Bob Hawke, the former Australian prime minister, was immortalised as a puppet for the popular political satire TV show Rubbery Figures (1984–1990). This cheeky caricature, crafted by artist Peter Nicholson, captures Hawke’s iconic facial features, including his shock of silver hair and expressive eyebrows. The puppet is instantly recognisable as Hawke, but also maintains the house style of the other 'rubbery figures' created for the show.

Hawke officially opened the National Film and Sound Archive’s Canberra headquarters on 3 October 1984, hailing it as ‘an institution devoted to the popular cultural expression of our age’. Hawke’s leadership extended beyond politics; he championed the arts and contributed to the NFSA’s role in safeguarding the nation's creative legacy.