Bill's beer for Bob, ScoMo's sprint as campaign ends

The death of Bob Hawke cast a sombre mood over Bill Shorten's last day on the hustings but did not stop Scott Morrison campaigning frantically.

Andrew Tillett and Tom McIlroy

May 17, 2019 – 3.53pm

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As Bill Shorten plotted the last 24 hours of his campaign with his trusted advisers on Thursday at the Commonwealth offices in Sydney, word reached them at 5pm Bob Hawke had died.

While Mr Shorten has campaigned as an heir to the Hawke legacy, one of those advisers in the room with him had done much to help create it in the first place.

Andrew Tillett writes on politics, foreign affairs, defence and security from the Canberra press gallery.

Tom McIlroy is the Financial Review’s Canberra bureau chief based in the press gallery at Parliament House. He was previously the AFR’s political correspondent.