Hawke's Nazi outburst to US embassy

Bob Hawke likened Sir John Kerr to "von Hindenburg" in 1975. Picture: Sam Mooy Source: Supplied

DAYS after the November 11, 1975 dismissal of Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke briefed US Embassy officials in Canberra, likening Sir John Kerr to "von Hindenburg", the man who appointed Adolf Hitler as chancellor of Germany and gave rise to Nazism.

Mr Hawke, who was president of the ALP and the ACTU at the time, also predicted a "big win" for Labor over "Fascist Fraser" in the aftermath of the double dissolution.

Malcolm Fraser led the Coalition a month later in an unprecedented landslide victory over Labor.

The revelations come from the latest WikiLeaks release of mostly unclassified US State Department documents from the 1973 - 1976 period.

Mr Hawke, who became prime minister in 1983, was tasked with desperately working up a campaign for Labor after it had been plunged into crisis after Mr Whitlam's dismissal.

The cable, from two days after the dismissal, states: "Labatt (from the US Embassy in Canberra) recalled Hawke gloom over Labor electoral prospects as recently as six weeks ago when he predicted Labor loss of

thirty seats if election held then.

"Hawke replied that although he is a 'reputed agnostic, somebody up there' is looking out for (the) party."

It went on: "Hawke told Labatt (that) Whitlam hurt by Governor General dismissal, but deposed leader very determined, and genuinely convinced that institution of parliament in danger from 'fascist Fraser'.

"Hawke says governor general now being characterised as 'von Hindenburg' of Australia.

Hawke briefed the American on campaign plans, which would mainly feature himself and Mr Whitlam.

"Labatt raised question of incitement of workers during last few days by communist leaders in trade union movement," said the cable to Washington.

"Hawke said he expected them to try to exploit situation, but felt he had support from overwhelming majority who would heed his call to stay at work, earning money to support party."

Hawke told the Americans he would boycott Communist-dominated rallies of coming days.

"Labatt noted Hawke was "surrounding himself with staff instead of adopting lone role of past fights".

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Hawke didn't talk straight: US Embassy

Bob Hawke in his Canberra office on his first day as president of the ACTU in 1970. Source: Supplied

THE US Embassy in Canberra clearly considered Bob Hawke, who was then president of the Labor Party and the ACTU, a potential national leader, but also considered him capable of giving less than straightforward accounts of himself.

The latest WikiLeaks revelations, of almost two million mostly unclassified State Department documents from 1973 to 1976, show that American diplomats believed Hawke was prepared to risk the ANZUS alliance for his own personal political gain.

A cable dated September 17, 1976, titled ''Meeting with Robert Hawke'' states that the Consul General and embassy officers had a ''long conversation'' with Mr Hawke the day before, which began with him complaining he had been misreported on his position on ANZUS.

Mr Hawke had the week before signed a petition in the National Times, calling for a rethink on ANZUS.

He told the consular officials he felt ANZUS should move from being a military alliance and take on economic issues.

''He added somewhat weakly that it was for those reasons that he signed the petition which appeared in the Sept 12 edition of the National Times,'' the officials said.

''His reasons for signing it were not persuasive. We believe it was a tactical move on his part to gain left-wing support for parliamentary pre-selection.''

They said the ploy ''failed miserably,'' as evidenced by his announcement he would not go for preselection at that time.

But Mr Hawke, who eventually won preselection for the seat of Wills in 1980, was clearly seen an important player by the Americans, who assisted him meeting powerful players in the US, and considered him a ''powerful and effective'' force in industrial dispute resolution.

The Americans also gave Malcolm Fraser's government of the day ''low marks'' for its industrial relations policy, saying it had a ''heavily paternalistic approach.''

''If one takes position that success in achieving Fraser Government's number one domestic goal - reducing inflation - depends on working out some sort of mutually acceptable accommodation with country's trade union movement, one has little choice but to give Fraser government low marks for its performance to date in industrial relations,'' the US Embassy said in an August 1976 cablegram. 

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NZ embassy worker corrects Argo

Ben Affleck in a scene from Argo. Source: Supplied

A FORMER New Zealand embassy worker who helped the United States during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis wants to set the record straight on Hollywood blockbuster Argo's depiction of events.

The Oscar-winning movie, directed by and starring Ben Affleck, portrays the dramatic escape by six US diplomats and suggests the New Zealand embassy in Tehran refused to help.

In fact, ambassador Chris Beeby and second secretary Richard Sewell provided a safe house for the fleeing diplomats.

The movie is based on the actions of Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor, who has confirmed he received ''outstanding assistance'' from the New Zealanders, while Affleck has conceded the movie wasn't fair.

Former embassy worker Maureen Campbell-White has spoken out about the incident for the first time in 34 years.

She told the Herald today that she and other staff from the New Zealand, US and UN compounds had just returned from a camping trip when they heard Iranians had stormed the US embassy.

Mr Beeby hid four US diplomats under blankets in his car and took them to the New Zealand embassy, Ms Campbell-White said.

Two of the men decided to ''go off and do their own thing'', while the other two hid in the embassy's safe room.

Harbouring the US diplomats was so top-secret that Ms Campbell-White couldn't even tell her then-husband Winston Prattley, who headed the UN in Iran, about it.

Mr Beeby contacted Mr Taylor and, after several days, drove the two US officials to his residence.

Ms Campbell-White says that while Argo is a good film, its content - which cuts out New Zealand's involvement - is inaccurate.

Ms Campbell-White wants Mr Sewell and Mr Beeby, who have both since died, to receive posthumous awards.

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