Mr Hawke reminisced about the first of four visits he made to Japan as prime minister.
After delivering a speech he was asked by a leading Japanese businessman, who said he was keen to invest in Australia, if the unions striking would be a problem.
Mr Hawke said he replied he'd be happy to introduce him to trade union leaders and assured him, "They won't play funny buggers, they'll be genuine".
Someone from the embassy then alerted him to the fact his idiom was creating a problem.
"When it came through the translation, it came down as 'there won't be any humorous homosexuals'," Mr Hawke said.
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smellymotor
Young and Free
Young and Free