Federal election 2019: Day 37 of the campaign

Bill Shorten was in his hometown for a beer at one of Bob Hawke’s favourite watering holes, as John Howard said Tony Abbott was right to say Hawke had a "Liberal head and a Labor heart".

Bill Shorten has arrived in his hometown for a beer at one of Bob Hawke’s favourite watering holes.

 

The Opposition Leader joined former Victorian premier Steve Bracks at Melbourne’s John Curtin Hotel across the road from Trades Hall. 

They each enjoyed a can of Hawke’s Pale Ale. 

It comes as John Howard said Tony Abbott was right to say Hawke had a "Liberal head and a Labor heart", while also appearing to take a jab at China's president in his own tribute to the former PM.

"Certainly we should remind ourselves again – in 2019 – that China, if anything, is even more authoritarian under Xi Jinping than it was then,” Mr Howard said while reflecting on Hawke’s decision to grant asylum to Chinese students.

He praised Hawke for the move, saying it had an “enormous impact on Australia”.

"I thought it indicated that he felt very strongly about what had occurred in Tiananmen Square and, of course, it did represent the brutal suppression by the Chinese authorities of many people in that country who reached out for freedom…”

Mr Howard's comments come days after Paul Keating urged Bill Shorten to sack intelligence chiefs to improve relations with China. 

Meanwhile as Mr Abbott refused to back down on his tribute following widespread controversy over his choice of words, Mr Howard threw support behind his comments.

While Mr Howard spoke in Sydney, Mr Shorten spoke to reporters outside the Opera House.

He said Mr Hawke had two goals before he died, to see his stepson get married and a Labor election victory. 

Mr Hawke's death comes as new polling shows the federal election race has tightened. A YouGov Galaxy poll has shown the PM has had an election bounce but Labor is still ahead. 

RECAP DAY 37 OF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL BELOW:

Originally published as Federal election 2019: Day 37 of the campaign

Updates