The remarkable hold Bob Hawke had for so long over both his colleagues and the country was no accident. Plenty of others, not least his partner and ultimate nemesis, Paul Keating, share the credit for making his governments the gold standard they are now judged to have been, but his personal leadership was crucial.

No leader is without his or her shortcomings. But for nearly a decade, through four successful election campaigns, any Hawke weaknesses were outweighed by four exceptional strengths: his ability to craft a grand narrative; to connect with people; to operate collegially; and – most unexpectedly for those who knew only the earlier larrikin – to maintain both personal and institutional discipline.