Former prime minister Bob Hawke dies in his sleep

Former Australian Labor prime minister Bob Hawke, 89, has died peacefully in his sleep at home this evening, with wife Blanche d’Alpuget at his side, just days before he expected to see his beloved Labor party restored to government.

• Picture Gallery: The colossus from South Australia

Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke has died in his sleep with his wife Blanche by his side just days before he expected to see his beloved Labor party restored to government.

Tributes are flowing for the giant of Australian politics, remembered as a man whose enduring legacy had shaped the country with an outward looking, competitive economy.

Australia’s 23rd Prime Minister, who served as leader of the Labor Party from 1983 to 1991, died peacefully at home at the age of 89 years.

Former prime minister Bob Hawke. Picture: Harold David

Mr Hawke’s wife Ms d’Alpuget announced his death on Thursday night, remembering him as a man who was “many would say the greatest Australian of the post-war era”.

“Today we lost Bob Hawke, a great Australian,” she said in a statement, adding the family would hold a private funeral but also a memorial service in Sydney.

She praised her husband for modernizing the economy and a “consensus style approach”.

Labor Leader Bill Shorten — who last visited Mr Hawke on May 6 — said Mr Hawke loved the Australian people.

Mr Shorten, giving a statement on the steps of the Sydney Opera House on Thursday night, said on their final visit they’d sat on Mr Hawke’s back verandah with Ms d’Alpuget.

“He had the sun on his face, a crossword in front of him and a cup of tea. He didn’t speak about himself … he did as he always does, he asked about me, the ALP and the election,” Mr Shorten said.

Mr Shorten said the Australian people loved Bob Hawke “because they knew Bob loved them, this was true to the very end.”

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He said the most powerful and enduring tributes to Mr Hawke were “found all around us”.

“World-class universities, where places are earned on merit not purchased by privilege,” he said.

“A modern, outward-looking, competitive economy, built around the principle that working and middle class people must be fairly rewarded for their efforts.

“Australia at home in Asia, a voice heard and respected in the councils of the world.

“Every Australian carries a monument to Bob Hawke with them, their Medicare card. A green-and-gold promise that the health of any one of us, matters to all of us.”

Mr Hawke had been too unwell to attend the Labor party launch in recent weeks, but had supported Mr Shorten during the campaign.

Prime Minister Bob Hawke and Treasurer Paul Keating interviewed on TV by Ray Martin.

Mr Hawke, Labor’s longest serving prime minister, recently spoke at Queensland’s Woodford Folk Festival about fearing he would not be around to witness his party’s success at leading the next government.

“I’ve had my time; just stick around for a little while,” he said at the time.

Mr Hawke’s famous political rival, Paul Keating said last night the pair enjoyed a “great partnership” and “the country is much the poorer for Bob Hawke’s passing”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison paid tribute to the “great Australian who led and served our country with passion, courage, and an intellectual horsepower that made our country stronger”.

“He was true to his beliefs in the Labor tradition and defined the politics of his generation and beyond,” Mr Morrison tweeted.

Bob Hawke poses for a photograph with a wax figure of himself on his 88th birthday in 2017. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

Labor luminary Graham Richardson also praised Bob Hawke.

“Above all he was a great man with a heart I think there was a kindness in Hawkey that you don’t find in many people. That’s what made him a big man despite his stature.”

Ms d’Alpuget has released a moving statement on behalf of the family.

“He died peacefully at home at the age of 89 years. I and Bob’s children, Sue, Stephen, Rosslyn and stepson, Louis, and his grandchildren, will hold a private funeral,” it read.

“A memorial service will be held in Sydney in coming weeks.”

BLANCHE D’ALPUGET’S FAMILY STATEMENT

“Today we lost Bob Hawke, a great Australian — many would say the greatest Australian of the post-war era.

“He died peacefully at home at the age of 89 years.

“I and Bob’s children, Sue, Stephen, Rosslyn and stepson, Louis, and his grandchildren, will hold a private funeral.

“A memorial service will be held in Sydney in coming weeks.

“Bob Hawke and Paul Keating and their governments modernised the Australian economy, paving the way for an unprecedented period of recession-free economic growth and job creation.

Bob Hawke with wife author Blanche D'Alpuget.

“Bob’s consensus-style approach of bringing together the trade union movement and the business community boosted job opportunities while increasing the social wage through Medicare and extra financial support for low-income families.

“Together with his highly talented Cabinets, he foresaw the Asian Century and positioned Australia to take full advantage of it through a program of sweeping economic reforms.

“Among his proudest achievements were large increases in the proportion of children finishing high school, his role in ending apartheid in South Africa, and his successful international campaign to protect Antarctica from mining.

“He abhorred racism and bigotry. His father, the Reverend Clem Hawke, told Bob that if you believed in the Fatherhood of God then you must also believe in the Brotherhood of Man. “Bob would add today the Sisterhood of Women.

“Bob was dearly loved by his family, and so many friends and colleagues. We will miss him.

The golden bowl is broken.”