Robert James Lee Hawke was Australia’s 23rd Prime Minister and the ALP’s most successful and longest-serving Prime Minister.
He was first elected to the House of Representatives, as the member for the Melbourne electorate of Wills, in 1980. He became leader of the ALP in February 1983 and Prime Minister a few weeks later, taking his party to victory over Malcolm Fraser’s LNP coalition government.
Hawke won four consecutive terms in office. He was re-elected in 1984, 1987 and 1990, becoming the only Labor Prime Minister to win three or more federal elections. Before him, Whitlam won two consecutive elections and Fisher won two non-consecutive elections.
Hawke was deposed as ALP leader on December 19, 1991 by his deputy and former Treasurer, Paul Keating. Hawke resigned as the member for Wills in February 1992.
The Hawke Ministers 1983-91
There were 53 members of the Hawke executives, including ministers and parliamentary secretaries. THIS PAGE shows all the ministers, their seats and portfolios, dates of birth and death, and ages. The table also indicates in which of the four Hawke terms the ministers held office.

Archived Posts
- State Funeral for Gerry Hand November 29, 2023
- Who’s Left – The Surviving Members Of Every House Of Representatives Since 1949 April 1, 2017
- Malcolm Turnbull Becomes Australia’s 22nd Longest-Serving Prime Minister December 10, 2016
- Success And Failure: The ALP’s Results In Federal Elections Since 1910 December 8, 2016
- Bob Hawke Does Medicare Advertisement For ALP Campaign June 12, 2016
- The 1983 Australian Federal Election: Funfillums June 5, 2016
- The Myth Of The Ten-Week Election Campaign In 1984 March 27, 2016
- Paul Keating Launches Cabinet Diaries By Gareth Evans With Another Swipe At Bob Hawke August 27, 2014
- Arthur Gietzelt, Labor Senator And Hawke Minister, Dies, 93 January 5, 2014
- 1986-87 Hawke Government Cabinet Papers Released January 1, 2014
- At America’s Cup 30th Anniversary, Bob Hawke Tells A Joke September 26, 2013
- Medicare 30th Anniversary September 5, 2013
- A.L.P. Federal Election Results Since 1910 February 25, 2013
- 1984-85 Hawke Government Cabinet Papers Released January 1, 2013
- Julia Gillard And Bob Hawke Speak At Woodford Folk Festival December 30, 2012
- More Anniversaries: Three Elections, A Floating Dollar And The Redfern Speech December 9, 2012
- Anniversaries Galore In The First Week Of December December 3, 2012
- Top 10 Great Labor Speeches November 17, 2012
- ACTU Congress Pays Tribute To Bill Kelty May 16, 2012
- Lionel Bowen, Whitlam Minister, Deputy PM To Hawke, Dies At 89 April 1, 2012
- Let’s All Drink To Bob Hawke January 6, 2012
- Cabinet Papers From 1982-1983 Released January 1, 2012
- Paul Keating’s Letter To Bob Hawke On Blanche D’Alpuget’s Biography July 12, 2010
- Paul Keating Launches ‘The Longest Decade’ June 2, 2006
- Wills By-Election Campaign Begins February 23, 1992
- Bob Hawke: Final Speech As Prime Minister December 19, 1991
- Bob Hawke Repels Leadership Challenge From Paul Keating June 3, 1991
- Hawke And Hewson Welcome Nelson Mandela To Australia October 23, 1990
- Governor-General Bill Hayden Opens The 36th Parliament May 8, 1990
- Bob Hogg: 1990 Federal Election Analysis April 11, 1990
- ABC Radio 1990 Election Night Broadcast March 24, 1990
- Bob Hawke: Pre-Election National Press Club Address March 21, 1990
- Hawke-Keating and Peacock-Hewson Interviewed by Richard Carleton on 60 Minutes March 18, 1990
- Bob Hawke’s 1990 Federal Election Policy Speech March 8, 1990
- On The Campaign Trail With Bob Hawke March 8, 1990
- Keating Worries The Government Isn’t Getting Credit For Its Economic Reform Record May 31, 1989
- How Much Does A Leadership Change Cost? May 9, 1989
- Why Do You Hate Tasmania, Hawke Is Asked In Parliament May 8, 1989
- New Parliament House Opened By The Queen May 9, 1988
- Bob Hawke’s 1988 Bicentenary Australia Day Address January 26, 1988
- Governor-General’s Speech Opening Parliament: 1987 September 14, 1987
- Hawke Labor Government Wins Third Term July 12, 1987
- Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen Comments On The 1987 Federal Election Result July 11, 1987
- Bob Hawke Claims Victory In 1987 Federal Election July 11, 1987
- 1987 Federal Election: ALP TV Advertisements July 10, 1987
- Business Tax And Divided Rabble: ALP Radio Ads July 8, 1987
- Let’s Stick Together – ALP Campaign Jingle 1987 July 1, 1987
- Achievements: ALP 1987 Federal Election Video For Party Members July 1, 1987
- 1987 Federal Election: Bob Hawke’s ALP Policy Speech June 23, 1987
- Bob Hawke Announces The 1987 Double Dissolution Election May 27, 1987
- Mick Young Taunts The Opposition Over The Election Date November 14, 1986
- Lionel Murphy, High Court Justice, Whitlam’s Attorney-General, Dies, 64 October 21, 1986
- Queen Elizabeth Signs Australia Act Into Law March 2, 1986
- Derryn Hinch Interviews Prime Minister Bob Hawke September 20, 1985
- Swinging Voters And The 1984 Federal Election April 15, 1985
- 1984 Post-Election Analysis: McMullan, Henderson And Butman April 15, 1985
- Governor-General Sir Ninian Stephen Opens The 34th Parliament February 21, 1985
- Cabinet Committees: Hawke Government 1984 December 13, 1984
- Bob Hawke And Andrew Peacock 1984 Election Night Speeches December 1, 1984
- Leaders’ Debate: 1984 Federal Election November 26, 1984
- Hawke Announces Early Election For December 1, 1984 October 8, 1984
- Paul Keating 1984 Federal Budget Speech August 21, 1984
- Letters Patent 1984: Governor-General August 21, 1984
- Alan Hughes: The Federal Election Of March 1983 April 15, 1984
- Paul Keating Delivers His First Budget As Treasurer In The Hawke Government August 23, 1983
- David Butler: 1983 Election Retrospect May 15, 1983
- Celebrating The Hawke And Cain Labor Governments April 29, 1983
- Governor-General’s Speech Opening Parliament: 1983 April 21, 1983
- National Economic Summit: Channel 9 Sunday Report By Andrew Olle April 17, 1983
- The Day After: 3AW Midday News Reports the Hawke Victory March 6, 1983
- 1983 Federal Election: Triumphant Hawke Arrives At National Tally Room And Claims Victory March 5, 1983
- Final Television Broadcasts: 1983 Federal Election March 2, 1983
- Don Chipp On His Faith In Bob Hawke March 2, 1983
- Bob Hawke At The National Press Club: 1983 Federal Election March 2, 1983
- ALP Free-Time Election Advertisement: Bob Hawke March 1, 1983
- ALP Free-Time Election Advertisement: Bob Hawke February 23, 1983
- Fraser Says Your Money Would Be Safer Under The Bed; That’s Where The Commies Are, Says Hawke February 22, 1983
- Bob Hawke’s 1983 Federal Election Policy Speech February 16, 1983
- The ‘Blood On Your Hands’ Interview: Bob Hawke And Richard Carleton February 3, 1983
- Fraser Calls Early Election As Hawke Replaces Hayden February 3, 1983
- John Button’s Letter To Bill Hayden January 28, 1983
- Hawke Denies He Is Challenging Hayden December 7, 1982
- Malcolm Fraser’s 1980 Liberal Party Policy Speech September 30, 1980
- Bob Hawke Announces He Won’t Run For Parliament – Yet September 15, 1976
- Hawke Should Stay With The ACTU: The Australian September 14, 1976
- Bob Hawke On Monday Conference In 1974 September 30, 1974