Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a swindle, a hoax.

1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 17 Jan. 20/1: Duly to promise, he met his old guest at the foot of a tree, but found that wretched animal had nothing but leaves to eat. ‘Ho, Ho!’ says the dingo, who had eaten nothing for three days, ‘A ‘have’ is it?’ and seizing the unfortunate hostess by the scruff of the neck, took her home.
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 7 July 15/2: ‘Haves,’ ‘sells,’ ‘do’s’ – who knows any new ones? These are old.
c.1905		J. Furphy Buln-Buln and the Brolga (1948) 🌐 Wouldn’t live in that hell-upon-earth, not if you give me a pension [...] Even the ships was a have.

2. a disappointment.

1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 6 Jan. 12/3: Wouldn’t it be a have for the Bow-ers, […] if they mistook our men for sheep.
1937–84		Partridge DSUE (1984) 536: C.20.