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Quote by Bob Hawke

“As far as we're concerned, there was no sporting organisation [that] should have anything to do with the sport in South Africa.”

Quote by Bob Hawke

Author

Bob Hawke, born on December 9, 1929, served as the Prime Minister of Australia from 1983 to 1991. He is one of the youngest prime ministers in Australian history. During his tenure, Hawke implemented economic reforms, enhanced Australia's international status, and advocated for social justice and environmental protection. more

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“I assumed the leadership within the Commonwealth for the fight against apartheid. I was very much assisted by Brian Mulroney, the Prime Minister of Canada, [and] Rajiv Gandhi, when he became the Prime Minister of India. And there were trade sanctions.”

Fighting India Trade Ministers Canada Prime Prime Minister Sanctions Apartheid Commonwealth Brian

Author:Bob Hawke

“We [ with Brian Mulroney and Rajiv Gandhi] went to the meeting in Canada [the 1987 Vancouver CHOGM] and I said to them there that sanctions weren't working; they were just being busted. And it did seem to me that one way that we could bring the apartheid regime down would be if we did mount an effective investment sanction.”

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Author:Bob Hawke

“I rang my friend Jim Wolfensohn, who was then running a private commercial bank in New York. I said, "Come up to Vancouver", and he did. I put my proposition to him. He said, "I think it could work." I said, "Will you help us?" He said, "Yes." So, I set aside senior people in our treasury and they worked with Wolfensohn and the investment sanctions were applied. And that's what brought the regime down. The last South African Finance Minister, Barend du Plessis, went on record as saying that it was the investment sanctions that put the final nail in the coffin of apartheid.”

“It was a remarkable relationship. Margaret [Thatcher] and I had a love/hate relationship. She was always defending the South African regime and we had some terrible fights, including an enormous one in Canada.”

Hate Fighting Terrible South Including Enormous Canada Remarkable Regimes South Africa Love Hate Love Hate Relationship

Author:Bob Hawke

“In fact, soon after that [South African sanctions], I was going on an official visit to the UK and Margaret Thatcher instructed every minister to clear the decks of any outstanding matters between us - Australia and the Brits. And she went out of her way to make sure that that was as successful a visit as it possibly could be.”

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Author:Bob Hawke

“I respected [Margaret Thatcher] enormously. She had great integrity in that respect.”

Author:Bob Hawke

“Geoffrey [Howe] and I were mates, and he disagreed with [ Margaret Thatcher] position. So, we cooperated surreptitiously.”

Author:Bob Hawke

“I went along with it, and wanted to appoint a significant figure in Malcolm Fraser. I didn't have high hopes that they'd be able to do anything, but something was worth a try.”

Trying Able Wanted Figures Significant

Author:Bob Hawke

“We were great mates [with Rajiv Gandhi]: very, very, very close friends. In fact, on my visit to India as Prime Minister, we were going to his home for dinner. There were two aspects I remember: one is him saying how he had trouble with his security people, because they insisted he wears a vest. He said it was very uncomfortable and he often took it off, but of course, in the end, it wouldn't have mattered if he'd been wearing three vests - he would have been gone.”

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Author:Bob Hawke

“[ Rajiv Gandhi] was very reflective and rueful and regretful about the fact that his children's education...He wanted them to get educated outside of India, but he said to me the only place that he found where they would be safe was in Russia, and he didn't really want them to be educated there! So, I said, "Well, send them to Australia. I'll look after them." And my security bloke went absolutely bloody bananas, and I said, "We'll look after them." But, in the end, he didn't send them.”

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Author:Bob Hawke