Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to join in this condolence motion for a great Australian, which was moved in the House by the Prime Minister and seconded by the Leader of the Opposition.

Of course, I refer to the sad passing last Thursday of Hazel Hawke. Hazel died of complications from Alzheimer's following a stroke. At the time there was a collective expression of grief around the country, that this greatly admired and much loved Australian had passed peacefully and surrounded by her family. My thoughts and sympathies are with her children, Sue, Stephen and Ros, and their six grandchildren, David, Paul, Hamish, Sophie, Sam and Ben.

Carole and I have known Hazel for over 40 years. Through her partnership with Bob as ACTU president and subsequently as Prime Minister, and subsequent to their separation, we knew her in many different forms. Hazel was always welcoming and always interested in what you were doing—being strong in the expression of her views in relation to some of the things that we were doing—but always encouraging.

In November 2011 I had the honour of speaking at the launch Sue Pieters-Hawke's book on Hazel, Hazel: My mother's story, here at Parliament House. I mentioned at the time that whilst in Hazel's condition then she was not able to remember us well, we as a nation would remember her because of what she did. I return to those words today because it is important in remembering Hazel Hawke's life and legacy: what she did, and the qualities and values she brought to doing it.

Hazel was Bob's constant support and, importantly, with the huge demands on his life, became what the family described as 'both mother and father' to the children. So, a devoted mother she certainly was. But when Bob Hawke became Prime Minister she became a hugely admired and respected 'first lady'.

Hazel Hawke once stated that, 'I had the experience of many women; of needing to define myself and to find my self-esteem as a person, not simply as somebody's wife and mother'. And whilst it was in the role of the wife of the Prime Minister that she was cast into the public spotlight and life, Hazel was never simply somebody's wife.

My great friend and colleague Bill Kelty remarked incisively at her passing:

She was the Australian equivalent of Eleanor Roosevelt.

History remembers Eleanor Roosevelt not simply as FDR's wife but as a woman of deep intelligence and great spirit; a connector with the nation. Hazel shared these very same qualities. Both Eleanor and Hazel shared a genuine compassion that compelled them to action, a sense of justice that was pioneering for their times and the capacity to bring people together and relate to them with their own down-to-earth natures. It is the quality of these women that defined and distinguished them. We remember and define Hazel through her values. She had integrity in spades, a quality most Australians admire. It is this quality that defines her.

Hazel Hawke also understood the importance of education, lamenting her early missed opportunities and always urging young and mature age students to better themselves through education. Hazel Hawke famously typed Bob's thesis that he wrote while a Rhodes scholar, but her own educational achievements are important to mention. Hazel enrolled as a mature age student in welfare studies at the Caulfield-Chisholm Institute of Technology—now Monash University's Caulfield campus. Her studies were interrupted by Bob's preselection as the Labor candidate for the seat of Wills—and the current member for Wills is sitting beside me and will be speaking on this condolence motion later. But Hazel's experience of education broadly gave her a sense of independence and confidence.

As first lady of Australia Hazel had the affection of the nation, an affection that never faded. This was because Australians saw their best selves in Hazel—passionate, courageous, humble and hard working. When Bob led the Labor Party to victory in 1983 Hazel, unable to find a seat in his crowded press conference, sat on the floor. So from those memories with the television cameras of her coming onto the stage poised and sensing the moment, we also saw the other side: the humble and the accessible.

Hazel's move to the Lodge brought with it many challenges. It brought the scrutiny, the invasiveness and the demands on her time, but as always she rose to every one of those challenges. In 1984 she spoke candidly with journalists in a 'public confession' at the National Press Club. She spoke about herself, her life and her own perceived weaknesses and strengths but she voiced too the fears, the hopes and the feelings faced by so many in our community.

Of course, Hazel's position was extraordinary and one she herself said was an opportunity to do something. Hazel, as the wife of the Prime Minister, was able to advocate for causes close to her and to raise awareness and support through the status that her position as first lady gave. She was in touch and she showed a dedicated awareness of so many issues. She was a magnificent contributor on many of these fronts. She led by example. She not only studied social welfare but worked in the field with the Brotherhood of St Laurence and always advocated for those who were most disadvantaged and overlooked.

Hazel was a great supporter of improving conditions for aged care and of women's rights. She was an integral member of the Australian Children's Television Foundation board. She had a great love of the arts and she was an accomplished pianist. At a concert in the Sydney Opera House that she performed in it was clear how much joy music gave her.

With the onset of Alzheimer's Hazel Hawke turned to seeing the opportunity in this illness—she took advantage of the adversity and promoted it. Perhaps this was most finally clear in the way she responded to that Alzheimer's diagnosis. The diagnosis led to her—and I again quote her—'doing her bit' to raise awareness and support for the prevention of 'the bloody A thing', Hazel's way of referring to the disease. It was a cause that her family championed too.

I mentioned before the book that I was associated with the launch of. Sue wrote two best-selling books and a passionate submission to the Caring for Older Australians Productivity Commission inquiry in 2011, advocating for better care, awareness and support for those suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia. It is timely that we reflect on the needs of older Australians as the House debates legislation on aged care. It is timely then, too, that we reflect on Hazel's words from one of her final public speeches, quoted by Sue at her book launch in 2011. With a central provocation of 'What kind of country do we want Australia to be?' Hazel stated that she was arguing to:

… reassert the place of social policy alongside economic policy in national debate and national priorities, and national and community values … We must look forward, we must seek, we must hope; but we must do this in a spirit of compassion, and with a sense of inclusion. The whole of this nation, in all its diversity, must be on board.

Hazel asked us to think about what this country could be, inspiring Australians to approach their futures creatively and hopefully. We remember Hazel's words and we remember Hazel the woman for the way that she lived her life for 'the whole of this nation'.

As we remember Hazel's legacy and show our condolence and support to the family at this sad time, as a nation it would be a fitting recognition of that memory to advance the cause that she so courageously championed. Having raised awareness of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, we need to respond better on the treatment and the care. It is a challenge for both sides of the parliament. Dementia affects almost 300,000 Australians and their families. It needs a bipartisan response. Hazel's legacy should propel that response. My sympathies to her family.

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