Archives and Special Collections: Bob Hawke

Robert Hannaford. Hon RJL Hawke AC Prime Minister of Australia, oil on canvas, Adelaide 2000.

Location: Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Library - City West campus

Loan: Not for loan

Access & Further information: Please Ask the Library

Search: Bob Hawke Collection in the UniSA Library Archives

The Bob Hawke Collection focuses on items of historical and political interest and includes Hawke's personal papers, photographs, newspaper clippings, audio and video recordings including oral history, posters and original artworks.

The collection also includes a large, varied selection of realia, including a motorcycle, sculptures, state gifts, campaign memorabilia and commemorative items.

The Hon Robert James Lee (Bob) Hawke AC was born in Bordertown, South Australia in 1929. He was educated at the University of Western Australia, Oxford University and the Australian National University (ANU). Prior to completing his studies at ANU, Hawke joined the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) as a research officer, later becoming the ACTU president from 1973 to 1980.

Hawke joined the Australian Labor Party (ALP) while he was at university and in 1983 was elected as the ALP Leader. Later that year Hawke won the election and became Prime Minister. Under his leadership, the ALP went on to win the next three elections, making Hawke the longest-serving Labor prime minister in Australian history.

Throughout his term, Hawke focused on public health care (establishing Medicare), education, human rights and reforms in economics, environmental policy and international affairs.

In 1991, Hawke resigned as Prime Minister and in 1992, he resigned from politics.  The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre was established in 1997, along with the Hawke EU Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence and the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Library. Hawke continued to lend a voice to national issues and remained a strong supporter of the Australian Labor Party until his death on 16 May 2019.

National Archives of Australia

Australia's Prime Ministers - Robert Hawke

List of institutions with records on Bob Hawke

Museum of Australian Democracy

Australian Prime Ministers - Bob Hawke

Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet

List of Hawke speeches and transcripts

State Records of South Australia

Search for official government records

Australian Parliamentary Library

Search for parliamentary records

National Film and Sound Archive

Search the NFSA collection for Bob Hawke

Wikipedia

Bob Hawke