I was saddened to hear of the passing of Hazel Hawke two days ago. I was even more saddened when two of my staff revealed that they did not know who she was. I was going to write in memoriam of her already but the knowledge that some of our young people do not know who she was has spurred me on further. I will write further with respect to my extreme bother at the standard of Australian History teaching our schools.

It would be trite and unfair to say that Hazel Hawke was the wife of a prime minister of Australia and that is all she will be remembered for. Simply put: she was so much more than that. One only needs to have read her autobiography “My Own Life: An Autobiography” to know that. If you have not read her autobiography then read the citation that came with her appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia. It is:

“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”.

If you still need convincing that this formidable woman and great Australian was more than just the wife of a prime minister then track down the Australian Story episode which first aired on 3 November 2003. That was the episode in which Hazel Hawke publicly revealed that she was suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. Watch that episode and then tell me you are not in awe of the courage this woman showed and I will call you a liar. I am not ashamed at all to admit that I wept.

Since that time the Hazel Hawke Dementia and Care Fund has been in place to support Alzheimer’s sufferers.

I have had moment to revisit Ms Hawke’s autobiography this week: if that only told half the story it would be a wonderful and inspiring story. To that point one would have memorialised her as: wife, mother, first lady, reformer, amateur pianist and patron of the arts and environment. Add to that: advocate of change in the care of those with Alzheimer’s disease and inspiration and that makes this life of this amazing woman one worth remembering.

Vale Hazel: I hope you are at peace now and I hope your family can now rest easier that you are in a better place.