PASSING OF BOB HAWKE

As with the death of JFK assassinated in Dallas, Australians will always remember what they were doing the day that Bob Hawke died. We were waiting on the last day of electioneering for the 2019 election.

Within half and hour the social media went wild with words of condolence and praise for a great man who massively changed the political, social and economic landscape in Australia.

Bob Hawke was a man of the people who had great vision and ability to plan to bring a vision to fruition. He berated cheeky journalists and involved himself with a wide range of community and international activities.

He was a Rhodes scholar who studied at Cambridge university. He probably gained straight As in his high school and university studies. He won the university drinking competitions.

He was a clear thinker with the ability to have vision, plan projects, seek evidence, draw conclusions and convince others. His approach contrasted with the present loony hate speech and vilification of those with different views.

I was always saddened by his break-up with Hazel and her death some years later from Alzheimers Disease. I remember my own wife living alone in Australia with my adult children.

Vale Bob Hawke who will be long remembered as a man of the people, consensus builder and visionary.

I always remember the journalist who asked him  about the blood of Bill Hayden on his hands. Years later the journalist was in Beaconsfield mine disaster in Tasmania standing in a group with union advocate Bill Shorten.

He excused himself, stepped away from the group and fell dead from a heart attack.