In mid 1985 Tom Carroll was the reigning world champion and, after claiming the first two events of 85/86 season, was on track to claim his third consecutive crown. Bob Hawke was Australia’s larrikin Prime Minister who, after two years in office, was looking to bolster his support amongst the Australian youth. When Tom suffered a nasty injury to his lower leg while doing a floater at Whale beach, his contest momentum was halted and he found himself with more time to reflect on major issues and whether he had an obligation to use his pro surfing status for political leverage. Despite returning to fitness, Tom ultimately decided that he would boycott the South African leg as an anti-apartheid statement. In previous years Tom had finished 1st and 3nd at the Durban, Gunston 500 and it’s likely that his chances of winning a third consecutive title would have improved had he taken part in the event. “ Being the world champion, I didn’t want to be seen as supporting apartheid,” reflects Tom. “ I was quite naïve at the time and didn’t realise how heavy a decision it was. It really hit me afterwards… The decision came from a really pure place and forced me to look at everything that was also wrong in our country.”
When Tom made a public announcement about his decision not to compete in South Africa, it caused a storm in the mainstream media, in an era when pro surfing’s popularity was soaring. Bob Hawke, an avid Sportsman himself, shared Tom’s sentiments about Australian nationals competing in South Africa while it was still under the oppressive apartheid regime. Hawke also realised that the articulate world champion, whose father Vic had been editor of both the Sydney Morning Herald and The Financial Review, presented an ideal opportunity to garner the youth vote. In the course of the controversy Carroll twice had a private audience with Bob Hawke in Canberra. “ He was actually giving me legal advice in relation to the ASP’s suggestion I might be banned from other competitions, ” recalls Tom.
History shows Tom Carroll lost the 1985 title race to Tom Curren, meanwhile Bob Hawke won the next election. The two remained friends throughout the years and this classic shot was taken in the early ’90s – a curious role reversal with Bob in the boardies and Tom in the suit as they lean into the wind like a couple of warriors with many battles to reflect on.
In 2012, more than twenty five-years after Tom’s boycott controversy, the two Australian icons found themselves together again at the sell out premiere of Storm Surfers 3D, which featured the big wave exploits of Tom Carroll and Ross Clarke-Jones. When asked about what the two old friends talked about, Tom was quick to demonstrate his political interests. “I wanted to know what he thought about the state of leadership in the country. Bob suggested there was a problem with weak leadership around the world and not just in Australia and that most politicians had not come to terms with the impact of social media.”
As for the movie, Bob and Blanche apparently loved it. “Oh, he was really impressed,” recalls Tom. “They were there with a choc-top each, it was classic.”
A version of this story first appeared in the pages of Tracks in 2012
