Bob Hawke and Paul Keating transformed the Australian economy.Credit:Contributor
Ms Ryan was the first female Labor minister and minister assisting the prime minister for the status of women for the Hawke government.
Former Queensland premier Peter Beattie,who ran unsuccessfully in the 1980 federal election that saw Hawke elected to Parliament,called Abbott a"midget"whose legacy would be dwarfed by Hawke's.
Former Labor federal senator and Olympian Nova Peris also hit back,writing,"What an awful statement. Shame on you."
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Mr Abbott's tweet has received more than 4200 replies,most negative,and 800 likes at the time of publishing.
About 40 minutes after posting the tweet,Mr Abbott seemed to backpedal,tweeting a photo of himself with Mr Hawke with the caption:
"Catching up with Bob Hawke in 2015.
"He had the capacity to reach out to everyone across party lines. He was a great Australian. Margie and I extend our deepest sympathies to Blanche and his family."
Bob Hawke,unlike his successor Paul Keating,was generally cordial about Tony Abbott,but at Labor's 2010 campaign launch in the Melbourne seat of Deakin,said"I like him personally but I think he's as mad as a cut snake".
Taking a swipe at the-then Opposition Leader's"stop the boats"campaign as"bullshit",Mr Hawke asked:"What's the bugger going to say next?"