“draft-dodging is not a crime”
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Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam was the 21st prime minister of Australia, serving from December 1972 to November 1975. To date the longest-serving federal leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), he was notable for being the head of a reformist and socially progressive government that ended with his controversial dismissal by the then governor-general of Australia, Sir John Kerr, at the climax of the 1975…
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politics · Prime Minister of Australia from 1972 to 1975 · politician · diplomat · barrister · minister · jurist · head of government · also Gough Whitlam, Edward Gough Whitlam, E. G. Whitlam, Whitlam
Born 11 July 1916 · Died 21 October 2014 · Q23333
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2026· 1 entry
2025· 1 entry
Couriermail: PM announces Gough Whitlam statue 50 years on from dismissal
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2020· 1 entry
Moviefone: Gough Whitlam In His Own Words - Where to Watch
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2015· 1 entry
THE WEEK: What you need to know about former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, 1916-2014
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2014· 11 entries
nowtolove: Gough Whitlam farewelled at state memorial service
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Yahoo! Sports: Gough Whitlam dies aged 98; former PM remembered as 'giant' of Australian politics
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Died 2014-10-21.
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Digital Journal: Former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam dead at 98
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The Conversation: Gough Whitlam, young people and public support for the arts
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nowtolove: What Gough Whitlam did for you
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The Boston Globe: Gough Whitlam, at 98; Australian prime minister ushered in many changes
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Yahoo: Former Australian PM Gough Whitlam dies at 98
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The Conversation: A Moment With Gough Whitlam
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Whitlam's ashes were partly scattered at Marks Park in Tamarama
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“I was profoundly embarrassed by it and did all I could to change it.”
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2010· 1 entry
It was reported that Whitlam had moved into an aged care facility in Sydney's inner east in 2007
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2007· 1 entry
Whitlam testified at an inquest into the death of Brian Peters, one of five Australia-based TV personnel killed in East Timor in October 1975
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2006· 1 entry
Accused the ALP of failing to press for this change
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1994· 1 entry
That "there is no doubt that in three years his government was responsible for more reforms and innovations than any other government in Australian history"
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1993· 1 entry
Persuaded the International Olympic Committee to award Sydney the 2000 Summer Olympics
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1987· 1 entry
After his son Nick, who was then managing director of the State Bank of New South Wales, turned down the position
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1985· 1 entry
Was appointed to Australia's Constitutional Commission
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1983· 2 entries
Whitlam was appointed as Australia's ambassador to UNESCO, based in Paris
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Was appointed as ambassador to UNESCO; he was later elected a member of the UNESCO executive board
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1978· 1 entry
Awarded Companion of the Order of Australia (1978).
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1977· 1 entry
United States Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher made a special trip to Sydney to meet with him and told him, on behalf of US President Jimmy Carter, of his willingness to work with whatever government Australi
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1975· 1 entry
Whitlam justified the big increases in government spending by arguing that when Labor returned to office 1972 they had "the task of redressing many years of neglect by previous Governments in almost every field of nation
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1974· 1 entry
The Senate refused to pass six bills after they were passed twice by the House of Representatives
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1973· 2 entries
Elizabeth Reid was appointed the world's first adviser on women's affairs to a head of government
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The National Gallery of Australia, then called the Australian National Gallery, bought the painting "Blue Poles" by contemporary artist Jackson Pollock for US$2 million (A$1
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1972· 7 entries
Career landmark: Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia) (1972–1973).
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Career landmark: Prime Minister of Australia (1972–1975).
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Career landmark: Attorney-General for Australia (1972–1972).
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Career landmark: Minister for Justice (1972–1973).
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Career landmark: Treasurer of Australia (1972–1972).
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And an embassy opened in Beijing in 1973
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Had helped Whitlam win government
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1971· 1 entry
Whitlam flew to Beijing and met with Chinese officials, including Zhou Enlai
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1968· 1 entry
Controversy erupted within the party when the executive refused to seat new Tasmanian delegate Brian Harradine, a Whitlam supporter who was considered a right-wing extremist
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1966· 1 entry
Kerr helped to found Lawasia (or Law Asia), an organization of lawyers with offices in all the major capitals of Asia
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1965· 1 entry
Whitlam sought to change this goal
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1961· 2 entries
“My hopes were dashed by the outcome and from that moment I determined to do all I could do to modernise the Australian Constitution.”
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Whitlam said of the referendum defeat, "My hopes were dashed by the outcome and from that moment I determined to do all I could do to modernise the Australian Constitution
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1960· 2 entries
And in 1967, after the retirement of Arthur Calwell, was elected leader of the party and became the Leader of the Opposition
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After losing three elections, Evatt resigned and was replaced by Calwell, with Whitlam defeating Ward for deputy leader
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1955· 1 entry
A redistribution divided Whitlam's electorate of Werriwa in two, with his Cronulla home located in the new electorate of Hughes
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1954· 1 entry
The ALP seemed likely to return to power
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1952· 3 entries
Career landmark: member of the Australian House of Representatives (1952–1978).
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Before completing his term and Whitlam was elected to the House of Representatives in the ensuing by-election on 29 November 1952
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Becoming a member of parliament (MP) for the division of Werriwa
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1951· 1 entry
Bert Lazzarini, the Labor member for the Federal electorate of Werriwa, announced that he would stand down at the next election
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1949· 1 entry
And, since 1951, had been under the leadership of Bert Evatt, whom Whitlam greatly admired
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1948· 1 entry
Was runner-up in 1949, and was one of four prize-winning finalists in 1950
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1942· 1 entry
While awaiting entry into the service, Whitlam met and married Margaret Elaine Dovey, who had swum for Australia in the 1938 British Empire Games and was the daughter of barrister and future New South Wales Supreme Court
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1939· 1 entry
Whitlam enlisted in the Sydney University Regiment, part of the Militia
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1932· 1 entry
Whitlam's father transferred him to Canberra Grammar School where, at the Speech Day ceremony that year, he was awarded a prize by the Governor-General, Sir Isaac Isaacs
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1918· 1 entry
Fred Whitlam was promoted to deputy Crown solicitor and transferred to Sydney
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1916· 1 entry
Born 1916-07-11.
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