Labor vows to buy Hawke House as homage to its former PM

Labor will provide up to $750,000 to buy Bob Hawke’s childhood home in Bordertown.

Labor will provide up to $750,000 to buy Bob Hawke’s childhood home in Bordertown, South Australia, and turn it into a museum to commemorate the former prime minister’s life and achievements.

Mr Hawke was born in Bordertown, three hours’ drive from ­Adelaide, in 1929.

The 1884 home, originally a bank, was bought by the Congregational Church as a manse in 1897, and Clem Hawke was the local minister from 1928 to 1935.

Mr Hawke, 89, lived in the house in his early years.

“I’ve spoken to Bob about this — he’s genuinely flattered, and I’m delighted he’s on board,” Bill Shortensaid. “Bob was a ­brilliant consensus-builder but he was also a great conservationist. His leadership helped to preserve Kakadu, the Daintree and the Franklin for ­future generations.

“This is a modest act of conservation compared to those great deeds but it speaks for the respect of history. This is about preserving a small piece of the past, for a man whose time in government did so much to shape Australia’s ­future.”

The Opposition Leader idolises Mr Hawke, having met him during his prime ministership, and the two talk regularly.

Mr Hawke with a young Bill Shorten.

Hawke House has been for sale for several years with an asking price of $295,000. It is privately owned and rented to Uniting SA, which acts as a Centre­link agent and runs disabil­ity and community services. These facilities will be relocated in Bordertown.

Labor’s election commitment would see the house bought and renovated as a museum and ­gallery to celebrate Mr Hawke’s life and educate Australians about democracy, civics and citizenship.

The Museum of Australian Democracy, which is located at Old Parliament House in Can­berra, is the likely agency to manage the property and museum. “I believe Australia can do more to honour our former prime ministers — from all sides of politics — and I hope this idea sparks new ­interest in remembering the lives and legacies of our national ­leaders,” Mr Shorten said.

Paul Keating’s childhood home in Bankstown, in western Sydney, was demolished in 2014 despite it being found to have heritage value. So too was Gough Whitlam’s childhood home in Melbourne’s Kew in 2016, while John Howard’s family home in Earlwood, in Sydney’s south, was turned into a KFC many years ago.

Mr Shorten said a Labor government would consider funding the preservation of other former prime ministerial homes, which is a tradition in the US and Britain, where the residences of former presidents and prime minsters are preserved for posterity with public funds and private donations.

Ben Chifley’s home at Bathurst, a few hours west of Sydney, is preserved and an educational centre is located next door.

John Curtin’s home in Cottesloe, in Perth’s western suburbs, is managed by the National Trust. And Joe and Enid Lyons’s family homes in Tasmania’s Stanley and Devonport have been preserved.

Bob Hawke’s childhood home in Bordertown.