It was a remarkable relationship. Margaret [Thatcher] and I had a love/hate relationship. She was always defending the South African regime and… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
It had things that it could do and which I thought were worthwhile: one would be South Africa, of course. And, as… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
I said to my people, "We're knocking apartheid off but we've got to be prepared to assist them." And I sent senior… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
As far as we're concerned, there was no sporting organisation [that] should have anything to do with the sport in South Africa. — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
It [also] lives on its history, now, to some extent: its achievements [ of the Commonwealth] in Rhodesia and South Africa, which… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
The concept there was that the small number of developed countries within the Commonwealth should provide assistance. This was not just financial… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
It was the South African Government that has introduced politics into sport by decreeing politically that no non-white person will represent their… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
In fact, soon after that [South African sanctions], I was going on an official visit to the UK and Margaret Thatcher instructed… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
I led the fight here against apartheid as President of the ACTU, including particularly the Springbok tour in 1971. And that led… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
I rang my friend Jim Wolfensohn, who was then running a private commercial bank in New York. I said, "Come up to… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
Brian Mulroney, myself, [and] Rajiv Gandhi; I think that was the real core [of the Commonwealth ]. That was the engine room, I reckon. — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
While society cannot provide employment for its members, the production/work/income nexus has to be abandoned as a justification for our present parsimony to the… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
We [ with Brian Mulroney and Rajiv Gandhi] went to the meeting in Canada [the 1987 Vancouver CHOGM] and I said to them there… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
I told [ David Lange] he was crazy, because you can't have an alliance relationship if you refuse access to their ships. And the… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
There is a reciprocal respect for [ Elizabeth II], for her interest in the Commonwealth. The members of the Commonwealth recognise that here is… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
We are building together a nation in which there are no second-class Australians. — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
I had no time for Indira Gandhi. She was too much in the Russian camp for my liking. — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
I wrote a letter to our Australian newspaper about three weeks before the invasion and I said, "Osama bin Laden must be on his… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
I can't speak with authority about Emeka Anyaoku. I just didn't know him that well. — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
George Bush Junior [George W Bush] was a religious fanatic, and Tony Blair wasn't far behind in a way. — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
I felt completely ready to become prime minister. I came to office better equipped, in terms of knowledge of economics and of the Australian… — Bob Hawke Copy Share Image
![“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.” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/000/bob-hawke-7891_canada_it-was-a-remarkable-relationship-margare_1400215.jpg)
![“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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a7a/bob-hawke-7891_concerned_as-far-as-we-re-concerned-there-was-no-s_1919274.jpg)
![“It [also] lives on its history, now, to some extent: its achievements [ of the Commonwealth] in Rhodesia and South Africa, which were enormous. And they'll live on that for some time, I guess. And there is still - I'm out of touch with it now, of course - but I still think there is a degree of…” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/058/bob-hawke-7891_achievement_it-also-lives-on-its-history-now-to-some_943443.jpg)
![“It was the South African Government that has introduced politics into sport by decreeing politically that no non-white person will represent their country. They introduced politics into sport." And Don [Bradman] was a very shrewd old bloke, and he looked at me for about thirty seconds and then he…” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/547/bob-hawke-7891_answers_it-was-the-south-african-government-that_2720781.jpg)
![“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…” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c6/bob-hawke-7891_australia_in-fact-soon-after-that-south-african-sa_2619349.jpg)
![“Brian Mulroney, myself, [and] Rajiv Gandhi; I think that was the real core [of the Commonwealth ]. That was the engine room, I reckon.” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/96c/bob-hawke-7891_brian_brian-mulroney-myself-and-rajiv-gandhi-i_19423.jpg)
![“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…” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/66c/bob-hawke-7891_apartheid_we-with-brian-mulroney-and-rajiv-gandhi_109260.jpg)
![“I told [ David Lange] he was crazy, because you can't have an alliance relationship if you refuse access to their ships. And the Americans wanted to punish him very severely and I intervened there and softened them somewhat. They wanted to really take some tough, reactive measures to New Zealand.” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9cd/bob-hawke-7891_access_i-told-david-lange-he-was-crazy-because_122774.jpg)
![“There is a reciprocal respect for [ Elizabeth II], for her interest in the Commonwealth. The members of the Commonwealth recognise that here is a genuine interest from the top. So, that's one reason. I'm not putting it necessarily in order of importance.” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/05a/bob-hawke-7891_commonwealth_there-is-a-reciprocal-respect-for-elizab_186758.jpg)
![“George Bush Junior [George W Bush] was a religious fanatic, and Tony Blair wasn't far behind in a way.” quote by Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/852/bob-hawke-7891_behinds_george-bush-junior-george-w-bush-was-a-r_342255.jpg)
