Hazel Hawke, youngest daughter of Jim and E Masterson, was born 20 July 1929 in Perth, Western Australia and educated at the Mount Hawthorn StateSchool and Perth Central Girls School.

In her late teenage years she was secretary of the Congregational Youth Fellowship and was subsequently employed in secretarial work with Electrical Engineering Contractors in Perth (1944-53) and the Institute of Statistics in Oxford (UK) (1954-55).

In 1956, after a six-year engagement, Hazel Hawke married R J L (Bob) Hawke. They were both aged 27 at that time. Hawke was about to start a doctorate in industrial law at the Australian National University and Mrs Hawke became secretary to the Indian High Commission in Canberra.

They later lived in Sandringham (Melbourne) and had three children, Susan, Stephen and Rosslyn. A fourth child died shortly after birth. The marriage was dissolved in 1995.

Mrs Hawke returned to the workforce in 1975, joining the Brotherhood of St Laurence as a part-time volunteer in the Action and Resource Centre for low income persons.

She was later employed as secretary/personal assistant to the Associate Director and Head of Social Issues and Research at the Brotherhood (1978-80) and in 1982 studied for a two year Diploma course in Welfare Studies to qualify as a welfare officer. Hazel Hawke strongly supported her husband's career, including his years with the Australasian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) in the 1960s and 1970s, an unsuccessful bid to enter federal Parliament as the member for Corio (Vic) in 1963, his successful election as member for Wills (Vic) in 1980 and his subsequent term as Prime Minister (1983-91).

During the latter period, Mrs Hawke was President of the Australiana Fund (1984-92). In more recent years, Mrs Hawke had been a Board Member of the Australian Children's Television Foundation (1984), Chair of the NSW Heritage Council (1996) and a Council Member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

A person of considerable warmth, strength of character and a quick wit, she had a particular interest in the arts, especially classical music, and was an excellent pianist. On 11 June 2001, Hazel Hawke was made an Officer in the Order of Australia (AC), awarded in the General Division for service to the community, particularly through the promotion of the reconciliation process, support for continued improvement in the quality of children's television, as a contributor to the preservation of heritage items, and involvement with environmental and wildlife preservation groups.

At 83 years of age on the 23rd of May, Hazel Hawke passed away.  There was a private funeral for family and close friends.  A state memorial service was held at the Sydney Opera House on 25th June 2013.

She was a recipient of the Centenary Medal in 2003.This person registration was revised as part of the Prime Ministers Papers' Project (August 2002/August 2004).

Links to other Commonwealth Persons: 3 Mar 1956 - by 31 Dec 1995: CP 390, The Hon Robert James Lee HAWKE, AC

Sources: Canberra Times, 11 June 2001, p 8 d'Alpuget, Blanche, Robert J Hawke (Melbourne, Schwartz Penguin, 1984)
National Archives: CRS M3387, item 12 'Mrs Hazel Hawke: Biographical notes
'Who's Who in Australia, 28th ed (1992) and 40th ed (2004)
Wikipedia 2 July 2013

Summary heading

  Hazel Hawke (CP 586)

Unregistered links

 1984 - 1992:  Australiana Fund - President