---
node: au_bob_hawke
type: person
slug: bob_hawke
title: "Bob Hawke"
lead: "The popular Labor prime minister from 1983 to 1991 who drove economic reform and cooperation between unions and government."
published: 2026-07-15
updated: 2026-07-15
image_file: bob_hawke.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bob_Hawke_1987_portrait_crop.jpg"
image_author: "Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade"
image_license: "CC BY 4.0"
---

## Who they were

Having made his name as leader of the national trade union body, Hawke became prime minister in 1983 and, on his popularity, won four elections.

## What they did

His government adjusted wages and prices under an Accord with the unions and pushed bold economic reforms such as deregulating finance. It introduced the national health scheme Medicare.

## Legacy

In office he also worked on environmental protection and relations with Asia. Hawke is remembered as one of the most popular prime ministers of the post-war era.