Decision details

By Councillor Scott

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council note that Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister and Leader of the Australian Labor Party, passed away on 16 May 2019;

(i)          born Robert James Lee Hawke, Bob was a giant of Australian political and industrial history. Having served as president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) from 1969 to 1980, Hawke was already a well-known figure in Australian life before being elected Prime Minister in 1983;

(ii)         Hawke’s achievements in office remain with us to this day and include the creation of Medicare, the establishment of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the floating of the Australian dollar, initiation of the superannuation pension scheme for all workers and the passage of the Australia Act 1986 that removed all remaining jurisdiction of the United Kingdom from Australia; and

(iii)        Bob Hawke was undeniably Australia’s most popular Prime Minister reaching 75 per cent approval in opinion polls, a feat unimaginable in our divided political landscape;

(B)        the Chamber be requested to observe one minute's silence to honour the contribution of Bob Hawke; and

(C)       a letter, under the signature of the Lord Mayor, expressing this Council’s sincerest condolences be written to Bob Hawke’s family.

Motion withdrawn.

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