Bob Hawke, Australia's 23rd prime minister, dies aged 89

[Thyla]

Mr Hawke led the country and his party from 1983 to 1991, and his contribution to public life helped shape modern Australia.

A great conciliator, Mr Hawke's achievements as prime minister included modernising the economy and integrating it into the global community, establishing Medicare, and championing environmental issues.

He won four federal elections, making him Labor's longest-serving prime minister and Australia's third-longest-serving prime minister behind Robert Menzies and John Howard.

Mr Hawke is survived by his wife and biographer Blanche d'Alpuget, and his three children — Susan, Stephen and Rosslyn.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-16/bob-hawke-dies-former-australian-prime-minister-and-labor-leader/6562902

Fun fact, Bob Hawke was also the former record holder for drinking a yard of ale in 11 seconds.
He also gave us Medicare more importantly.

RIP Bob.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-16/bob-hawke-legacy-nine-things-he-got-done-in-office/6514794

He was also right about asylum seekers, climate change, a treaty and becoming a Republic policies Labor have shamefully long since abandoned.

[Matilda]

1. He was a man of the people.

I think some of his "reforms", such as privatising the Commonwealth Bank and Qantas, came from Paul Keating, as did deregulating the economy. But Hawke was the man who could sell those policies to the people - he really could walk into a bar and have a drink with the locals, he played cricket and followed all sports; the kind of leader Scott Morrison is desperately trying to be and never can.

And I can't help hoping that his death might result in a bit of a sympathy vote for Labor tomorrow - I think they'll win, but I'd like it to be very decisive.

[Thyla]

2. Absolutely he was a man of the people.

And it was genuine too, I don't think any of the current crop could successfully capture his character.
They could do worse than looking towards his policies that Keating and then Howard finally killed off but it was a different era back then.

Impeccable timing really, I think there will be a sympathy vote too. I know polling is close but my feeling is Labor should be on track to make the needed gains with preferences or at least have it covered with Greens backing who will predictably bring in 10 percent of the vote and not do much else. Libs will likely lose voters to the lunatic fringe who again wont win much but claim a successful campaign.

A Labor win would be a nice send off for Bob anyway.

[Matilda]

3. The timing at first seemed to be sadly wrong,

That Hawke didn’t live to see a Labor victory.

But then I thought perhaps this could be his last gift, that some undecideds would vote Labor out of sentiment for such a great Labor son.

Vale, Bob.

[Thyla]

4. Well sorry Bob

Your people aren't all that bright.

I'm glad he gave this one a miss.

[Matilda]

5. That's the hardest thing to comprehend:

The enormous number of stupid people there are on this country.

The most corrupt government I’ve seen in this country is voted back for more of the same. And one that hasn’t even bothered with a climate policy.

For our American friends, think Trump-lite. Morrison thinks Donald is wonderful, and even wears a baseball cap in his honour. We have the happy- clappy slogan bogan in charge for another three years.

Heaven help us.

[Thyla]

6. If I hadn't already come to terms

With the self serving, apathetic voting public then I certainly have now.

There is no desire to change, I lost faith in the publics ability to vote sensibly around the same time I lost faith in Labor but at least this time Labor actually made an reasonable effort to correct some wrongs. Not enough but clearly any more wouldn't of changed a thing as it was seemingly the policy that killed them.

The people chose their investment properties or dreams of them over the state of the nation while not being smart enough to realise that it is all on an cliff edge anyway through decades of poor economic handling.

I can now say without feeling bad about it that I can't wait to see these pricks lose more than a few tax dollars in the impending crash and market rebalance. Fuck em.
And I will be waiting to pick at their bones.

And sure rural Australia has always been blue but you would think that they are on the bloody front line of the climate disaster they should simply know better.

Sorry, I'm more pissed than usual over this.