The life of former Labor PM Bob Hawke

LIFE AND TIMES OF BOB HAWKE:

EARLY LIFE

- Born December 9, 1929 in Bordertown, South Australia.

- A decade later his family moved to Perth following the death of older brother Neil.

- Attended Perth Modern School before studying law at the University of Western Australia.

- Almost died in a motorbike accident.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY

- Took up a Rhodes scholarship but was only able to after his fiancee Hazel Masterton had an abortion, as it was only open to single men.

- While his research focused on wage determination, he became better known at Oxford for making the Guinness Book of Records for downing two and a half pints of beer in 12 seconds.

UNIONS

- After returning to Australia and marrying Hazel, he joined the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

- By 1969, he was ACTU president and the nation's best known politician outside parliament.

MP TO PM

- First attempted to enter parliament in 1963, losing to Liberal Hubert Opperman.

- Elected federal president of the Labor Party in 1973 while also ACTU president.

- He was prominent in protests in Canberra after the governor-general dismissed the Labor Whitlam government in 1975.

- Entered federal parliament at the 1980 election as MP for the Victorian seat of Wills.

- Became leader of the Labor Party February 1983, less than a month before the Liberal Fraser government called the election.

- Led the ALP to victory and became prime minister with the campaign slogan Bringing Australia Together.

ACHIEVEMENTS AS PM

- Opened the economy by floating the dollar and deregulating the financial system.

- Cut tariffs and reformed the tax system.

- Established Medicare in 1984.

- Led international efforts to protect Antarctica from mining and to save Tasmania's Franklin Dam.

- Increased the old-age pension, doubled public housing funds and the number of childcare places.

- Established the Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation.

- Campaigned against apartheid in South Africa.

DOWNFALL AS PM

- In late 1998, Hawke and treasurer Paul Keating signed the Kirribilli House pact, where he promised to hand over to Mr Keating after the 1990 election.

- He reneged on the deal.

- After one failed attempt, Mr Keating toppled him in December 1991. It was the first time Labor voted out a serving prime minister.

PERSONAL LIFE

- Married Hazel Masterson in Perth in 1956 and they divorced in 1995.

- The couple had four children: Susan, Stephen, Roslyn and Robert.

- He remarried in 1995 to Blanche d'Alpuget, the author of his 1982 biography.