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,
[Malcolm Fraser] went straight from Melbourne Grammar to Oxford. And he would have been a very lonely person, and I think he probably met a lot of black students there who were also probably lonely.
One of the features of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings was [that] she [ Elizabeth II] would have a meeting with each of them. You’d have an allotted time.
One other thing: at the meeting in Canada, [there was] the coup in Fiji. This comes to an important part of the Commonwealth: the role of the Queen [Elizabeth II]. I had absolutely just enormous respect for her as leader of the Commonwealth.
An assumption cannot be used to justify making second-class citizens of those who are unfortunate enough to constitute living proof of the inaccuracy of that assumption.
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.”
![Bob Hawke Quote - 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,](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/it-also-lives-on-its-history-now-to-some-extent-it.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - [Malcolm Fraser] went straight from Melbourne Grammar to Oxford. And he would have been a very lonely person, and I think he probably met a lot of black students there who were also probably lonely.](https://minimalistquotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/malcolm-fraser-went-straight-from-melbourne-gramma-683x1024.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - One of the features of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings was [that] she [ Elizabeth II] would have a meeting with each of them. You’d have an allotted time.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/one-of-the-features-of-the-commonwealth-heads-of-g.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - Brian Mulroney, myself, [and] Rajiv Gandhi; I think that was the real core [of the Commonwealth ]. That was the engine room, I reckon.](https://minimalistquotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/brian-mulroney-myself-and-rajiv-gandhi-i-think-tha-683x1024.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - Geoffrey [Howe] and I were mates, and he disagreed with [ Margaret Thatcher] position. So, we cooperated surreptitiously.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/geoffrey-howe-and-i-were-mates-and-he-disagreed-wi.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - I believe [ Rajiv Gandhi] had a real sense that he would be assassinated.](https://minimalistquotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/i-believe-rajiv-gandhi-had-a-real-sense-that-he-wo-683x1024.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - One other thing: at the meeting in Canada, [there was] the coup in Fiji. This comes to an important part of the Commonwealth: the role of the Queen [Elizabeth II]. I had absolutely just enormous respect for her as leader of the Commonwealth.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/one-other-thing-at-the-meeting-in-canada-there-was.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - She [ Elizabeth II] is, you know, “Do-what-you’re-told, Lady”. But in the Commonwealth, she is much more than just a figurehead.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/she-elizabeth-ii-is-you-know-do-what-youre-told-la.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - George Bush Junior [George W Bush] was a religious fanatic, and Tony Blair wasn’t far behind in a way.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/george-bush-junior-george-w-bush-was-a-religious-f.jpg)
