Peoples have come to experience that political structures and divisions of power are not immutable.
BOB HAWKE
I just loved him and he loved me… He was a most humble man, the most decent man I’ve ever met in my life and he always looked for the best in people to find positives and he said something to me that always remained with me.
![Bob Hawke Quote - 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.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/it-was-a-remarkable-relationship-margaret-thatcher.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - I hated [Robert Mugabe]. He’s one of the worst human beings I’ve ever met. He treated black and white with equal contempt. He was a horrible human being.](https://minimalistquotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/i-hated-robert-mugabe-hes-one-of-the-worst-human-b-683x1024.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - As far as we’re concerned, there was no sporting organisation [that] should have anything to do with the sport in South Africa.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/as-far-as-were-concerned-there-was-no-sporting-org.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - 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.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/we-with-brian-mulroney-and-rajiv-gandhi-went-to-th.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - 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.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/we-were-great-mates-with-rajiv-gandhi-very-very-ve.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 - 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.](https://minimalistquotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/there-is-a-reciprocal-respect-for-elizabeth-ii-for-683x1024.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - The personality of the Queen [ Elizabeth II]… For instance, once she goes – if she’s ever going to die, it seems to be questionable – if Charles [of Wales] were there, whether there’d be the same sort of cement is very questionable, I think.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/the-personality-of-the-queen-elizabeth-ii-for-inst.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - [John Howard] led the Government. They had the numbers, and just basically automatically went along with the Americans.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/john-howard-led-the-government-they-had-the-number.jpg)
![Bob Hawke Quote - 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.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/i-assumed-the-leadership-within-the-commonwealth-f.jpg)