(CNN) — Bob Hawke, one of Australia’s longest-serving prime ministers and a champion of the union movement, has died peacefully at the age of 89.
Hawke was Australia’s prime minister from 1983 to 1991, winning three elections and becoming the country’s third longest-serving leader.
His wife, Blanche D’Alpuget, released a statement on Friday describing her husband as “the greatest Australian of the post-war era.”
“Bob Hawke and Paul Keating and their governments modernised the Australian economy, paving the way for an unprecedented period of recession-free economic growth and job creation,” her statement said.
This is a developing story.
This story was first published on CNN.com, “Bob Hawke, former Australian prime minister, dead at 89.”
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