Story perspectives

Blanche d’Alpuget Dies at 82 After Influenza Complications

By Drooid · Sep 11, 2026, 7:14 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Blanche d’Alpuget died at age 82 from influenza complications.
She died on September 8, 2026 after ten days in intensive care.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called her a “true one-off” and praised her writing.
She was the widow of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, whom she married in July 1995.
At age 81 she published *The Bunny Club*.

History

Historical Context

The 1975 dismissal of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam by Governor-General Sir John Kerr on 11 November 1975 triggered a constitutional showdown that ended with Malcolm Fraser’s caretaker government and a landslide 13 December election, a 30-seat swing against Labor. Anthony Albanese’s 2026 tribute cites that crisis as the turning point that made spouses and literary legacies a permanent feature of Australian political culture.

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Story summary

Blanche d’Alpuget died at age 82 from influenza complications.
She died on September 8, 2026 after ten days in intensive care.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called her a “true one-off” and praised her writing.
She was the widow of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, whom she married in July 1995.
At age 81 she published *The Bunny Club*.

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