The legendary former PM Bob Hawke passed away yesterday, aged 89, and we’ve already had at least one absolute boob of a “tribute” courtesy of King Boob of Tit Mountain, Tony Abbott. But let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk instead about the many, many people – just regular ordinary folks – taking to Twitter to recall the many, many ways Bob Hawke and his policies changed their lives.
There are dozens of Asian-Australians remembering Hawke for his compassionate treatment of Asian immigrants, and his emotional response – which extended to his policy – to the Tiananmen Square massacre.
As an Asian-Australian kid in the ‘80s, I remember the sting of anti-Asian immigration headlines (led by John Howard). I’m so grateful that Bob Hawke, as PM, stood up against that, against apartheid, against the Tiananmen massacre. Not for polls, but ‘cos it was right thing to do https://t.co/90ZybAlhpS
— Lee Tran Lam (@leetranlam) May 16, 2019
Vale #BobHawke. Will be drinking at the Carlisle tonight. My parents were able to stay in Australia after he offered asylum to Chinese students post-Tiananmen Square. Many Chinese-Australians will be saluting him tonight, see this message from my mum: pic.twitter.com/4c1KisSQjd
— Frances Mao (@francesmao) May 16, 2019
I’ll never forget when #BobHawke cried over Tiananmen Square. It was the first time I’d seen a grown man cry, in public, and a politician at that. It changed my perception of what men could be. I’ll never forget his humanity that shone through in that moment
— Nikki Gemmell (@NikkiGemmell) May 16, 2019
Bob Hawke let my parents stay here after Tiananmen Square, when they were students. Something many Chinese-Australians will be talking to their children and families about tonight. Vale.
— Naaman Zhou (@naamanzhou) May 16, 2019
Cabinet papers showed Hawke made the unilateral decision to allow Chinese students to stay after Tiananmen Square. “I have a deep love for the Chinese people. I was told: ‘You cannot do that, prime minister.’ I said to them, ‘I just did. It is done.’ ” https://t.co/qIbW9EJweH
— Gabrielle Chan (@gabriellechan) May 16, 2019
Guardian reporter Naaman Zhou is just one of thousands of Australians whose parents stayed here after the Tiananmen massacre, thanks to Hawke’s promise. Eventually, 42,000 Chinese students would be granted permanent visas under the Hawk government.
Dozens of other commentators, including Osher Günsberg, shared personal stories of how Medicare – what many consider to be Hawke’s greatest legacy – saved or changed their lives.
My life was forever changed for the better by the health care provided by Medicare. Thanks for that Bob Hawke.
You were a titan of the environment, the economy, and the people that made this country great.
— Osher Günsberg (@oshergunsberg) May 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/carolduncan/status/1128990910186786821
https://twitter.com/G_V_HOPE/status/1129047689734365184
The timing of this with bob hawke’s passing is important, we didn’t always have our healthcare system and from what I can see not a single liberal is mentioning it in their condolence
Medicare has saved countless lives including my own directly, it’s us at our best as a society. https://t.co/Q9Kw0FayF0
— Sanatana Mishra (@SanatanaMishra) May 16, 2019
And plenty others simply shared stories, of their own or their parents’, about the ways the bloke who held a world record for drinking piss made their lives better.
https://twitter.com/GavinDFernando/status/1129131867456675841
Bob Hawke was PM during a terrible period of my childhood. I distinctly remember Hawke’s leadership – and the direction in which he and Keating were steering us – making me feel like everything was still possible for me, even though I was no one, coming from nothing. Vale.
— Diana Jenkins (@DianaMJenkins) May 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/danilic/status/1128966577464864768
Message just now from mum, reminiscing of when she was a @Qantas hostie many moons ago and #BobHawke was on board. He jumped behind the first class bar and offered to serve the crew drinks. What a legend
— Simon Robson (@simonjrobson) May 16, 2019
The late Bob Hawke halted the Jabiluka uranium mine until the next (failed) attempt attempt to mine there in 1996. Hawke joined Jeffrey Lee in celebrating the day Koongarra was incorporated into #Kakadu National Park and forever protected from uranium mining #RIPBobHawke pic.twitter.com/S4jmvZGjrX
— Gundjeihmi Jabiru (@MirarrCountry) May 17, 2019
Especially touching is this letter from 1985, shared by Tracey Corbin, who wrote to the then-Prime Minister as a child when her grandmother died, seeking advice.
As a child struggling with my Nan’s death, I wrote to PM Bob Hawke, to help my young mind understand why we die. His letter back to me is my most treasured childhood memory! #RIPBobHawke #votesoutforBOB pic.twitter.com/kqpEIYZKmq
— Tracey Corbin-Matchett (@traceycm74) May 16, 2019
His response is poignant:
The question you asked me about dying is very difficult to answer and I think that most of us have different ideas about why we do eventually all die.
Some people die because of unfortunate accidents, sometimes because they become so ill that doctors are unable to help them to recover. perhaps when we grow very old our bodies get worn out, or certain parts break down, like parts in an old car.
None of us can be sure of how long we will live. Because this is so I think you should try not to think too much about dying but think about all the nice things around you that make life so precious to us all.
Vale Bob Hawke. They don’t make ’em like that any more.
