Bob Hawke's history lesson: unions and the economy

Former Labor PM Bob Hawke takes on John Howard's scare campaign on the economy and the role of unions, recalling the role unions played in key economic reforms during his prime ministership.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Bob
• Hawke
• Hawkie
• commentary
• analysis
• unions
• ACTU
• economy
• Labor
• ALP
• election
• John
• Howard

[bluecheese202]

Good on ya Hawkie!! The best PM we ever had.

[BoldBenHall]

True true true true

[pigdogproductions]

The hawke - keating era was a time of econimic reform. Economic reforms which have made Australia the prosperous nation it is today. A fact acknowledged by the current leader of the opposition, known as 'Abbott'. We can thank the Australian Labour party for this state of prosperity we are currently experiencing. Vote Labour, Tony will wreck the place!

[willhemina101]

ecamhol wrote: 'There is no room for trade unions in a progressive labour market like Australia.' That's where you're so, so, so wrong. There is ALWAYS room for trade unions and always should be. They represent the worker and the worker's rights. Who do the corporations represent? The shareholders' rights. Look across the world to all the countries that ban trade unions, have no workers' rights, and incarcerate those that protest. Australians should remember the battles fought on our behalf.

[Ihatedawannabes]

bob hawk, best thing that ever happened to the country

[Ihatedawannabes]

thats all true hawk was the best leader ever just too bad the leaders the got now a deadshits. gillard or abbott have both set a new low to the country and there partys the 2010 election has been a joke

[123cbear]

@ecamhol I am a blue collar worker (laborer) and the unions protect my wages from the corporate fat-cats who will jump at every opportunity to slash them. In England there are no unions and the wage conditions are below $10 dollars an hour no sick pay no nothing. I was once like you i hated the unions till i learn t the truth. I will trust the man in braces before i trust the one in a suite 

[andyg256]

Well spoken and proven true with respect to the GFC and the misfortunes to virtually every other country in the western world in the last 2 years

[68Trueblue]

And No Australian Child will live in poverty after 1990.

[ecamhol]

What an absolute disgrace. Why would you ever vote for a labor government. Hawke and Keating destroyed the labour market and now Rudd and Gilliard are doing a great job of making the same mistakes. There is no room for trade unions in a progressive labour market like Australia.

[obaia]

Lying old Cu....t He should have stayed a Union Rep. HE FIXED FUC ALL. Pegged wages whilst inflation erroded 25% of them. 18% interest rates 11% unemployment. on top of in todays dollars $145 billion deficit. What did he say he fixed has he got a lisp I thought he said fucked not fixed.

[ruddsadudd]

RUDDS A DUDD