Editing Bob Hawke (section)

===Election wins and leadership challenges===
[[File:PMs office at Old Parliament House December 2012.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister's Office preserved from Hawke's time in office in 1988, [[Old Parliament House, Canberra|Old Parliament House]]]]

Hawke benefited greatly from the disarray into which the Liberal Party fell after the resignation of Fraser following the 1983 election. The Liberals were torn between supporters of the more conservative [[John Howard]] and the more liberal [[Andrew Peacock]], with the pair frequently contesting the leadership.<ref>{{cite news|title=Peacock's future directions|work=[[The Canberra Times]]|first=Andrew|last=Fraser|date=13 May 1989|page=9}}</ref> Hawke and Keating were also able to use the concealment of the size of the budget deficit by Fraser before the 1983 election to great effect, damaging the Liberal Party's economic credibility as a result.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fraser on the skids?|work=[[Tribune (Australian newspaper)|The Express Tribune]]|date=10 March 1982|page=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Fraser's parting blow: the budget deficit - requiem for reform?|work=[[Tribune (Australian newspaper)|The Express Tribune]]|first=Peter|last=Ormonde|date=23 March 1983|page=3}}</ref>

However, Hawke's time as Prime Minister also saw friction develop between himself and the grassroots of the Labor Party, many of whom were unhappy at what they viewed as Hawke's iconoclasm and willingness to cooperate with business interests. Hawke regularly and publicly expressed his willingness to cull Labor's "sacred cows". The [[Labor Left]] faction, as well as prominent Labor backbencher [[Barry Jones (Australian politician)|Barry Jones]], offered repeated criticisms of a number of government decisions. Hawke was also subject to challenges from some former colleagues in the trade union movement over his "confrontationalist style" in siding with the airline companies in the [[1989 Australian pilots' strike]].{{sfn|Kelly|1992|p=544}}

Nevertheless, Hawke was able to comfortably maintain a lead as preferred prime minister in the vast majority of opinion polls carried out throughout his time in office. He recorded the highest popularity rating ever measured by an Australian opinion poll, reaching 75% approval in 1984.<ref>{{cite news |last=Coorey |first=Phillip |title=The biggest hammering in history |url=https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/19/1211182705614.html |access-date=19 June 2021 |url-access=registration |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=20 May 2008 |language=en |archive-date=16 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816031241/https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-biggest-hammering-in-history-20080520-gdsedo.html |url-status=live }}</ref> After leading Labor to a comfortable victory in the snap [[1984 Australian federal election|1984 election]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://australianpolitics.com/elections/1984/ |title=1984 Federal Election |publisher=AustralianPolitics.com |access-date=2016-07-30 |archive-date=1 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501203340/http://australianpolitics.com/elections/1984 |url-status=live }}</ref> called to bring the mandate of the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] back in line with the [[Australian Senate|Senate]], Hawke was able to secure an unprecedented third consecutive term for Labor with a comfortable victory in the [[double dissolution]] election of [[1987 Australian federal election|1987]]. Hawke was subsequently able to lead the nation in the [[Australian Bicentenary|bicentennial]] celebrations of 1988, culminating with him welcoming [[Queen Elizabeth II]] to open the newly constructed [[Parliament House, Canberra|Parliament House]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/from-the-archives-1988-bob-hawke-and-the-queen-a-day-at-the-races-20190517-p51ofs.html|title=From the Archives, 1988: Bob Hawke and the Queen, a day at the races|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|first1=Les|last1=Carlyon|authorlink1=Les Carlyon|first2=Hugo|last2=Kelly|date=17 May 2019|access-date=19 May 2019|url-access=registration|archive-date=19 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190519185101/https://www.smh.com.au/national/from-the-archives-1988-bob-hawke-and-the-queen-a-day-at-the-races-20190517-p51ofs.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Early 1990s recession|late-1980s recession]], and the accompanying high interest rates, saw the Government fall in opinion polls, with many doubting that Hawke could win a fourth election.<ref>{{cite news|title=When historians reflect on 1990|work=[[The Canberra Times]]|date=31 December 1990|page=8}}</ref> Keating, who had long understood that he would eventually succeed Hawke as prime minister,<ref>{{cite news|title=Hawke gives Keating his blessing as likely PM|work=[[The Canberra Times]]|first=Keith|last=Scott|date=30 June 1987|page=1}}</ref> began to plan a leadership change; at the end of 1988, Keating put pressure on Hawke to retire in the new year. Hawke rejected this suggestion but reached a secret agreement with Keating, the so-called "[[Kirribilli Agreement of 1988|Kirribilli Agreement]]", stating that he would step down in Keating's favour at some point after the [[1990 Australian federal election|1990 election]].{{sfn|Kelly|1992|p=454}} Hawke subsequently won that election, in the process leading Labor to a record fourth consecutive electoral victory, albeit by a slim margin.<ref>{{cite news|title=Election proves value of Labor machine|work=[[The Canberra Times]]|first=Derek|last=Parker|date=10 May 1990|page=8}}</ref> Hawke appointed Keating as [[Deputy Prime Minister of Australia|deputy prime minister]] to replace the retiring [[Lionel Bowen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_MRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnation%2Finquirer%2F199091-cabinet-papers-keating-and-hawkes-ambitions-collide%2Fnews-story%2F57494be488b4f7edf128108f8acc21f4&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-cold-control-noscore&V21spcbehaviour=append|title=When ambitions collided|work=[[The Australian]]|date=31 December 2015|accessdate=8 January 2016|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

By the end of 1990, frustrated by the lack of any indication from Hawke as to when he might retire, Keating made a provocative speech to the [[Canberra Press Gallery|Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery]]. Hawke considered the speech disloyal, and told Keating he would renege on the Kirribilli Agreement as a result.{{sfn|Hawke|1994|p=501}} After attempting to force a resolution privately, Keating finally resigned from the Government in June 1991 to [[June 1991 Australian Labor Party leadership spill|challenge Hawke for the leadership]].<ref>{{cite news |title=True rivals |author=Gordon, Michael |date=16 July 2010 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/true-rivals-20100715-10cpx.html |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=11 March 2018 |url-access=registration |archive-date=12 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312022354/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/true-rivals-20100715-10cpx.html |url-status=live }}</ref> His resignation came  soon after Hawke vetoed in Cabinet a proposal backed by Keating and other ministers for mining to take place at [[Coronation Hill]] in [[Kakadu National Park]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chan |first1=Gabrielle |title=Cabinet papers 1990-91: Hawke's fight to keep mining out of Kakadu helped unseat him |newspaper=The Guardian |date=31 December 2015 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jan/01/cabinet-papers-1990-91-hawkes-fight-to-keep-mining-out-of-kakadu-helped-unseat-him |publisher=Guardian News & Media Limited |access-date=4 Nov 2023 |archive-date=4 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104065021/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jan/01/cabinet-papers-1990-91-hawkes-fight-to-keep-mining-out-of-kakadu-helped-unseat-him |url-status=live }}</ref>  Hawke won the leadership spill, and in a press conference after the result, Keating declared that he had fired his "one shot" on the leadership. Hawke appointed [[John Kerin]] to replace Keating as Treasurer.{{sfn|Kelly|1992|p=649–651}}

Despite his victory in the June spill, Hawke quickly began to be regarded by many of his colleagues as a "wounded" leader; he had now lost his long-term political partner, his ratings in opinion polls were beginning to fall significantly, and after nearly nine years as Prime Minister, there was speculation that it would soon be time for a new leader.{{sfn|Edwards|1996|p=435}} Hawke's leadership was ultimately irrevocably damaged at the end of 1991; after [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Leader]] [[John Hewson]] released '[[Fightback! (policy)|Fightback!]]', a detailed proposal for sweeping economic change, including the introduction of a [[Goods and Services Tax (Australia)|goods and services tax]], Hawke was forced to sack Kerin as Treasurer after the latter made a public gaffe attempting to attack the policy.{{sfn|Kelly|1992|p=649–651}}{{sfn|Kelly|1992|p=609–14}} Keating duly [[December 1991 Australian Labor Party leadership spill|challenged for the leadership]] a second time on 19 December, arguing that he would be better placed to defeat Hewson; this time, Keating succeeded, narrowly defeating Hawke by 56 votes to 51.{{sfn|Edwards|1996|p=441}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Keating scrapes in|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|first=Peter|last=Hartcher|date=20 December 1991|page=1}}</ref>

In a speech to the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] following the vote, Hawke declared that his nine years as prime minister had left Australia a better and wealthier country, and he was given a standing ovation by those present. He subsequently tendered his resignation to the Governor-General and pledged support to his successor. Hawke briefly returned to the backbench, before resigning from Parliament on 20 February 1992, sparking a [[1992 Wills by-election|by-election]] which was won by the independent candidate [[Phil Cleary]] from among a record field of 22 candidates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/hawke/after-office.aspx|title=Hawke: After office|work=Prime Ministers of Australia: [[National Archives of Australia]]|publisher=[[Government of Australia]]|date=20 February 1992|access-date=22 May 2011|archive-date=26 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626015539/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/hawke/after-office.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> Keating would go on to lead Labor to a fifth victory at the [[1993 Australian federal election|1993 election]], although he was defeated by the Liberal Party at the [[1996 Australian federal election|1996 election]].

Hawke wrote that he had very few regrets over his time in office, although stated he wished he had been able to advance the cause of [[Indigenous land rights in Australia|Indigenous land rights]] further. His bitterness towards Keating over the leadership challenges surfaced in his earlier memoirs, although by the 2000s Hawke stated he and Keating had buried their differences, and that they regularly dined together and considered each other friends.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/13/2302268.htm |title=Hawke and Keating bury the hatchet |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |location=Australia |date=13 July 2008 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=10 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110180307/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-07-13/hawke-and-keating-bury-the-hatchet/2586080 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The publication of the book ''Hawke: The Prime Minister'', by Hawke's second wife, [[Blanche d'Alpuget]], in 2010, reignited conflict between the two, with Keating accusing Hawke and d'Alpuget of spreading falsehoods about his role in the Hawke government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/politics/keating-hits-back-hawke-only-survived-as-pm-with-my-help/story-e6frgczf-1225891811095/story-e6frgczf-1225891811095|title=Paul Keating hits back: 'Hawke only survived as PM with my help'|work=[[The Australian]] |date=15 July 2010 |access-date=9 August 2016}}</ref> Despite this, the two campaigned together for Labor several times, including at the [[2019 Australian federal election|2019 election]], where they released their first joint article for nearly three decades; [[Craig Emerson]], who worked for both men, said they had reconciled in later years after Hawke grew ill.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-election-2019/bob-hawke-and-paul-keating-reunite-for-the-first-time-in-28-years-to-endorse-labor-s-economic-plan-20190507-p51kv2.html | title=Bob Hawke and Paul Keating reunite for the first time in 28 years to endorse Labor's economic plan | newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=7 May 2019 | access-date=16 May 2019 | archive-date=6 July 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706204823/https://www.smh.com.au/federal-election-2019/bob-hawke-and-paul-keating-reunite-for-the-first-time-in-28-years-to-endorse-labor-s-economic-plan-20190507-p51kv2.html | url-status=live }}</ref>