Bob Hawke - Retirement

Retirement

After leaving Parliament, Hawke entered the business world with considerable success. Hazel Hawke, who for the sake of the Labor cause had put up with his open relationship with biographer Blanche d'Alpuget while he was Prime Minister, divorced him, and shortly afterwards Hawke married d'Alpuget.

He had little to do with the Labor Party during Keating's time as Prime Minister, often criticising him publicly. After Keating's defeat and the election of the John Howard at the 1996 federal election, he became a close supporter of Opposition Leader Kim Beazley.

In the run up to the 2007 federal election, Hawke, then 78, made a considerable personal effort to support Labor's campaign, making speeches at a large number of campaign office openings across Australia. As well as campaigning against WorkChoices, Hawke also attacked John Howard's record as Treasurer, stating "it was the judgement of every economist and international financial institution that it was the restructuring reforms undertaken by my government with the full cooperation of the trade union movement which created the strength of the Australian economy today".

In 2009, Hawke helped establish the Centre for Muslim and Non-Muslim Understanding at the University of South Australia. Interfaith dialogue is an important issue for Hawke, who told the Adelaide Review that he is "convinced that one of the great potential dangers confronting the world is the lack of understanding in regard to the Muslim world. Fanatics have misrepresented what Islam is. They give a false impression of the essential nature of Islam."

In the 2010 election campaign, Hawke leant considerable support to Julia Gillard in the election against Tony Abbott.

In 2011 Hawke publicly supported NSW Premier Kristina Keneally in an election campaign, who was facing almost certain defeat to opposition leader Barry O'Farrell, describing her campaign as "gutsy".