With the passing of Hon. Bob Hawke AC on 16 May 2019 landcare organisations across the country paid tribute to his contribution to community landcare in Australia.
From Keith Bradby, Chair, WA Landcare Network
‘We mourn the passing of Bob Hawke, a great Australian and the man who as Prime Minister saw the sense of working with the community. On July 20 1989 Bob launched the Decade of Landcare, which was the beginning of the ongoing National Landcare Program. We’re still here Bob, one of your many legacies. Condolences to the family.’
Keith was privileged to attend the funeral of this amazing Australian on Friday 14 June 2019 and had the following to say on Facebook afterwards-
We can be bold, and we need to be. That was one of the key messages multiple speakers delivered at the Memorial Service for Bob Hawke held in Sydney on Friday. WALN Chair Keith Bradby was honoured to receive an invitation to attend, in his role as A/Chair of the National Landcare Network. He shared the day, and our own small wake – a beer for Hawkey – with colleagues Rachel Gatehouse and Shane Norrish from Landcare Australia. The service was a spectacular celebration of the life, achievements, humour and determination of a great Australian. In many ways it reflected the best of what it means to be Australian –and to be a world leader, including in conservation and humanitarianism. A poignant video showed Bob in 1989 talking with his four year old granddaughter Sophie about the global challenges we face, and the need to address them urgently. The Opera House audience was then electrified when the grown-up Sophie walked on stage and delivered a heartfelt plea for Australia to live up to the greatness of her grandfather, and this country, by getting on with the critically urgent environmental work before us. That, and many other speakers, reminded us we can look beyond personal self-interest and tackle large challenges with determination and drive. There were more than a few tears shed, and lots of laughter at the many stories told. Hopefully many of us left the Opera House determined to be more worthy of the greatness of this country.
The National Landcare Program was one of Bob Hawke’s many legacies – and it grew as it should have, from grass roots discussions, the coming together of divergent sectors, building support from our colleagues in government and when the package was put to Bob in 1988 there was no hesitation. Next month we celebrate 30 years from when Bob joined landcarers in Wentworth to launch the program.
Let’s make sure we do him proud, not just in July but for the next 30 years.
From Peter Bridgewater, Chair, National Landcare Network
Hon. Bob Hawke AC
In partnership with the rest of the Australian Community, Community Landcare across Australia through its peak body, the National Landcare Network, commemorates and celebrates the work of Bob Hawke in launching and supporting over the years the Landcare Movement. We know he was proud of the community movement that Landcare has become, springing from a national government initiative in 1989.
It is a sign of his vision and human touch that Bob Hawke possessed that in launching the Decade of Landcare in 1989, he said;
When the earth is spoiled, humanity and all living things are diminished. We have taken too much from the earth and given back too little. It’s time to say enough is enough. Today’s announcements won’t solve everything. But with the right mix of political commitment and community support we can ensure that our country is simply the best in the world. This is our country, our future.
– Bob Hawke launching the ‘Decade of Landcare’, 20 July 1989
The existence of the today’s flourishing and growing Landcare movement from Darwin to Dover, from Nannup to Narrabeen, is testimony to the wisdom of those words. Today Community Landcare reflects , celebrates and resolves to redouble our efforts in Bob’s honour and memory.
Vale Bob!
From Landcare Australia
Vale The Hon. Bob Hawke AC
On behalf of the Landcare community, Landcare Australia and the National Landcare Network would like to acknowledge the vision of the late Bob Hawke for committing the Australian Government to support ‘Landcare’.
The name ‘Landcare’ evolved in Victoria through an initiative of Joan Kirner, (then Minister for Conservation, Forests and Lands) and Heather Mitchell, (then President of the Victorian Farmers Federation).
In 1989 the National Landcare movement officially began with Rick Farley of the National Farmers Federation and Phillip Toyne of the Australian Conservation Foundation, successfully encouraging the Hawke Government to commit to the emerging movement.
Landcare grew into a national programme in July 1989 when the Australian Government, with bipartisan support, announced that 1990 would be the Year of Landcare, and the 1990s the Decade of Landcare. 1989 was also the year that the not-for-profit organisation Landcare Australia was formed. In his speech to launch the Decade of Landcare, Bob Hawke spoke about the importance of co-operation to care for the land. “The degradation of our environment is not simply a local problem, nor a problem for one state or another, nor for the Commonwealth alone. Rather, the damage being done to our environment is a problem for us all – and not just government- but for of us individually and together.
Over these 30 years, Landcare has continued to play a leading role in managing sustainable agricultural practices, environmental protection, and conservation of land, waterways, coasts, biodiversity and landscapes. Bob Hawke has championed Landcare since its inception. His legacy to protect the environment, is that Landcare is now one of the largest volunteer movements in Australia with thousands of people and countless communities working together to solve local environmental issues that benefit all Australians.
A copy of Bob Hawke’s full 1989 Decade of Landcare announcement speech can be viewed here http://www.landcarewa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/bob-hawke-speech-1989.pdf
