Bob Hawke, a transformative and charismatic left-wing lawmaker with a “larrikin’ streak who served as Australian Prime Minister from 1983 to 1991, died on Thursday aged 89, his family said.

“Today we lost Bob Hawke, a great Australian many would say the greatest Australian of the post-war era,” his wife and former biographer Blanche d’Alpuget said in a statement.

While others may have struggled to dismiss a reputation for boisterous, if well-meaning, behaviour, silver-haired Hawke said it helped him win favour with working-class voters.

PM Scott Morrison hailed Hawke’s ability to speak to all Australians. “Bob Hawke was a great Australian who led and served our country with passion, courage, and an intellectual horsepower that made our country stronger,” he said on social media.