Gold Standard? Remembering the Hawke Government

Was the Bob Hawke government truly the ‘gold standard’ of federal leadership in Australia? This incisive and engaging collection brings together leading historians, political scientists, journalists and former insiders to reassess one of the nation’s most celebrated reform eras.

From economic transformation and the Labor–Union Accords to social justice, women’s policy and health reform, the contributors examine the policies, politics and personalities that defined the Hawke years. They explore how Labor secured four successive election victories, how the government managed media and administration, and how its opponents struggled in response. The book also confronts the era’s limits, including its disappointments for First Nations Australians, and reflects on how memories of the period have shifted over time.

Rich in insight and contemporary relevance, Gold Standard? asks what lessons the Hawke government offers for today’s leaders — and how its legacies continue to shape modern Australia.

Product details:

Publisher: UNSW Press

Dimensions: 210 x 135  mm

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Publication date: April 2026

ISBN: 9781761170522