Australian Prime ministers after WW2.
Sir Robert Hawke
Born on the 9th of December 1929 Robert James Lee Hawke was born in Bordertown in South Australia. Known today as Bob Hawke he was educated at Perth Modern School and attended the University of Western Australia, where he completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and Arts Majoring in Economics. Upon graduating he took up a research scholarship at the Australian National University. Becoming a Rhodes Scholar with his academic achievements aside he was quite happy with himself by setting a new world speed record for beer drinking: he drank 1.425 litres in eleven seconds. Several months later in 1947 Bob joined the Australian Labour Party (ALP).
In March of 1956 he married his first wife Hazel Masterson at Trinity Church, Perth. After not completing his doctoral degree Hawke took a job with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). The couple, with their infant daughter, moved to Melbourne and bought a house in Keats Street, Sandringham. In 1971 he was awarded Father of the Year, and was elected president of the ALP from 1973-1978. When Hawke won the seat of Wills in October 1980, leader of the federal parliamentary Labour Party Bill Hayden appointed him Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Employment and Youth Affairs. Hawke made his first speech in the House of Representatives on 26 November 1980. At the age of 50, he might have been a new parliamentarian, but he was a seasoned, confident and persuasive politician.
Hawke was elected Labour Party leader on 8 February 1983, and the federal election was called for 5 March 1983. Hawke was Leader of the Opposition for less than a month, and his most urgent task was the brief election campaign. The Labour Party campaign launch was held at the Opera House, Sydney on 16 February, under the slogan ‘Bringing Australia together.’ After a four-week campaign, Bob Hawke led the Labour Party to their greatest election win in 40 years. His parliamentary
Sir Robert Hawke
Born on the 9th of December 1929 Robert James Lee Hawke was born in Bordertown in South Australia. Known today as Bob Hawke he was educated at Perth Modern School and attended the University of Western Australia, where he completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and Arts Majoring in Economics. Upon graduating he took up a research scholarship at the Australian National University. Becoming a Rhodes Scholar with his academic achievements aside he was quite happy with himself by setting a new world speed record for beer drinking: he drank 1.425 litres in eleven seconds. Several months later in 1947 Bob joined the Australian Labour Party (ALP).
In March of 1956 he married his first wife Hazel Masterson at Trinity Church, Perth. After not completing his doctoral degree Hawke took a job with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). The couple, with their infant daughter, moved to Melbourne and bought a house in Keats Street, Sandringham. In 1971 he was awarded Father of the Year, and was elected president of the ALP from 1973-1978. When Hawke won the seat of Wills in October 1980, leader of the federal parliamentary Labour Party Bill Hayden appointed him Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Employment and Youth Affairs. Hawke made his first speech in the House of Representatives on 26 November 1980. At the age of 50, he might have been a new parliamentarian, but he was a seasoned, confident and persuasive politician.
Hawke was elected Labour Party leader on 8 February 1983, and the federal election was called for 5 March 1983. Hawke was Leader of the Opposition for less than a month, and his most urgent task was the brief election campaign. The Labour Party campaign launch was held at the Opera House, Sydney on 16 February, under the slogan ‘Bringing Australia together.’ After a four-week campaign, Bob Hawke led the Labour Party to their greatest election win in 40 years. His parliamentary