The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum says Bob Hawke will be remembered as a remarkable Australian leader, who was deeply committed to the Pacific.
Mr Hawke, who was Australian prime minister from 1983 to 1991, died on Friday.
Photo: AFP
Dame Meg Taylor said she would like to pass on the condolences of the Pacific Islands Forum to Mr Hawke's family and friends, and to all Australians.
She said as a newly elected prime minister, he was instrumental in the establishment of the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone in 1986.
Dame Meg said he was a dynamic, diplomatic man able to form consensus through conversation and discussion, rather than being beholden to formal processes.
She said he was also vocal in his view that colonialism was unacceptable in the Pacific, and supported the pro-independence movements - particularly that of New Caledonia.