I was really pleased to see this article in TheAge this morning. Not only does it give another side to the “love story”, it also shows Hazel to be a prime example of an entrepreneurial mother, even when in a relationship. She did amazing things with the opportunities she had, and that’s all one can DO. Hats off to Hazel…

…It did not take long for Hazel to develop a following of her own – which in subsequent elections became a major reason voters supported Hawke. Hazel’s speech to the National Press Gallery in January 1984 established her as an unassuming, disarmingly honest, sincere and intelligent human being – an ordinary woman, one we could all identify with and admire for the way she handled herself.

There was a strong feeling among women that if Hazel stayed with Bob, he couldn’t be as bad as reports suggested.

In an interview on Sunday following the telemovie, Hawke struggled to remember what Hazel’s interests were as the prime minister’s wife. He came up with ”education”, but he could not remember any details.

Children, their welfare and the arts were Hazel’s priorities. Among other organisations, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, Austcare, the Australian Youth Orchestra, the NSW Heritage Council, World Wide Fund for Nature and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation had Hazel’s support. This meant she worked for them; she was not just a figurehead… keep reading

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