Hawkins was born in Tenterfield and was educated to intermediate level at De La Salle College, Armidale.
[1] He died in Newcastle in 1971 at the age of 74, and was buried at Sandgate Cemetery following a service at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton.
[1] He successfully contested the Legislative Assembly seat of Newcastle as the Lang Labor candidate in the 1935 general election.
The previous member, Peter Connolly did not contest the seat after losing his party's pre-selection.
Hawkins held ministerial roles in the New South Wales Labor Governments of premiers; James McGirr, Joseph Cahill, Bob Heffron and Jack Renshaw.