What changes did Bob Hawke make to the law?

Answer 1

Bob HAWKE was Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia and as such could only make changes (with his Upper and Lower Houses) to Commonwealth laws. These laws are one which affect Australia at this level (Post, Telecommunications, Military, Taxation, Pensions to name a few.) He had no influence in relation to criminal law, traffic law, education, health, police & emergency services; all these things are a matter for the individual States and their State Governments. To put things in a simplified form; the Australian colonies were like seperate countries with their own Governments, own taxation, own police, own military etc. Upon federation, these colonies became States and a (one)Territory and voluntarily gave up some of these powers to a central body. These were powers that related to matters affectind all the States and their interrelations such as taxation, military, telecommunications. Most governmental duties were handled by the States themselves which Federal politicians have little or no say over.