Bob Hawke

Awards & Honours

Awards Won

Honours

Rankings

Records

Bob Hawke's achievements are remarkable not just for their breadth but for their lasting impact. He is the longest-serving Labor prime minister in Australian history, a record that still stands. His government won four consecutive elections, a feat no other Labor leader has matched. His approval rating of 75% remains the highest ever recorded for an Australian prime minister, a testament to the trust he inspired. His reforms, from Medicare to financial deregulation, continue to shape Australian life today.

AwardsHawke received numerous honours, including being named Australian of the Year in 1979 and appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in the same year. In 2009, Japan awarded him the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun for his contributions to bilateral relations. He also received honorary doctorates from several universities, including the University of Western Australia, the University of Sydney, and the Australian National University.

Honours & Distinctions

Australian of the Year

National Australia Day Council·1979

Recognised for his work in industrial relations.

Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)

Government of Australia·1979

For service to politics and the trade union movement.

Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun

Government of Japan·2009

For contributions to Australia-Japan relations.

Honorary Doctorate

University of Western Australia·1984

Honorary Doctor of Laws.

Honorary Doctorate

University of Sydney·1986

Honorary Doctor of Laws.

Honorary Doctorate

Australian National University·1988

Honorary Doctor of Laws.

Rankings & Lists

Gold standard prime minister

The Guardian·2026

Records & Feats

Longest-serving Labor prime minister

Political Record·1991

Served 8 years, 9 months as PM, the longest for any Labor leader.

Highest approval rating for an Australian PM

Public Opinion·1984

Peaked at 75%, the highest ever recorded.

Guinness World Record for beer drinking

Personal Feat·1954

Drank 2.5 pints in 11 seconds at Oxford.