Countdown (Australia)- Molly Meldrum Interviews Australian PM Bob Hawke- October 28, 1984

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• published: 01 Mar 2014
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A segment from the long running Australian music TV series Countdown, which aired on the ABC from 1974-1987. This particular segment aired during the 10th Anniversary Countdown Episode, which originally aired on October 28, 1984, on the ABC. This clip features an interview of then Australian Prime Minister Robert James Lee (Bob) Hawke, conducted by Countdown Talent Co-Ordinator, Molly Meldrum. Molly starts the interview by recalling an earlier interview he conducted with Hawke (in the early 1970s), when Molly was a reporter for music magazine Go-Set, and Hawke was the President of the Australian Council Of Trade Unions (ACTU). Prime Minister Hawke proceed to explain that the United Nations had declared 1985 International Youth Year, and discuss some of the Australian government initiatives, including the setting up of youth 'Hotlines', which the youth of Australia could call to discuss issues concerning them. PM Hawke mentions that Molly would promote those hotlines on Countdown, which Molly would end up doing exactly a month later- watch the video and read the description at the following link: http://youtu.be/1J6ht_2GgrY The interview concludes with Hawke presenting Molly with an International Youth Year jumper, and Molly presenting Hawke with one of his trademark Akubra hats. Molly and Prime Minister Hawke briefly touch upon the federal election that Hawke was to contest on December 1, 1984, just a month away, where Molly mentions Hawke's poll popularity. Indeed, Hawke would win that election with a comfortable 16 seat margin, even though he suffered a voting swing against him of 1.46%. For another Molly Meldrum Countdown interview with Prime Minister Hawke, from December 1985 on a similar topic, watch the video and read the description at the following link: http://youtu.be/yyOqVFZV1YM Note: This episode, taped from a rebroadcast from the ABC music show ‘rage’, lists this episode on-air and on its playlist website having aired on October 27, 1984. This is incorrect, as that date was a Saturday- the nearest Sunday, Countdown's traditional airing date, was October 28, 1984. Vaxfacts: Countdown first aired on Australian television on Friday November 8, 1974, originally as a 25 minute show at 6:30PM, on the ABC. For the rest of 1974, Countdown would air on a Friday night for 25 minutes from 6:30PM (November 15, 22, 29, December 6), with the two final episodes of the year airing for 55 minutes from 6:00PM (December 20 and 27). Countdown's first episode for 1975 aired at 12:02 AM on March 1, and was the first full-time colour transmission of a television show on Australian television. To view clips from this episode, along with the opening segment featuring Australian singer John Farnham introducing the Australian band Skyhooks, along with a detailed description of the introduction of colour TV in Australia, go to the playlist at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3iDePhxY8KSgWkcB2DsuQ-QzrdSTgYOW