Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday I had the great honour of attending the Prime Ministers' Memorial Garden at Melbourne General Cemetery for the internment of some of the ashes of the late Bob Hawke. It was chosen to be with the 40th anniversary of the election of the Hawke Labor government on 5 March 1983. The Hawke government, of course, left such an extraordinary legacy in economic, social and environmental policy reform.

It was my great honour to attend with Blanche D'Alpuget, along with some of Bob Hawke's very loyal staff—people who witnessed history—like Jill Saunders, who actually knows everything that happened in the old House from the days of Gough Whitlam. It was wonderful to see her, along with Geoff Walsh, Craig Emerson and others. It was a private occasion there—that was what Bob and Blanche had discussed and wanted—but it was a great honour for me, as Prime Minister, and I thank Blanche and all those involved in what was a very significant commemoration of a great historical figure in Australian history.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to join in acknowledging the sentiment of the Prime Minister's words there. Bob Hawke, of course, was a giant of this parliament, a giant of the Labor Party and a very distinguished prime minister of our country. We should do more in our country to celebrate the contributions of our past leaders on both sides of the chamber. We live in the best country in the world and we should acknowledge what our former leaders contributed. We can exchange to and fro on different issues of the day, but, in the end, the continuity of both the Liberal and Labor parties in this country has served us well into this very time. We acknowledge this very significant occasion and that it carries significance for the Prime Minister, as well as being a true stalwart of the Australian Labor Party.