Kelvin Thomson (Wills, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to support the remarks made by the member for Hotham and by the member for Kooyong. From October 1980 to February 1919, when my predecessor as member for Wills the former Prime Minister Bob Hawke represented the Wills electorate, Hazel Hawke captured the hearts and imagination of the constituents of Wills. Hazel Hawke would make the trips to Wills when the Prime Minister could not. She became the Prime Minister's ambassador in his electorate. Hazel would regularly accept invitations by local schools, community and senior citizens groups, as will as special invitations from the local mayors of the then city of Coburg such as the late Murray Gavin, Mr Frank Cox, Mr Athol Attwater, Mr Peter Plumridge, the late Gordon Perlstein and Mr Alan Davis. They all found Hazel an inspirational speaker and a warm guest of honour at any function to which she was invited.

Hazel Hawke was passionate about issues concerning young people like homelessness, which underlined her strong commitment and voluntary work for the Brotherhood of St Laurence for so many years. Hazel spoke out about a number of social issues. About which she felt strongly, particularly women's health issues and, as is well known, displayed great courage in speaking out about Alzheimer's when she was diagnosed with that illness. I personally remember when I was the state member for Pascoe Vale between 1988 and 1996 being very impressed by Hazel's strength of character and the energy she demonstrated when she crammed in a full day's events, such as visiting Saint Monica's Primary School in Moonee Ponds to promote reading among young students, planting trees at Strathmore Secondary College, visiting the Oak Park railway station located opposite my then Pascoe Vale office, to promote local youth artists for a mural project to brighten the underpass of the station and then Hazel spent an afternoon with the children at Coburg Primary School answering questions about what it was like to be the wife of the Prime Minister of Australia.

Hazel attended many locally organised functions by the mayor's wife. There was the late Mrs Amy Gavin, Mrs Clarice Cox, Mrs Verna Attwater, the late Mrs 'Millie' Davis, Beryl Plumridge and the late Margaret Perlstein meeting local women volunteers like my own mother, Dorothy. She thoroughly enjoyed being in Wills promoting awareness of the social issues close to her heart and her deeply held values.

Mimi Tamburrino was Bob Hawke's electorate officer for the 11½ years he was a member and she has been my electorate officer for the past 15 years. She recalls one occasion when Hazel Hawke, after attending the official opening of the Sussex Street Neighbourhood House, made a visit to the electorate office and she was quite overwhelmed by the reception that she received. She said she felt so at home in Wills and that people were so welcoming and approachable. I believe that was because Hazel made anyone she met feel special and important. She respected and valued everyone she met. She went out her way to make them feel important.

Mimi recounted to me her experience with Hazel when, several years before her illness, Hazel rang Mimi to ask whether she could stay over at her place because she did not feel comfortable staying at a hotel. Hazel was visiting a dear friend of hers in Kensington to celebrate an anniversary. Mimi was naturally delighted to have Hazel as a guest overnight and on the following morning she was to drive Hazel to the airport.

She prepared breakfast with a few roses from her garden to grace the dining table and before Hazel came in for breakfast Mimi hunted up her camera—not unreasonably, she wanted a photo of Hazel. She was ordered by her son to put the camera away and not take a photograph. However, after they had breakfast and were getting ready to leave for the airport, Hazel said, 'Hang for a minute, Mimi, before your son goes to school, I would like him to do something for me.' She rummaged through her handbag and fished out a tiny digital camera and, turning to Mimi's son, said, 'Before you go, please take a photo of me and your mum. I want to remember this moment.' Mimi treasures that photograph which Hazel posted to her with a handwritten thankyou note.

On another trip to Melbourne in 1999, Hazel visited Murray Gavin, former Mayor of the City of Coburg, who had had a stroke and for whom Hazel had great respect. Another former mayor, Frank Cox, upon hearing of Hazel's passing, rang my office because he wanted to speak to someone who knew her and he recalled her great affection for the people of Wills. She kept in touch with people in Wills, wanting to know how they were and, even after she was no longer the First Lady, she accepted invitations to the electorate to promote voluntary community work and to present awards and certificates.

Hazel was a people's person who valued and appreciated the work of people in the community. Hazel was an exceptional Australian, a down-to-earth remarkable woman with a great sense of humour and an extraordinary gift for reaching out to people and touching their lives. She was popular, even loved, right around the country. I agree with the words of Susan Ryan, one of the ministers of the Hawke government, who said that Hazel was 'a most remarkable woman. By being one of us, she made Australia a better place'. I think that she was a remarkable woman whose legacy will endure the passing of time, and I extend my sympathies and condolences to her family.

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