Hawke’s open letter to voters
Bob Hawke has written an open letter endorsing Bill Shorten as Australia’s next prime minister.
Labor luminary Bob Hawke has written an open letter to voters endorsing Bill Shorten as Australia’s next prime minister, declaring the Opposition Leader’s trade union background — just like his own — was an asset.
Released just three days until the federal election, the former prime minister claimed the Coalition was seeking to “divide and frighten” the country as they did in 1983 when he was running for the top job but declared: “It didn’t work then and it won’t work now.”
“My experience is that the Australian people rarely get it wrong — they will vote for a United Party that is able to look after their interests and the national interest. And in my view, Australia needs a Labor government led by Bill Shorten and his team,” Mr Hawke said.
“While Bill’s political opponents argue his trade union background is a liability for a future prime minister, I consider it an asset, as it was for me. It gives him the experience to achieve consensus with business, unions and community-based organisations for the challenges that lie ahead.”
Mr Hawke, who was unable to attend Labor’s election campaign launch due to his health but watched it from home on television, said Mr Shorten had built a strong team with his deputy Tanya Plibersek and shown stability and unity for six years.
“Bravery, honesty and vision are needed of the next Australian government. Laying out a party’s detailed policies ahead of an election requires political courage. Bill and his team have shown that courage, trusting the fair-mindedness of the Australian people,” he said.
“Over the past six years the Liberals have had three leaders while Labor has had one, and three treasurers while Labor has had one shadow treasurer. As I said repeatedly when I was prime minister, if you can’t govern yourselves you can’t govern the country.”
Scott Morrison has often ridiculed Mr Shorten’s time as a trade union leader, claiming unlike Mr Hawke he let the unions run him.
Mr Shorten has dedicated any election win on May 18 to Mr Hawke.
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