Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Today we farewell one of the nation's greatest leaders, Bob Hawke. Many of the contributions that have been made today in this place I obviously want to associate myself with. I think it's an amazing testament to this man's life that, whatever side of the political spectrum you come from, you can recognise and see the true leadership that Bob Hawke gave our nation, not just when he was Prime Minister but also well beyond.

Bob was a man who was as relatable as he was visionary. I remember being a six- or seven-year-old living in country Victoria and deciding that I was going to write to our Prime Minister, that I was going to write to Bob Hawke. The reason why as a young girl I felt empowered to do that was that the Prime Minister I knew was somebody who listened, who engaged with the community, who sought to be part of everybody's everyday Australia. I didn't think it was weird that as a six- or seven-year-old I should take pen to paper and write to my Prime Minister. I wrote to him about wanting to save the Victorian forests. I lived in country Victoria and it was a raging debate and I wanted him to know how important the forests were to me and my family. To be honest, I don't know if I ever got a response—I don't recall that—but I do distinctly remember sitting down, writing that letter and then proudly telling my dad that I was going to go and post it.

Prime Minister Hawke is remembered for many things. Among them was his thoughtfulness on the great human rights challenges of his time. He successfully lobbied the Commonwealth to change tactics to pressure the apartheid in South Africa. Trade sanctions weren't working, so he called for a boycott of foreign investments—a big call, a big decision to make, but it was critical in dismantling the apartheid regime. And, of course, we cannot forget the actions that Prime Minister Hawke took in the wake of the massacre that occurred at Tiananmen Square. Prime Minister Hawke defied advice and convention to speak from the heart about what had just happened in the wake of the massacre. And it wasn't just rhetoric. His actions resulted in 40,000 Chinese being able to stay here in Australia and make this their home. Reflecting on those decisions years later, Bob said:

It's called leadership … I had no consultation with anyone and when I walked off the dais I was told 'You cannot do that, prime minister'. I said to them, 'I just did. It is done'.

That's leadership. He knew what was right and he acted. This is a lesson for all of us. His moral and human leadership defined him. His ability to show strength yet empathy and compassion is what made Bob Hawke a unique leader in this country. In a time of unrest in our region, the lessons that he showed us are lessons we must heed now more than ever before. I was thinking about the Tiananmen Square decision and his ability to act with conviction, with strength, and yet compassion and empathy. It has, of course, been 30 years since the Tiananmen Square massacre—only in the last month we've acknowledged the 30th anniversary. For those watching the television news last night, the images of what's coming out of Hong Kong right now—not one word seems to be uttered by our current government. Very little is being said by politicians here in Australia. I was thinking, when I was sitting here listening to the other contributions earlier this morning, what would Bob Hawke do? Would he simply sit back and stay silent, seeing the rise and cry for democracy in Hong Kong? I don't think he would. I think he would stand up. He'd acknowledge that struggle. He'd be diplomatic of course, but he would not shy away from the right of Hong Kong citizens to call for and fight for their democratic rights. The leadership from Bob Hawke on these moral and ethical challenges is something I think we all need to reflect on in the wake of his death.

I attended the memorial in Sydney, along with many of my colleagues in this place, only a few weeks ago. It was an amazing celebration of Bob Hawke's life. But it was more than that: it was an amazing celebration of our nation, what makes our country great. Bob loved Australia. He loved Australians. He showed that you could lead with strength and heart, both at the same time. As I sat in the memorial, I was struck by the words of his granddaughter Sophie Taylor-Price. In 1989, 30 years ago, she sat on his knee while he gave a national television address. It was to commemorate World Environment Day. He said in that nationally televised address:

We don't inherit the planet, we borrow it. Not simply for ourselves but for our kids and their kids like Sophie here—

referring to his granddaughter—

How successful is she and other Australian children can fulfil their goals depends increasingly on how we look after our environment and how we best use this planet's natural resources.

This was 30 years ago, and Bob Hawke, as Prime Minister, was asking us to think much more cleverly and clearly about our natural world and the resources it offers. Bob Hawke didn't just talk the talk; he walked it. We know that there is a long list of special, precious places here in Australia that have been saved and protected because of the leadership of Prime Minister Hawke. In the days after his death, former Greens leader Bob Brown penned a heartfelt and genuinely sad, but celebratory, opinion piece, a reflection of how he had experienced working with Bob Hawke during the time of Bob Hawke's leadership—sometimes his ally, sometimes his adversary. Bob Brown wrote:

A Hawke masterstroke was to accept the proposal of the Australian Conservation Society's Phillip Toyne and the Farmers Federation's Rick Farley to set up Landcare. This became a beacon of global interest in government-funded repair of rural lands and rivers. That Landcare and general environment spending has been gutted in recent years highlights the loss of vision in Canberra since the great environmental innovation era Hawke ushered in.

Bob continues:

Key to Hawke’s environmental success was his listening ear. He knew the Australian public was keen on protecting nature and he made himself open to direct liaison with environmental leaders. He was a tough negotiator but he and his staff opened an ear to the environment ...

Bob Brown reflects on not only Bob Hawke's leadership as Prime Minister but the decisions he made about whom he involved in his cabinet. One of the most impressive, hardened and deliberate environment ministers—one with conviction—this country ever saw was Graham Richardson, under the leadership of Bob Hawke. Graham and Bob knew that, if they were to save special parts of the Australian landscape and send the message that protecting the environment was important, they had to listen to the community. But the advice that Bob Hawke and Graham Richardson gave the environment movement at that time was that they must roar: 'The crowd must roar for us to be able to act.' I think that, in the wake of the past election and at this time of reflection, those words are now more important than ever. To those across this country who care deeply about our natural environment, about what our planet looks like in years to come and about the future of our children, being despondent is not the answer. Stand up; speak out. We need to hear you roar—your voice, your compassion, your love for your country. Bob Hawke called our community to do that when he was Prime Minister, and we need people to do it now. If you care about saving our country's greatest river network, the Murray-Darling Basin, if you care about protecting the Great Australian Bight and if you want the Great Barrier Reef to be there for your grandchildren, we need to hear you roar. Don't be despondent, don't be depressed; stand up and demand the type of leadership that Bob Hawke had. You can be both strong and compassionate, and you can believe in the beauty and the strength of this nation all at once.

No-one would doubt Bob Hawke's love for Australia, for its people and its environment, and he wore that love with pride. I think, upon reflection of the great leadership of Bob Hawke, wearing that love of our country with pride is what we could all take on to honour his legacy—the moral leadership; the conviction; doing what is right because it's right, not because it's easy; making the decision to speak up for fellow human beings; taking the decision to protect this world for the next generation. That's the legacy. That's the legacy that I know I, my generation and many others in this place will continue as we reflect on the life of Bob Hawke. Vale Bob Hawke.