Farewell Gough Whitlam - Thank You
Gough Whitlam 1916 - 2014
Member of Australian Parliament 1952 - 1978
Prime Minister of Australia 1972 - 1975
Thank you, Mr Whitlam, for acknowledging my political voice and for then listening to it.
Thank you for giving me the rights, dignity and opportunities I deserved and craved, but was denied before your government came into power.
Thank you for giving me hope and inspiration and sharing with us a vision of an achievably better, more equitable world.
Thank you for agreeing with my belief that I didn't have to give in to stereotypes, that I had the right to aspire to greater things and wasn't 'getting above my station' for striving for them.
Thank you for changing not only laws, but minds.
“When government makes opportunities for any of the citizens, it makes them for all the citizens. We are all diminished as citizens when any of us are poor. Poverty is a national waste as well as individual waste. We are all diminished when any of us are denied proper education. The nation is the poorer - a poorer economy, a poorer civilisation, because of this human and national waste.”
- From his 1969 campaign launch.
“Let me make quite clear that I am for abortion and, in your case Sir, we should make it retrospective.”
- On being repeatedly pestered by a punter on the campaign trail wanting to know Whitlam’s stance on abortion.
Picture: Getty Images
“Vincent Lingiari, I solemnly hand to you these deeds as proof, in Australian law, that these lands belong to the Gurindji people and I put into your hands part of the earth itself as a sign that this land will be the possession of you and your children forever.”
- August 16, 1975, as Whitlam handed over freehold title of the Gurindji lands.
“I’ve never said I’m immortal. I do believe in correct language. I’m eternal; I’m not immortal.”
A truly great visionary and a personal hero of mine has now left this earth at the impressive age of 98. Gough Whitlam may not be here anymore, but his legacy lives on, despite many who have attempted to erase it (our present PM and his government included).
Gough Whitlam was incredibly eloquent and intelligent, unusually open and often blunt for a politician, controversial, had an ascerbic wit, was often described as arrogant (personally, I saw it as passionately dedicated with an unwavering belief in his cause), never spoke down to or was condescending to the Australian public and was incredibly charismatic and charming in person.
Gough Whitlam changed the face of Australia, the attitudes of Australians and the Australian culture as a whole - all for the better in my opinion.
He improved the lives of all Australians, in particular women, children and Aboriginal people,
He brought in the Racial Discrimination Act
He brought in equal pay for women, thereby increasing the minimum wage for women by over 30% by including them in minimum wage legislation (women's wages for the same job was 66.6% of a man's on average).
He brought in maternity leave (12 weeks paid and one year unpaid) and made it illegal to discriminate against a woman in the workforce because she was or could get pregnant and guaranteed her job back when she was ready to return to work.
Instituted free child care, allowing many women to re-enter the workforce or further their education
Recognised Aboriginal land rights
Instituted our national health scheme
Implemented the National Sewerage Campaign (Most Australian capitals had the majority of their areas unsewered, with some areas relying on septic tanks, but most relying mainly on "dunnymen" collecting the human waste once or twice a week - this was in the 1970's!!!)
He made higher education available to everyone, no matter their background or sex, by abolishing university fees and fees at TAFE (Technical Colleges) and broadened the curriculum for part time study. thus improving the living standards of many Australians, lessening the gap between rich and poor and giving us many people who have made tremendous contributions, not only to Australia, but to the world.
Note: Both current PM Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey attended university during the time of free university and Joe Hockey, who now has deregulated university fees and made student loans extremely expensive, was, during his time as a student, an activist for free university education.
Instituted subsidies for businesses training trades apprentices
Promoted decentralisation of business and industry by providing incentives for companies setting up in regional areas to prevent the death of regional towns and cities (sadly, much of this has been undone by later conservative governments)
Changed and instituted laws to protect women from domestic violence and rape within marriage
He brought in no fault divorce and established the Family Law Court
He brought in the single parent's pension, helping many families that were living well below the poverty line and giving families a chance to break out of the cycle of poverty
He indexed pensions to the cost of living
Took the sales tax off the contraceptive pill and made it available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to make it more affordable and available to all women in Australia.
Implemented and funded Women's Health Centres, Refuges and Crisis Centres
Upgraded our public (ie state) school system and curriculum
Withdrew Australian troops from Vietnam and stopped conscription: In 1972, Whitlam withdrew Australian troops from Vietnam, consolidating moves that had already been started by his coalition counterparts. He had been a vocal opponent of the war, and had addressed Vietnam peace rallies in Australia as early as 1965. He also ended military conscription, which had chosen young men by ballot according to their birthday “... it is intolerable that a free nation at peace and under no threat should cull by lottery the best of its youth to provide defence on the cheap,” he said in his 1972 policy speech.
Lowered the voting age to 18
Brought an end to the "White Australia Policy" which limited immigration to people who were of "acceptable" heritage.
Established the National Art Gallery (and also bought Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles for 1.6million dollars, the controversy turning everyone in Australia into an instant art critic), increased or instituted funding for the arts including dance, music, theatre and film
I could go on and list many more, but basically, he brought Australia into the modern world and gave us a clearer idea of an Australian identity, independent of the old British Empire and the later influence of the USA.
I can't say I agreed with everything his government proposed or tried to achieve, but, in the majority, I did. Neither he, nor his government were perfect, but they saw what Australia COULD be and were sincere in their goals and aspirations, and honestly wanted the best for the country and the Australian people - ALL Australian people, not just the rich and influential. He truly believed in "The Vision Splendid".
Many of these changes have been watered down over the years, often at the hands of those that reaped the benefits of these changes and wouldn't be in their positions of power and influence if not for them. The change in attitude has remained to a great degree though, and Australians as a whole would not allow a complete abolition of them as they have changed our attitudes and lifestyles so very much.
I lived through the Whitlam years as a young person and saw and benefitted from these changes more than I can say.
Many people who grew up after this era knowing nothing else but a life with these benefits are quite ignorant of how very much he and his government improved the lot of so very many Australians - how soon people forget...
He and his wife, Margaret (another hero of mine), were a formidable team - she was outspoken, a tireless campaigner for women's rights and other social reform and far from the quiet 'yes women" we see in most politicians' marriages. He revelled in her being a strong, independent woman with a voice of her own.
The Whitlams were true egaletarians that didn't look at the fight for their causes as 'noble' - to them it was just logical, no nonsense common sense, a view I agree with.
To paraphrase Paul Keating, Gough Whitlam changed the face of Australia - there was the Australia before Gough Whitlam and there was the Australia after him - you can't say that about too many people.
Some more of his more memorable quotes:
“Well may we say ‘God save the Queen’, because nothing will save the Governor-General! The Proclamation which you have just heard read by the Governor-General’s Official Secretary was countersigned Malcolm Fraser, who will undoubtedly go down in Australian history from Remembrance Day 1975 as Kerr’s cur.”
- His address to the crowd gathered in front of Parliament House which had just heard Governor-General Sir John Kerr’s Official Secretary David Smith dismiss him from office, ending the proclamation with “God Save the Queen”.
“I was profoundly embarrassed by it and did all I could to change it.”
- On the White Australia Policy.
“No other western nation has cities in which the incidence of urban sanitation is so primitive or so ludicrous as in the cities of Australia… We are the most effluent nation in what Liberals (the name of our conservative party) call the free world.”
- On implementing the $330 million National Sewerage Program. Before it was later cancelled by the Fraser Government, it had cleared the backlog of unsewered properties in Australia’s capital cities by between 30-50% in just seven years.
“The punters know that the horse named Morality rarely gets past the post, whereas the nag named Self-interest always runs a good race.”
- Written for the London Daily Telegraph, 1989.
Member of Australian Parliament 1952 - 1978
Prime Minister of Australia 1972 - 1975
Thank you, Mr Whitlam, for acknowledging my political voice and for then listening to it.
Thank you for giving me the rights, dignity and opportunities I deserved and craved, but was denied before your government came into power.
Thank you for giving me hope and inspiration and sharing with us a vision of an achievably better, more equitable world.
Thank you for agreeing with my belief that I didn't have to give in to stereotypes, that I had the right to aspire to greater things and wasn't 'getting above my station' for striving for them.
Thank you for changing not only laws, but minds.
“When government makes opportunities for any of the citizens, it makes them for all the citizens. We are all diminished as citizens when any of us are poor. Poverty is a national waste as well as individual waste. We are all diminished when any of us are denied proper education. The nation is the poorer - a poorer economy, a poorer civilisation, because of this human and national waste.”
- From his 1969 campaign launch.
“Let me make quite clear that I am for abortion and, in your case Sir, we should make it retrospective.”
- On being repeatedly pestered by a punter on the campaign trail wanting to know Whitlam’s stance on abortion.
Picture: Getty Images
“Vincent Lingiari, I solemnly hand to you these deeds as proof, in Australian law, that these lands belong to the Gurindji people and I put into your hands part of the earth itself as a sign that this land will be the possession of you and your children forever.”
- August 16, 1975, as Whitlam handed over freehold title of the Gurindji lands.
“I’ve never said I’m immortal. I do believe in correct language. I’m eternal; I’m not immortal.”
A truly great visionary and a personal hero of mine has now left this earth at the impressive age of 98. Gough Whitlam may not be here anymore, but his legacy lives on, despite many who have attempted to erase it (our present PM and his government included).
Gough Whitlam was incredibly eloquent and intelligent, unusually open and often blunt for a politician, controversial, had an ascerbic wit, was often described as arrogant (personally, I saw it as passionately dedicated with an unwavering belief in his cause), never spoke down to or was condescending to the Australian public and was incredibly charismatic and charming in person.
Gough Whitlam changed the face of Australia, the attitudes of Australians and the Australian culture as a whole - all for the better in my opinion.
He improved the lives of all Australians, in particular women, children and Aboriginal people,
He brought in the Racial Discrimination Act
He brought in equal pay for women, thereby increasing the minimum wage for women by over 30% by including them in minimum wage legislation (women's wages for the same job was 66.6% of a man's on average).
He brought in maternity leave (12 weeks paid and one year unpaid) and made it illegal to discriminate against a woman in the workforce because she was or could get pregnant and guaranteed her job back when she was ready to return to work.
Instituted free child care, allowing many women to re-enter the workforce or further their education
Recognised Aboriginal land rights
Instituted our national health scheme
Implemented the National Sewerage Campaign (Most Australian capitals had the majority of their areas unsewered, with some areas relying on septic tanks, but most relying mainly on "dunnymen" collecting the human waste once or twice a week - this was in the 1970's!!!)
He made higher education available to everyone, no matter their background or sex, by abolishing university fees and fees at TAFE (Technical Colleges) and broadened the curriculum for part time study. thus improving the living standards of many Australians, lessening the gap between rich and poor and giving us many people who have made tremendous contributions, not only to Australia, but to the world.
Note: Both current PM Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey attended university during the time of free university and Joe Hockey, who now has deregulated university fees and made student loans extremely expensive, was, during his time as a student, an activist for free university education.
Instituted subsidies for businesses training trades apprentices
Promoted decentralisation of business and industry by providing incentives for companies setting up in regional areas to prevent the death of regional towns and cities (sadly, much of this has been undone by later conservative governments)
Changed and instituted laws to protect women from domestic violence and rape within marriage
He brought in no fault divorce and established the Family Law Court
He brought in the single parent's pension, helping many families that were living well below the poverty line and giving families a chance to break out of the cycle of poverty
He indexed pensions to the cost of living
Took the sales tax off the contraceptive pill and made it available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to make it more affordable and available to all women in Australia.
Implemented and funded Women's Health Centres, Refuges and Crisis Centres
Upgraded our public (ie state) school system and curriculum
Withdrew Australian troops from Vietnam and stopped conscription: In 1972, Whitlam withdrew Australian troops from Vietnam, consolidating moves that had already been started by his coalition counterparts. He had been a vocal opponent of the war, and had addressed Vietnam peace rallies in Australia as early as 1965. He also ended military conscription, which had chosen young men by ballot according to their birthday “... it is intolerable that a free nation at peace and under no threat should cull by lottery the best of its youth to provide defence on the cheap,” he said in his 1972 policy speech.
Lowered the voting age to 18
Brought an end to the "White Australia Policy" which limited immigration to people who were of "acceptable" heritage.
Established the National Art Gallery (and also bought Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles for 1.6million dollars, the controversy turning everyone in Australia into an instant art critic), increased or instituted funding for the arts including dance, music, theatre and film
I could go on and list many more, but basically, he brought Australia into the modern world and gave us a clearer idea of an Australian identity, independent of the old British Empire and the later influence of the USA.
I can't say I agreed with everything his government proposed or tried to achieve, but, in the majority, I did. Neither he, nor his government were perfect, but they saw what Australia COULD be and were sincere in their goals and aspirations, and honestly wanted the best for the country and the Australian people - ALL Australian people, not just the rich and influential. He truly believed in "The Vision Splendid".
Many of these changes have been watered down over the years, often at the hands of those that reaped the benefits of these changes and wouldn't be in their positions of power and influence if not for them. The change in attitude has remained to a great degree though, and Australians as a whole would not allow a complete abolition of them as they have changed our attitudes and lifestyles so very much.
I lived through the Whitlam years as a young person and saw and benefitted from these changes more than I can say.
Many people who grew up after this era knowing nothing else but a life with these benefits are quite ignorant of how very much he and his government improved the lot of so very many Australians - how soon people forget...
He and his wife, Margaret (another hero of mine), were a formidable team - she was outspoken, a tireless campaigner for women's rights and other social reform and far from the quiet 'yes women" we see in most politicians' marriages. He revelled in her being a strong, independent woman with a voice of her own.
The Whitlams were true egaletarians that didn't look at the fight for their causes as 'noble' - to them it was just logical, no nonsense common sense, a view I agree with.
To paraphrase Paul Keating, Gough Whitlam changed the face of Australia - there was the Australia before Gough Whitlam and there was the Australia after him - you can't say that about too many people.
Some more of his more memorable quotes:
“Well may we say ‘God save the Queen’, because nothing will save the Governor-General! The Proclamation which you have just heard read by the Governor-General’s Official Secretary was countersigned Malcolm Fraser, who will undoubtedly go down in Australian history from Remembrance Day 1975 as Kerr’s cur.”
- His address to the crowd gathered in front of Parliament House which had just heard Governor-General Sir John Kerr’s Official Secretary David Smith dismiss him from office, ending the proclamation with “God Save the Queen”.
“I was profoundly embarrassed by it and did all I could to change it.”
- On the White Australia Policy.
“No other western nation has cities in which the incidence of urban sanitation is so primitive or so ludicrous as in the cities of Australia… We are the most effluent nation in what Liberals (the name of our conservative party) call the free world.”
- On implementing the $330 million National Sewerage Program. Before it was later cancelled by the Fraser Government, it had cleared the backlog of unsewered properties in Australia’s capital cities by between 30-50% in just seven years.
“The punters know that the horse named Morality rarely gets past the post, whereas the nag named Self-interest always runs a good race.”
- Written for the London Daily Telegraph, 1989.