Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to start this condolence motion by recognising that we gather together on Ngunnawal country, as is appropriate when we're speaking about Robert James Lee Hawke. Of course, he was our longest serving Labor Prime Minister and the member for Wills, in Melbourne's north, from 1980 to 1992. We know that Bob was born in Bordertown, South Australia, more than 89 years ago. He lived a life of public service and giving. I think that will be the overwhelming theme today.

In the words of the member for Maribyrnong, who made a statement on behalf of us all when Bob passed:

With his passing, the labour movement salutes our greatest son, the Labor Party gives thanks for the life of our longest-serving Prime Minister and Australians everywhere remember and honour a man who gave so much to the country and people he cared for so deeply.

A well-known quote from Bob Hawke, which I think is powerful and certainly guided his public life, was, 'The things which are most important don't always scream the loudest.' How true that is, and how important it is that all of us in this place remember it.

Bob is genuinely mourned by Australians, those who voted for him and those who didn't. That was what set Bob apart: his ability to reach across those things that divide us and to unite Australians. The last time I saw Bob and Blanche was at the Woodford Folk Festival, along with Tony Burke, Anthony and many others. Christmas had just gone. The wonderful Blanche attended many forums. For the most part, Bob sat in what was known as the Kremlin, a collection of buildings and tents from which Bill Hauritz and his trusty team ran the festival. His body was indeed frail, but his mind was totally attentive and his eyes were lighting up with conversation. He was friendly, happy to see you, charming and compassionate—just as he was when I sat with him at the Labor Party's 20th anniversary celebration of the Hawke government at the Hurlstone Park RSL club. Bob made a rousing speech that night; it moved us all. As our leader has said, at the launch of Bob's now much-thumbed, post-it-noted autobiography, I also listened to Bob; and, like everyone else, I found his capacity completely awe-inspiring.

Bob Hawke offered a vision of an inclusive, forward-thinking Australia. He was able to tap into Australians' sense of fairness to find the rightful place of First Nations people. He transformed the conversation on land rights and self-determination. He announced the 1987 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, which examined the death of Aboriginal people in custody during the 1980s. He established ATSIC, giving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians elected representation and a say over our own affairs—huge steps forward. Despite the troubles of ATSIC in the latter years, and its abolition, Bob Hawke laid the groundwork for a voice to parliament and for self-determination.

Bob increased funding for services and programs that benefited First Nations Australians, and Bob was the Prime Minister when Uluru-Kata Tjuta was handed back to the traditional owners. At Bob's memorial, I related that, in my home, I have a rare screen-print of that hand-back, signed by the traditional owners: Reece and Cassidy Uluru, Nipper, Nui Minyintirri, Kanari and many others. Six of the signatures on that screen-print are marked with a cross. In 1988, Bob received the Barunga Statement, a statement that sits in this House. If there's one thing that every member should do today, it's go and have a look at that statement on level 1. It was a statement on bark. It called for self-determination, land rights and recognition, and resulted in the Prime Minister committing our country to a treaty-making process. Bob's response dispelled the false dichotomy and fear-mongering that Indigenous advancement meant a loss for non-indigenous Australians. Bob knew it meant advancement for all. Thirty-one years ago, Bob Hawke said of Barunga:

… in this bicentenary year, I've asked all Australians to understand that those 200 years which come on top of 40,000 years of Aboriginal culture, traditions and civilisation, that it is the Aboriginal people who were the prior occupiers and owners of this land.

But it's incumbent on all of us in this place to make good on that very genuine commitment to advance reconciliation and make sure a treaty with First Nations Australians is delivered.

And, on a very personal note, I had the honour to deliver the acknowledgement of country at the memorial services for both Bob and Hazel Hawke. They are both very treasured memories.

Many people have spoken about Bob's achievements, but none so far have mentioned Landcare. This month marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Landcare, one of Bob's greatest achievements. He managed to unite people across the political divide to take practical steps to protect biodiversity and natural resources, and protect the productive capacity of our country. I have a deeply personal connection here too. My late husband, Rick Farley, was part of the creation of Landcare. It's something Bob graciously acknowledged at the Landcare launch. He said:

Today I am committing $320 million to a package of measures to apply over the Year and the Decade of Landcare.

… I express here my gratitude to Rick Farley of the NFF and Phillip Toyne of the ACF. They're two organisations one would probably not immediately imagine forming an alliance—but it is an indication of the importance of this issue, and an inspiring demonstration of the way forward that they used their imagination and commitment to develop proposals and put them constructively to Government. Their work has been an invaluable contribution to the creation of this new program.

Bob Hawke knew what was really important when he said, back then:

This is our country, our future. I give my commitment to you, kids, that my generation will hand on to you a better country, a brighter future.

This, ultimately, is the single task all of us in this place share. At the launch of Landcare, Bob also spoke about climate change—truly visionary—and Australia's responsibility. He said:

I've said the environment is a global problem, and I can assure you Australia's concern for the environment doesn't end at our shores.

We will be taking the lead in developing international conventions on greenhouse gas emissions and on biological diversity.

They were words not only more relevant but more urgent today. This is but one example of Bob choosing the hard task of improving Australia over easy politics.

Bob was popular and respected because he had the conviction and the strength of character to make decisions which were not necessarily popular, but which no-one could deny he was doing it in the national interest. Landcare is but one example. I want to say that Paul Kelly's article on Bob's passing accurately described Bob. He said:

He had exceptional political qualities, enjoying high popularity for a long period, and sound judgment that saw him lead a uniquely reformist Labor government.

As a consequence, Bob's legacy is all around us. You will hear it today many times: the Medicare card; year 12 completion rates; universities that are open to all based on merit; our sense of fairness; our national understanding that growth is stronger when it is shared and when the safety net for the most vulnerable is strong and generous; our modern and outward-looking economy; and the protection our environment enjoys including, as people have said, the Daintree, the Franklin and, of course, Antarctica.

Bob was unique among prime ministers. He allowed Australians in their living rooms to see his human frailty. We all know and shared at least some of his disappointments and fears; people have already spoken about them. I don't know if it would be possible today for someone to reveal so much of themselves as Bob did but I do think it had a lot to do with why Australians could relate to him, trust him and respect him.

In conclusion, I would like to leave the House with a small anecdote about Bob's kindness and care for people. Some years ago, as member for Canterbury in the New South Wales parliament, I helped Bob's stepson, Louis—Blanche's son—who was being evicted from an artist's collective in Summer Hill. Weeks later, and completely out of the blue, I got a call from Bob to thank me for helping, to thank me for doing my job and to thank me for being caring. It is a great example of the calibre of Bob Hawke. To Blanche and family, and of course remembering Hazel, we say KO to a great Australian.

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