November 11, 2004

CHICK HAWKE

Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke enjoys the company of friends during a recent race meeting at Flemington ...

bob1.jpg

bob2.jpg

bob3.jpg

bob4.jpg

bob5.jpg

Via a reader who met Mr. Hawke on Derby Day.

UPDATE. Doubt is expressed in comments as to the age of these images; they may be a couple of years old. Never seen them before myself, however, and my source is certain they were taken during this year's spring racing carnival.

UPDATE II. Seems these pics are most likely two (or possibly more) years old, and were taken in Queensland rather than Victoria. In a traditional punishment, my source has had both hands removed.

Posted by Tim Blair at November 11, 2004 01:28 AM
Comments

It's good to be the king!

--Mel Brooks

Posted by: JWG at November 11, 2004 at 01:36 AM

That sort of wagon I'd stay on myself.

Posted by: C.L. at November 11, 2004 at 01:39 AM

Hawke, for those of you non-Australians playing along at home, is the silver-haired gent.

I used to occasionally work at a place where a photo of Hawke with the supervisor, taken when he was PM, had a prominent place. Except for Hawke, all the people in the photo were women. That never seemed funny before.

In that first photo, the guy on the left is trying to tongue Hawke's ear. Ewww!

Posted by: Angie Schultz at November 11, 2004 at 02:14 AM

Looks like Bill Clinton has finally found his long lost Australian cousin.

Posted by: John Bono at November 11, 2004 at 02:17 AM

I'm pretty sure these photos are a couple of years old. I thought they were taken at the Magic Millions meeting in Queensland.

They were circulating then.

Posted by: Dean McAskil at November 11, 2004 at 02:20 AM

well hawky always was a serious politico!
he knew that affairs of state took precedence over affairs of state.
glad he still maintains those high standards in retirement!

Posted by: davo at November 11, 2004 at 02:29 AM

Why has the fact that Hawkie is dead been kept from us by the MSM?

This is a clear-cut case of Weekend at Bernie's syndrome as I've ever seen. These people obviously found Hawkie's dead body - probably in the toilets - and were dragging it around all day, putting it into various amusing poses (and who can blame them).

Posted by: Scott Campbell at Blithering Bunny at November 11, 2004 at 02:33 AM

If you don't believe this is Weekend at Bernie's syndrome, JUST LOOK AT THE PHOTOS AGAIN, and then tell me this man is alive.

I heard they got into three nightclubs that night with Hawkie's body, and then gatecrashed a party at Malcom Fraser's. "Hawkie" (or his operators) was pawing all the women.

Posted by: Scott Campbell at Blithering Bunny at November 11, 2004 at 02:42 AM

Is that guy licking Mr. Hawke's ear???

Is that an Australian thing?

Posted by: Rebecca at November 11, 2004 at 03:22 AM

Sorry, but I have to comment on your blog posting from November 7th since you have shut off the comments from that page.

-----------------------------------------------
Um... you do realize it was we New Yorkers that suffered the most direct attack of 9/11?

I'm glad you are so willing to lend to our psychic pain from down under. Thank you.

Did you ever think that there was a good reason why Massachusetts, where the planes flew from, Pennsylvania, where one plane crashed, New Jersey, that lost hundreds of people right across the river, Fairfax County, VA, home of the Pentagon, and New York State all voted for John F. Kerry?

Thanks again. We in New York who suffered the smell of our friends and neighbors burning up in the WTC thank you for your support.

Posted by: Elderta at November 11, 2004 at 03:37 AM

This is the sort of drunken trash cabbies have to put up with on race days. Free-loading A-listers who would have you believe they are pillars of society. Slobs.

Posted by: jafa at November 11, 2004 at 03:45 AM

Apparently some of these photos were published in ths Sydney Morning Herald a few years ago. They regularly do the rounds after each Melbourne Cup as having been taken on that Tuesday.

Posted by: Yoo Hoo at November 11, 2004 at 03:48 AM

Just a quickie, Elderta. Do you believe the majority of the armed forces currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan are recruits from Manhattan? Other parts of America and the world have real skin in this game, too. NY's perceived scarlet letter as the prime target doesn't trump the troops' sacrifices (most of whom voted for Bush) or mean that the rest of us aren't allowed to have views. In tragedy, Americans suffered and rebuilt together, but a few calm years on the homefront have renewed the elitist contempt. I am quite grateful that things are prosperous and stable enough for people to bicker over who has more to lose.

Posted by: Henway at November 11, 2004 at 04:39 AM
Did you ever think that there was a good reason why Massachusetts, where the planes flew from, Pennsylvania, where one plane crashed, New Jersey, that lost hundreds of people right across the river, Fairfax County, VA, home of the Pentagon, and New York State all voted for John F. Kerry?
Because they're all notoriously liberal, because DC, Manhattan, Philly and Newark are so jam packed with hippy artists, angry minorities, and socialist urbanites that they're about to tip over to the left and into the ocean? Are you seriously suggesting that these places suddenly "became" liberal because of 9/11. If so, you either need more or less medication.

As for Bob Hawke, I'm reminded of the Australian Prime Minister from "The Simpsons", floating in an inner tube drinking a beer.

Posted by: Aaron at November 11, 2004 at 04:48 AM

Australia rules.

Is it just urban legend or did Hawke also hold the world record time for downing a yard glass of beer during his Rhodes scholar days?

Along with David Boon's legendary 52, true aussie greatness.

Posted by: Tom at November 11, 2004 at 04:52 AM

I'm sorry, Elderta, no off-topic comments. Especially pathetic ones. When a post is closed it's closed, try to cope. Or get your own blog. Thanks ever so much.

Posted by: Andrea Harris at November 11, 2004 at 05:03 AM

Wow, Australian PMs are really laid back!!!

:-)

Posted by: The Real JeffS at November 11, 2004 at 05:07 AM

You don't think that the election is just an excuse for people who really just want to party to go to Australia, do you?

And, Elderta, the Pentagon is in Arlington, not Fairfax County. In Virginia, cities are often independent of counties. Just a quick FYI from a guy with a degree in PoliSci from Fairfax County.

Posted by: HokiePundit at November 11, 2004 at 05:14 AM

top link tom. one of the weekend color magazines (oz or the age) did a 6-odd page feature on it a few months back. it was good to see the feat receiving the respect and in-depth,investigative journalism treatment treatment it deserved. teammates were reminiscing in the same manner that they would recall witnessing a triple ton.funniest read id had in a while, specially the part where boon and two others had adjourned to the floor of the cargo hold or something while everyone else slept.
asking for a third midstrength is enough to piss the hostess off these days

Posted by: max power at November 11, 2004 at 05:26 AM

So I take it Hawkie is "off the wagon".

And Elderta - the states where most of the soldiers currently in Iraq and Afghanistan - they voted for Bush.

Why do you think that is?

Posted by: Quentin George at November 11, 2004 at 05:37 AM

Additionally, Bush improved his vote in New York and Massachusetts. Why do you think that is?

Posted by: Quentin George at November 11, 2004 at 05:37 AM

NY:

2000:

Bush Gore
35.23% 60.21%
2,403,374 4,107,907

2004:

Bush Kerry
40.49% 57.76%
2,780,749 3,967,047

Bush +5.3

MA:

2000:

Bush Gore
32.50% 59.80%
878,502 1,616,487


2004:

Bush Kerry
36.95% 62.11%
1,067,163 1,793,916


Bush +4.5

Posted by: Quentin George at November 11, 2004 at 05:43 AM

Funny story - I am living in Cairo right now, and I was talking to a random Egyptian, who asked me, out of the blue - is it true Australia has a sportsman who drank 50 cans of beer on a plane once? I was amazed to hear it here where alcohol is not really the most popular topic of conversation (neither is cricket, or Australian sportsman for that matter).

Apparently it was mentioned on an Egyptian TV documentary about local sporting legends all around the world. Fantastic.

Posted by: Tom at November 11, 2004 at 06:05 AM

Oz has leaders who bar crawl, slurping drinks. Here in Jersey we have a governor who slurps ... Nevermind. This is a family blog.

Posted by: gary at November 11, 2004 at 06:06 AM

Guys, could we try to stay on topic here? Let's do something crazy and discuss George Bush's lead in a post where -- hang on -- that happens to be the subject. The subject of this post seems to be (correct me if I am wrong) some people drinking in a bar in Australia. Let's talk about that here.

Whodathunkit, on-topic discussions instead of trollbait freeforall. It's crazy but it just could work.

Posted by: Andrea Harris at November 11, 2004 at 06:34 AM

I don't care if those pix were taken last year, last month, or last weekend. They take me back to a happier time. Cheers, Mr. Hawke, and keep on reaching for the squishy bits.

Posted by: Rob at November 11, 2004 at 06:57 AM

I forgot to mention this, but disguising the Australian Secret Service folks (or the equivalent) as boobies in sundresses was pure genius.

Can I say "boobies" here? I mean no disrespect. I love 'em. Have two at home.

Posted by: Rob at November 11, 2004 at 07:02 AM

Whew! Former Aussie PMs do have their perks, don't they?

I'm blushing. I haven't seen such a tawdry display since - uh - Monica's blue dress.

Posted by: Butch at November 11, 2004 at 08:04 AM

Mate, those pictures are (were) worth a fortune.

Posted by: Betsy at November 11, 2004 at 08:06 AM

Butch, I think it's safe to say that Hawke has perked right up! I know I would.

Posted by: The Real JeffS at November 11, 2004 at 08:09 AM

Don't worry Elderta.

Didn't you hear Osama's latest tape?

You pussy 'blue staters' who voted sKerry are apparently safe...

Posted by: monkey fan at November 11, 2004 at 08:15 AM

Hey Tim, haven't you omitted the pic showing Bob getting a headjob from one of the chicks?

Posted by: freddyboy at November 11, 2004 at 08:15 AM

A headjob from one of the chicks? More like the Adonis in the black coat, tonguing Bobby (may I call him Bobby?) in the ear, and then seductively exposing his brutal, he-man chest. Grrrr!

Quite suddenly, politics has lost all its appeal.

Posted by: Butch at November 11, 2004 at 08:31 AM

Got to be careful with comment-some people well known to have made a fortune thru litigation.
The very very best thing about Mr Hawke was his former loyal wife Hazel who sadly has Altzheimer's
but at least spared the memories if his philandering and over indulgence

Posted by: Rose at November 11, 2004 at 08:36 AM

He's a pig alright. But the free spirits around him aren't doing the old chap any favors.

Posted by: Darwin Finch at November 11, 2004 at 08:43 AM

Here in the US, we have the constitutional right to express the truth, especially as is clearly displayed in photographs. It's not defamation if it's true.

Posted by: Butch at November 11, 2004 at 08:50 AM

Those photos are a couple of years old. I believe they cost some people their jobs.

Posted by: Robert at November 11, 2004 at 09:07 AM

Hey, I'm from NYC and I voted for Bush, AS A DIRECT RESULT OF INHALING MY FELLOW CITIZENS. Sorry for screaming, but this crap has to stop! Guess what, Elderta, I'm also a registered Dem. HEHEHE!!!! And no native New Yorker ( and I'm third generation, babe, bred in Brooklyn, now living in Queens) has a name like Elderta, ELDERTA????? you must be an import. In fact, this city is becoming RUINED by imports!!! STFU and STOP speaking for the rest of us, jackass!!! Sorry folks, I'll go away now. I feel much better. (keep it up, Elderta, and I'll vote Republican NEXT election, to, for spite, I don't care who they run!!!)

Posted by: Pam at November 11, 2004 at 09:14 AM

Some folks deal with calamity by retreating into their magic security blankets—conspiracy theories, astrology & Nostradamus, Democrat politics & appeasement, etc. Thank goodness not everybody acts like feaful dependent helpless urbanites like too many of my fellow New Yorkers who come off as far inferior to Ethan Hawke insofar as he, if he had been near the WTC or the Pentagon on 9/11/01, would probably have retreated into months of nightly partying with the unobscure objects of his desire.

Posted by: ForNow in Queens, NY at November 11, 2004 at 09:29 AM

Er, excuse me, but isn't one of those sheilas Suha Arafat?

Posted by: JDB at November 11, 2004 at 09:57 AM

Trust me everyone, these pix were on crikey.com several years ago. They are not recent. Bloody funny though.

Posted by: Margo's First XVIII at November 11, 2004 at 09:58 AM

Hawke never had any class and this is merely more evidence of that, as if any was needed. Pure electro-plated nickel silver. What happened about his business ventures with the junta in Burma? Still going? Or his betting businesses based on tiny Pacific island-states desperate for hard currency?

What is it about Australia ex-PMs? By and large they seem to mark complete asses of themselves when let loose in their dotage. Keating seems to be behaving himself, but he's the only one.

Posted by: walterplinge at November 11, 2004 at 10:20 AM

those photos are really old. They were emailed to me and thousands more a few years ago - great pics though.

Posted by: matt at November 11, 2004 at 10:36 AM

Aw, man, that's doubly unfair...!

First you guy get those hot soljer chicks you linked to a while back while we get the chinless and brainless Pvt. England, now your ex-pols get to group a way hotter buncha interns than our Presidents get! Who's in charge of handing out the sheilas around here, anyway?!

Posted by: richard mcenroe at November 11, 2004 at 10:38 AM

Tim
You Prat! These pictures were all over the media at least 2 years ago, but I think more. Good reflection of your general level of attentiveness and mental acuity.

Posted by: Sean at November 11, 2004 at 11:08 AM

These were doing the rounds on the internet a good 4+ years ago.

Posted by: tc at November 11, 2004 at 11:22 AM

Tom, in reply to your earlier question, Hawkie was indeed the record holder for half yard sculling during his days at UWA, and I'm told continued the tradition as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford.

Interesting sidelight - the Law Faculty at UWA still held the half yard he was reputed to have used to achieve the record, until 1986 when it was smashed (deliberately) during the "festivities" following the annual Law/Engineering Tug Of War. Exact circumstances are pretty hazy (as you can imagine), but I remember watching some dick I didn't recognise standing on the Law building balcony, twirling it around before smashing it on the handrail.

In hindsight, there's something Talibanesque about such cultural desecration. Funnily enough, Hawkie himself was back at UWA later that year to present the law degrees, where some Ag Science students nearly managed to get a herd of sheep into the presentation ceremony. Ah, school days!

Posted by: Waste at November 11, 2004 at 12:03 PM

I do NOT want to hear any explanation about the guy with the tongue.

Ewwwwwwww.

Posted by: Barbara Skolaut at November 11, 2004 at 12:09 PM

Re Hawke photos - and this "man??" dumped his wife, what a grub!

Posted by: Robert Patterson at November 11, 2004 at 12:20 PM

I say chaps, the orange filly (with the hat) looks like she might be a good sport!

Posted by: Lurker at November 11, 2004 at 12:57 PM

i didnt know horses wore hats and drank booze!?

Posted by: roscoe.p at November 11, 2004 at 01:14 PM

At least Hawkie managed to keep his trousers on.....another poster can explain to the Seppos.

Posted by: Fat_Pat at November 11, 2004 at 02:39 PM

Old pics, Tim.

This lot was taken at the Magic Millions in 2003 - so they're almost two years old now. He was at The Gold Coast enjoying the considerable largesse of Australia's favourite drunk, Singo.

You obviously don't recall seeing Hawkie during the election campaign. The coiffure is now white as driven but somewhat rumpled snow.

Mate, if you can't get better shit on Hawkie than that, you're obviously not shovelling hard enough.

Posted by: Peter Hoysted at November 11, 2004 at 03:08 PM

And while I'm at it, the Derby was run in a bog - a typical shite spring day in Melbourne. Damp and overcast. I should know I was gambling on the race and watching the course throughout the day.

The girls in the pics are all tanned and dressed in summer frocks - summer like you might get in, oh, I don't know, QUEENSLAND. One of them is wearing sunglasses. Not on Derby Day 2004, mate.

Take 'em down.

Fuck's sake.

Posted by: Peter Hoysted at November 11, 2004 at 03:47 PM

These photos were taken at Becco in Melbourne after Derby Day in 2001.

They came into my possession via a friend, the photographer (a lawyer at Corrs Chambers Wetgarth at the time), before I promptly emailed them to pretty much everyone I knew at the time.

That included "The Eye" in the Herald Sun and Crikey.com.au, who published them along with a write up about the people in the photos. If you do a Google search you will see exactly what the circumstances of the photos are.

Regards,

Conno

Posted by: Conno at November 11, 2004 at 03:55 PM

For Bob Hawke this was a comparatively sober day.
You should see him when he's been drinking.

Posted by: Zippo at November 11, 2004 at 04:41 PM

who gives a shit about when the pics were taken? how funny are they?! what a peckerhead!

Posted by: rosceo at November 11, 2004 at 06:00 PM

Doesn't anyone else think the photos look doctored?

Posted by: Pete at November 11, 2004 at 07:28 PM

Yes. I was wondering why nobody mentioned that. This is a case of photoshop if ever I saw one. And not even a very good one.

In photo 2, Hawke would be a giant if he sat up straight. He is much bigger than the other people in the picture.

In picture 3, you can see the breast of the woman has been blurred around the edges to fit with the picture.

In all the pictures, it looks like hawke was put intop the picture. They are fake. Why are they presented as being the Real Thing?

Posted by: Marieke at November 11, 2004 at 08:02 PM

In photo 2, Hawke would be a giant if he sat up straight. He is much bigger than the other people in the picture.

Naah. He just has a really big head. Apart from that he's long been, in many ways, a very small man.

Posted by: Janice at November 11, 2004 at 08:57 PM

Carlton great Val Perovic did 37 cans uninterrupted at the Duke in Melbourne during a serious Mad Monday. Not as big overall as Boony, but probably compressed over a 12 hour period. Boony at least had about 30 hours to make his record.

Posted by: Craig Mc at November 11, 2004 at 11:00 PM

OMG Bob Hawke & some chicks! And he's been drinking!

Tim, this is investigative journalism at its finest... the best of what we've come to expect from you.

Posted by: Flashman at November 12, 2004 at 12:38 AM

At first glance, I thought they were simply celebrating Arafat's death!

Posted by: Mike at November 12, 2004 at 03:15 AM

These pictures are fake, but accurate!

Posted by: Goal Posts at November 12, 2004 at 05:45 AM

Roscoe old man, a filly - you know a chapess, a bird, a bit of skirt, totty, a sheila...

Posted by: Lurker at November 12, 2004 at 01:44 PM

Obviously fakes. Hawke is clearly spared the unflattering effects of a cheap, non-diffused flash, whereas the others are not. And that's just the beginning. An untrained eye could see these are fake, Tim. The colours don't match. The focus doesn't match. Not only are they fake, but amateurly so.

And yes, they were posted absolutely bloody everywhere a few years ago.

And I saw Mr Hawke just before the election outside the Boulevarde Hotel on William St across the road from my work, no doubt visiting Gough Whitlam at his office (incidentally, I also saw Gough last year when I was working at ACP - he was at the Masonic Club! I always thought he was a Tattersall's man). Hawke's a lot thinner these days than in those photos and completely white on top. Still, he flashed me one of the warmest, friendliest smiles I've ever received from somebody who doesn't know me and doesn't want to sleep with me.

Made me want to tug my ear and say "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" as a mark of respect (the Aussies'll know what I'm talking about).

Have a good look, Americans. This is the man who taught Australian politicians not to put deadlines on their own promises:

"By 1990 no Australian child will be living in poverty."

Apparently he meant "no Australian child need live in poverty" but the damage was done and Brutus Keating took full advantage.

Posted by: Karl at November 12, 2004 at 02:52 PM

Er, excuse me, but isn't one of those sheilas Suha Arafat?
Posted by: JDB at November 11, 2004 at 09:57 AM

That's exactly what I thought!

Posted by: Eric Anondson at November 12, 2004 at 04:31 PM

old 'stumpy' hawke seems to have a thing for brunettes. what's he got against blondes? is he some kinda anti-nordic bigot?

Posted by: rosceo at November 12, 2004 at 06:03 PM