Fighting words from Hawkie the hitchhiker

IT was the mother of all election stunts.

Bob Hawke campaigns

IT was the mother of all election stunts.

Seven hapless constituents are invited onto Premier Anna Bligh's campaign bus by their local MP to take an exclusive tour of their city's newest piece of infrastructure.

But when they reach a bus station at the centre of Brisbane's Northern Busway, they are flagged down by a strangely familiar hitchhiker.

Shock! It's the ALP's longest-serving prime minister, Bob Hawke.

How long's it been since you hailed down a bus, Bob?

“It's been a bloody long time,” he cackled. “And not one with a Premier aboard!”

How do you think Premier's going to go on Saturday?

“It's a tough, tough fight obviously - no point beating around the bush - but I've been very proud of the way she's stuck at it.

“Politics is a bit of a cyclical business, you know, and I don't think there's been the understanding in the minds of the electorate of just how much this government has done.

“I look at this city now, compared with when I was prime minister, and I see this enormous progress that's all been under Labor and it's a pity there hasn't been sufficient recognition of the work that's been done and the achievements for the people.”

Have you ever seen a Labor government fight back to win from a position like this?

“I don't think there's been one where we've had to fight quite so hard.”

Ms Bligh added: “But we do know how to fight, don't we?”

“Bloody oath we do,” he concluded.