Hawke Government: 1984
January / February / March / April / May / June / July / August / September / October / November / December
Return to Anniversary introduction
The two principal instruments of the Hawke – Keating alliance and
economic strategy initiated in 1983, the Accord and the deregulation of
Australia’s financial system continued into the new year of 1984. Bob
Hawke wrote in his memoirs that the then Federal Treasurer, Paul Keating
‘shared my desire for a modern, relevant party committed to economic
growth rather than merely more equitable shares of a diminished cake’
(Hawke, RJL 1994, pg 235)
A crucial step in this direction was to forge an industrial relations system more flexible in the demands of international markets and co-operation between the unions and government continued to indicate that the government’s strategy was in keeping with its Labor traditions.
In 1984 changes to Australia's education and training system began under the leadership of Prime Minister Bob Hawke and continued over the following years of the Hawke government. Changes that included amalgamations of smaller tertiary training institutions, the creation of new universities from former Colleges of Advanced Education, the setting of national curriculum standards for schools, upgrading the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) sector and the establishment of national training and qualification standards.
Ministry
The 1984 ministry under Prime Minister Bob Hawke was sworn into office by the Governor General, Sir Ninian Stephen, on December 13, 1984. All members of the first Hawke Ministry were re-elected; however the distribution of portfolios was significantly changed.
The changes were:
| Hon. Robert James Lee Hawke, AC, MP | Prime Minister* |
| Hon. Lionel Bowen, MP | Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Trade, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Commonwealth-State Relations, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the House* |
| Senator Hon. John Button | Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister for Industry and Commerce and Minister Assisting the Minister for Communications* |
| Senator Hon. Donald Grimes | Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister for Social Security* |
| Hon. Ralph Willis, MP | Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Public Service Industrial Matters* |
| Hon. Paul Keating, MP | Treasurer* |
| Hon. Stewart West, MP | Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs* |
| Senator Hon. Peter Walsh | Minister for Resources and Energy* |
| Hon. William Hayden, MP | Minister for Foreign Affairs* |
| Senator Hon. Susan Ryan | Minister for Education and Youth Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women* |
| Senator Hon. Gareth Evans | Attorney-General* |
| Hon. Gordon Scholes, MP | Minister for Defence* |
| Hon. John Dawkins, MP | Minister for Finance and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Public Service Matters* |
| Hon. Peter Morris, MP | Minister for Transport |
| Hon. John Kerin, MP | Minister for Primary Industry |
| Hon. Kim Beazley, MP | Minister for Aviation, Special Minister of State and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence |
| Hon. Christopher Hurford, MP | Minister for Housing and Construction and Minister Assisting the Treasurer |
| Hon. John Brown, MP | Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism, Minister for Administrative Services and Minister Assisting the Minister for Industry and Commerce |
| Hon. Dr Neal Blewett, MP | Minister for Health |
| Hon. Barry Jones, MP | Minister for Science and Technology |
| Hon. Michael Duffy, MP | Minister for Communications |
| Hon. Barry Cohen, MP | Minister for Home Affairs and Environment |
| Hon. Allan Holding, MP | Minister for Aboriginal Affairs |
| Senator Hon. Arthur Gietzelt | Minister for Veterans’ Affairs |
| Hon. Thomas Uren, MP | Minister for Territories and Local Government and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Community Development and Regional Affairs |
| Hon. Brian Howe, MP | Minister for Defence Support |
* Minister in Cabinet
JANUARY
‘Consumer Confidence Booms’ by Newell, Malcolm
The Advertiser, January 13, 1984: Report confirms predictions of strong economic recovery resulting in increased consumer confidence. With the creation of 159,000 jobs Mr. Hawke said the Government are well on its way to meeting its election commitment of creating 500,000 jobs within its first term.
‘Hawke Travels Problem Trail in Asia’ by Brown, Wallace
The Herald, January 30, 1984: Bob Hawke embarks on his third overseas trip since becoming prime Minister an 18-day visit through five nations and Hong Kong to reassure those with whom Australia’s future lies in the world’s fastest-growing economic region. Article contains a photo of Mr Hawke, his proposed route and a political cartoon
FEBRUARY
Medicare health system introduced
‘With the introduction of the Medicare program Australia now has for the first time a fair, affordable and stable health insurance system covering all Australians. Medicare has put an end to all the changes in health insurance policy that have marked the past decade’ Prime Minister Bob Hawke, 1984
Prime Minister Bob Hawke hosts a dinner in Tokyo for Japanese Prime Minister Mr Nakasone
Mr. Hawke honours his hosts, and reflects upon the diverse relationship
between Australia and Japan highlighting various issues of mutual
interest to Australia and Japan, including the Vietnamese invasion of
Cambodia, the Soviet military expansion and how best to achieve global
trade liberalisation.
'Japan helps Hawke map future' by Brown, Wallace
The Herald, February 6, 1984: Prime Minister Bob Hawke hosts a dinner in Tokyo for Japanese Prime Minister Mr Nakasone. Mr Hawke honours his hosts, and reflects upon the diverse relationship between Australia and Japan highlighting various issues of mutual interest to Australia and Japan, including the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia, the Soviet military expansion and how best to achieve global trade liberalisation.
‘PM visits Seoul in momentous times’ by Ellercamp, Paul
The Australian, February 6, 1984: Political correspondent Paul Ellercamp details Mr Hawke’s visit and the guests he will meet in both South and North Korea. Article includes a photograph of Mr Hawke reviewing the honour guard at Kimpo airport
Bob Hawke attends President Chun’s Dinner
Mr Hawke discusses the long term relationship between Australia and
Korea, dating back to the Korean War. He expresses sorrow over the
shooting down of a KAL flight be Soviet aircraft and discusses the
deteriorating relationship between the superpowers and the stalled
disarmament process
Bob Hawke attends Shanghai City Banquet
Mr Hawke discusses the expanding trade and commercial relationship between Australia and China. He outlines a number of profiles to increase Australia’s trading profile in China, and to assist marketing of Chinese goods in Australia
‘China welcomes a working class hero’ by Baker, Mark
The Age, February 9, 1984: ‘To the Chinese observer Bob Hawke is a hero of the working class. He is a survivor of noble poverty, a champion of the struggle….. ‘ so says Mark Baker in his Hawke in Asia article
MARCH
‘The charisma lingers’ by Randall, Kenneth
The Australian Financial Review, March 2: Hawke one year later and the first anniversary of his election as Prime Minister of Australia
‘A performance that has the critics reeling’ by Costigan, Peter
The Herald, March 5 pg 3, 1984: 12 months on and Hawke is firmly in charge – a review of Hawke’s first year in federal politics
Address to the Health and Research Employees Association of Australia
On the first anniversary of his 1983 election victory Mr. Hawke reflects upon the achievements of his government over the past 12 months. The speech focuses on Medicare and discusses the difficulty in negotiating specialist fee schedules without driving specialists from the public health system
APRIL
Australia’s National Colours
Prime Minister Bob Hawke announces on April 18 that green and gold, Australia’s sporting colours for years, be officially recognised as our national colours
Federation of Ethnic Communities Council Building
Prime Minister Bob Hawke opens the building in Sydney on April 26, for the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council and strongly defends Australia’s non-racial immigration program declaring that any return to a discriminatory quota system is a retrograde step
MAY
One Dollar Coin
The one dollar coin is introduced on May 8 to replace the one dollar note
Women’s Advisors Meeting
Mr. Hawke addresses delegates at a two day meeting in Canberra and discusses the progress being made in his government’s quest for equal opportunity, the status of women and the initiatives being established in the Commonwealth Public Service
Fabian Society Centenary Dinner
Mr Hawke delivers a speech at the centenary dinner held in Melbourne to acknowledge 100 years of a voluntary society brought into existence to represent and promote an idea and an ideal for the existence of social democracy
JUNE
Sex Discrimination Commissioner
Pam O’Neill appointed as Australia’s first Sex Discrimination Commissioner on June 27 This appointment follows the second reading of the bill to parliament in March when Mr Hawke outlined the programs and services to be put into place by his Government to advance the status of women
Affirmative Action Discussion Paper
Mr. Hawke states there is a difference between formal recognition of gender equality and the administrative decisions required to make it a reality. He announces a range of programs for affirmative action within the Australian workforce, both within Government and private enterprise, and says his Government will address the education issues which keep women in low status employment
JULY
‘Hawke’s big chance to unite the party’ by Ellercamp, Paul
The Australian, July 7 1984:
‘The ALP conference to be held at The Lakeside Hotel in Canberra is
expected to equal the national economic summit for media coverage and
will be the supreme test of Hawke’s leadership’ Paul Ellercamp July 7,
1984
36th Biennial National Conference of the Australian Labor Party
Address given by Mr Hawke where he outlines the successes and plans of the government, congratulates the union movement for cooperating with industry to help economic recovery and further outlines the need for fiscal restraint in the coming period
Mr Hawke listening to the discussions at the ALP Conference
Pro-Uranium Policy adopted
Australian Labor Party National Conference adopts a pro-uranium policy
Bulletin-Newsweek Merger
The merger of the South Pacific edition of Newsweek with The Bulletin was celebrated with a launch at Sydney’s Regent Hotel on July 4. The Prime Minister Bob Hawke launched the magazine with a speech t 300 businessmen, political leaders and journalists
‘Why Hawke will call an early election this year’ by Farmer, Richard
The Bulletin. July 11, 1984 pg 26: ‘Prime Minister Bob Hawke is being influenced not by any consideration of the opposition but by the chance to upstage the left wing of his own party in preselection’ says Richard Farmer
SEPTEMBER
‘Emotion and the crime debate’ by Oakes, Laurie
The Age September 21, 1984:
Bob Hawke and his emotions overcame him in Parliament during the
organised crime debate stirring personal reason for detesting those
associated with drugs importation and distribution
‘Sporting Bob sails into the election’ by Costigan, Peter
The Herald, September 27, 1984: Canberra Bureau chief Peter Costigan joins Prime Minister Hawke on the campaign trail and though other issues dominate the politically explosive landscape ‘ sport remains Bob Hawke’s favoured campaign platform’
‘Real Prime Ministers can cry’ by Grattan, Michell
The Age, September 24
Book Launch
Prime Minister Bob Hawke launches Bruce Stannards’ book ‘Ben Lexcen: the man, the keel and the cup’ at Sydney’s Cruising Yacht Club
ALP State Council, Adelaide
Mr. Hawke pays tribute to the organisation of the South Australian branch before launching into an attack on the Liberal leadership. He includes their previous economic record, absence of viable policies and refusal to counteract tax avoidance.
OCTOBER
Federal Election date announced as Dec 1
Prime Minister Hawke outlines the timetable for the election, justifies the inclusion of a half Senate and explains why the election is necessary
Censure motion against the Leader of the Opposition
Mr. Hawke censures the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Andrew Peacock, over his allegations of criminal activity against Mr. Hawke and Mr. Keating, his undermining of the Costigan Royal Commission and the National Crime Authority, and his failure to provide Australia with a credible Opposition.
‘Sorry Bob’ by O’Neill, Gary
The Herald, October 15, 1984: At the politicians vs press gallery cricket match in Canberra Mr Hawke’s glasses go flying as the ball hits his face narrowly missing serious injury
NOVEMBER
‘Sense of United Purpose’
The Age, November 24, 1984: Edited text of the ALP policy speech delivered by Prime Minister, Bob Hawke at the Sydney Opera House on the 13th November.
‘Hawke’s Vision Splendid
The Age, November 23, 1984:
Prime Minister Bob Hawke answers questions from the editor of 'The Age',
its political correspondent and associate editor and talks about his
dream and more immediate election issues
‘Election 84’ by Hope, Deborah
The Bulletin, November 1984, pg 99: A comprehensive report that studies ‘the odd, issues and the seats with the high popularity of Prime Minister Hawke and the expanded parliament make this election one of the most fascinating’
Prime Minister Hawke signing autographs during the election campaign
DECEMBER
Hawke Government Returned
The Australian Labor Party returns to Federal Government for a second
term with Bob Hawke as Prime Minister
Prime Minister Bob Hawke at the ballot box on December 1, 1984
‘A subdued winner’ by Gawenda, Michael
The Age, December 3, 1984: ‘Never before have members of the Labor Party been in the position where they can…..look to taking the country through a decade of Labor Government’
'Challenges ahead for Hawke and Peacock’ by Barker, Geoffrey
The Age December 1, 1984: In his ‘State of the Nation’ update the struggles of Bob Hawke’s Labor party are reviewed
Drug Summit Announced
Attorney-General Lionel Bowen writes to all State Premiers and Chief Minister of Northern Territory asking them to attend a drug summit in early 1985 to discuss financing and implementation of a national campaign against drug abuse.
Related Links - Overseas Visits and Speeches
Japan, China, South Korea and Singapore