Hawke projects new image

Press, 17 February 1983, Page 8

Hawke projects new image

NZPA Sydney The Hawke Show hit the road officially yesterday with the launch of a Labour policy promising tax-cuts, jobs, an end to poverty and to divisiveness. There was little razzmatazz. no pop stars belting out campaign jingles, no banks of front-benchers and other party functionaries cluttering up the stage.

Just conservatively dressed Bob Hawke—grey suit, white shirt, wellgroomed and dressed. The sort of man anyone could welcome to their livingroom.

For that was what Mr Hawke’s launch of the Labour election policy in the Sydney Opera House at lunchtime yesterdav was about.

An essentially low-key television performance, designed for the allotted halfhour spot on the nation's television channels last evening.

But it was not just Bob Hawke and the 1500 in airconditioned comfort inside, and an estimated similar number out on the steps in the hot sun outside.

Gough Whitlam. the former Labour Prime Minister and “bogey-man" the Prime Minister. Mr Malcolm Fraser, has been trying to conjure up to discredit Mr Hawke, was near the front of the audience with other notables. Mr Whitlam’s arrival met much acclaim but was

nowhere near that accorded the deposed leader, Bill Hayden. He received a standing and respectful ovation as he made his way to his seat and photographers soon had the two posing together before the real show began.

On national television on Tuesday evening Mr Hayden emerged from seclusion to talk about how he felt and his future. Although he tried to brush off events of the last fortnight, nothing he said could counteract his emotionally shattered and drained appearance. First on stage to warm the crowd were the three state Labour Party Premiers of Australia—John Bannon. John Cain, and Neville Wran.

The Party’s deputy-leader, Lionel Bowen, was next up. to remind all that they were about to get a speech “made by Australians for Australians." He introduced the other “star” of the moment — the Rev Clem Hawke, The Candidate's father who, Mr Bowen said, would be 85 on March 5, the day his son would be made Prime Minister.

The elder Hawke did not make the stage this time, instead being rushed by the multitude of nosing television cameras. His live appearance was at the end of the 45-minute policy speech presentation when he took the stage, arms proudly clasped with his son to the cheers of the crowd. The hoarse-voiced New South Wales Premier and

Labour Party Federal president. Mr Neville Wran. completed the warm-up with a rather dry peroration that talked of Labour being on a "supreme national crusade" to put an end to seven “barren and wasted years" of Liberal government. Unfortunately Mr Wran also pinched Mr Hawkes first line. “Fellow Australians . . . " he began in what has been a feature of the campaign by both parties—the grab for the nationalistic instincts of the electorate. Mr Hawke received a very responsive welcome from the audience which was not. unlike the Liberal Party’s launch by Mr Fraser the previous night in Melbourne, an all-ticket party-faithful affair.

But despite that there was none of the spark and action of a "crusade" election launch—no streamers, no

chants, few interjections, and except for a few anti-Frank-lin dammers. no placards waved aloft.

For Mr Hawke preached reasonableness, his modulated tones matching his groomed appearance so as not to frighten away any prospective voters who could be put off by a potential "trade union" Prime Minister as he had been tagged by the governing parties.

The sharp nasal tones were softened and the cutting sarcasm broke through only once, when he spoke of the issue that Labour believes cost it the last election.

"And here let me make one point so that even our opponents can understand it; and let me make it beyond all their powers of misrepresentation and distortion." he snarled. “There will be no new capital gains tax." he slowly spelt out.

Mr Hawke had a stab at the Government earlier in the speech, as well. In a play on the Liberal Party's election line he said that it was not a question of not waiting for the rest of the world—"the rest of the world has left us behind." He attacked the Government for asking people to take it on trust.

"Trust the promises of a man whose public career, in seven years of Government, is one' unbroken trail of broken promises?" he asked of Mr Fraser.

"Trust, in this grave national crisis, a Government whose record of instability. Cabinet turmoil, and enforced resignations in the wake of public scandal is without parallel in the history of Australia? "Trust them for a fourth term, when the very circumstances of the calling of this panic election reek of fraud and deception 0 "

Mr Hawke said that Labour offered "no miracles."

"We offer no overnight solutions for the immediate problems we face or the deep-seated problems we must face together

“I believe the Australian people have had enough of election promises made only to be broken. I offer no fistful of dollars to be snatched back after the election. What I do offer is a programme to produce growth and expansion in the economy, achievable goals for the rebuilding and reconstruction of this nation." he said. Australians faced a choice on March 5 that entailed a judgment about the very nature of their country, he said.

“And ultimately this transcends even the question of economic crisis. For there is no way Australia can surmount this crisis if we allow our country to slide deeper and deeper into the national divisiveness which has marked most of the past decade."