Dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and nursing a cold beer, there's little to suggest that you're talking to one of our longest serving prime ministers.

Halfway through a newspaper sudoku puzzle and a cigar, Bob Hawke welcomes us into the courtyard area of the demountable oasis he occupies at the Woodford Folk Festival.

It's curiously called "The Kremlin".

"G'day, come in," he says. The former prime minister takes a long sip from a can of beer that's named in his honour.

"Hawke's Lager," he proudly points out.

"Hawke's Lager. Have you tried it?" (9NEWS/Joel Dry)

"Have you tried it? You should, it's a bloody good drop."

The 88-year-old is settling in for an afternoon at his festival accommodation after giving an hour long presentation on the main stage. It's the ninth year running he's addressed the gathering.

His annual speech has become known for providing controversial headlines.

"I never feel any pressure when I speak," he says.

Last year Hawke bravely told a crowd of several hundred Green-leaning festival-goers that Australia should open itself up to accept nuclear waste. The proposed policy was not well received.

Hawke instructs everyone there to find a political party that most closely aligns with their own personal views and become a member. (9NEWS/Joel Dry)

However, such was the respect the majority of people attending had for the former Labor leader that the crowd stayed to hear him out.

This year's speech began with a lament on the current state of parliamentary politics. Malcolm Turnbull comes in for a particularly scathing critique.

Hawke believes the current Prime Minister would still feel shame about the way he came to power.

"Whether shame is too strong a word, I don’t know, but there’s some sort of feeling of that there," he says later.

But his criticism isn't quarantined to just the conservatives. Across the board Hawke is disappointed with the political discourse.

Festival-goers listen to Hawke's speech at the Woodford Folk Festival. (9NEWS/Joel Dry)

He has a general feel that the lowering of public standing of politicians has a lot to do with social media.

Despite this, he instructs everyone there to find a political party that most closely aligns with their own personal views and become a member.

"I do urge people to get more actively involved in the political process," Hawke says.

The rest of the on-stage discussion ranges from immigration – on which Australia is currently "bloody stupid" – to the republican debate, which includes a reference to the Queen's "ancient dentures".

In closing, Hawke thanked the crowd for their excellent questions with an announcement they've been the best he's ever had.

"The doctor says he's going to get me to 100 – a prospect that frightens me and a number of people". (9NEWS/Joel Dry)

Drifting back to the idea of nuclear waste coming to Australia, the former politician emphasised the need for the debate to happen.

"I was recently talking to a former Japanese prime minister," Hawke said.

"I talked about the idea and he nearly had an orgasm.

"I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a Japanese prime minister nearly have an orgasm … it’s a picture of excitement, I can tell you."

His final act for the crowd was one verse of Waltzing Matilda. At the festival's opening ceremony a few nights ago, he performed the full song.

Reporter Joel Dry with Bob Hawke. (9NEWS/Joel Dry)

He fumbled his way through one verse, announcing "I got a bit lost there", but ended strongly nevertheless.

Following his speech and burst of song, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. It's clear his style of politics is still very popular. His open, laconic and unedited answers are breath of fresh air for people.

Back at "The Kremlin", this iconic Hawke personality is even more apparent. Dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and nursing a cold beer, there's little to suggest that you're talking to one of our longest serving prime ministers.

Mid-chat, conversation detours to the cricket. I tell him the Australians have lost two wickets before lunch on day four.

"Bugger!" is his response.

My final question to the Labor great: how many more years does he think he'll make the trip to Woodford to give his now greatly anticipated speech?

"The doctor says he's going to get me to 100 – a prospect that frightens me and a number of people," Hawke said dryly.