Gough died last night, aged 98

the 21st Prime Minister of Australia in 1972, & Australia's coming of age.

A truly great man & a great australian; a man for the people, all peoples.

so proud of this man. made Australia stand for something. Humanity.

r.i.p. Gough

Vale Gough Whitlam (1916-2014). To be honest, I knew this day would be coming for the last few years, as most of us would have. Gough's government is romanticized by many and a lot of it's shortcomings are glossed over by some but if you were to look at today's political situation in Australia, we could use a leader of vision and intellect rather than one who merely panders to the worst possible instincts of certain parts of the electorate.
I will make sure to drink several cuppas out of my Gough Whitlam coffee mug this morning in tribute.

Saw this list posted on FB, so I thought I would share:

It was the Whitlam Government that:-
1. ended Conscription,
2. withdrew Australian troops from Vietnam,
3. implemented Equal Pay for Women,
4. launched an Inquiry into Education and the Funding of Government and Non-government Schools on a Needs Basis,
5. established a separate ministry responsible for Aboriginal Affairs,
6. established the single Department of Defence,
7. withdrew support for apartheid–South Africa,
8. granted independence to Papua New Guinea,
9. abolished Tertiary Education Fees,
10. established the Tertiary Education Assistance Scheme (TEAS),
11. increased pensions,
12. established Medibank (medicare today),
13. established controls on Foreign Ownership of Australian resources,
14. passed the Family Law Act establishing No-Fault Divorce,
15. passed a series of laws banning Racial and Sexual Discrimination,
16. extended Maternity Leave and Benefits for Single Mothers,
17. introduced One-Vote-One-Value to democratize the electoral system,
18. implemented wide-ranging reforms of the ALP's organization,
19. initiated Australia's first Federal Legislation on Human Rights, the Environment and Heritage,
20. established the Legal Aid Office,
21. established the National Film and Television School,
22. launched construction of National Gallery of Australia,
23. established the Australian Development Assistance Agency,
24. reopened the Australian Embassy in Peking after 24 years,
25. established the Prices Justification Tribunal,
26. revalued the Australian Dollar,
27. cut tariffs across the board,
28. established the Trade Practices Commission,
29. established the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service,
30. established the Law Reform Commission,
31. established the Australian Film Commission,
32. established the Australia Council,
33. established the Australian Heritage Commission,
34. established the Consumer Affairs Commission,
35. established the Technical and Further Education Commission,
36. implemented a national employment and training program,
37. created Telecom and Australia Post to replace the Postmaster-General's Department,
38. devised the Order of Australia Honors System to replace the British Honors system,
39. abolished appeals to the Privy Council,
40. changed the National Anthem to 'Advance Australia Fair' (confirmed at 1977 Referendum),
41. instituted Aboriginal Land Rights, and
42. sewered most of Sydney.

All in three and a bit years.

Building, nurturing, protecting, not cutting, slashing and burning.

Vale Gough Whitlam (1916-2014). To be honest, I knew this day would be coming for the last few years, as most of us would have. Gough's government is romanticized by many and a lot of it's shortcomings are glossed over by some but if you were to look at today's political situation in Australia, we could use a leader of vision and intellect rather than one who merely panders to the worst possible instincts of certain parts of the electorate.

I will make sure to drink several cuppas out of my Gough Whitlam coffee mug this morning in tribute.

saw the Whitlams at the corner last Friday night - they were great as usual - little did I know I would hear that song and then he would pass a week later

just One of the right things to do,,,,

was to heal with a gentle hand, & the honor of some dignity restored by the great man, given back to a great people.

When asked recently about how Gough would go in the afterlife he replied:

" I will probably,for the first time ever,feel like I am amongst equals."

Pretty funny till the end.

Young men all over the country were rapt when he ended the dreaded conscription.

Mothers all over the country were rapt in medicare.

Sharp witted extraordinaire.

Young men all over the country were rapt when he ended the dreaded conscription.

Mothers all over the country were rapt in medicare.

Sharp witted extraordinaire.

I was just coming out of high school & was terrified of being sent over to a war no one wanted or believed in to be shot at & have poison dropped on me.

Fortunately Gough got in the way, then the mums, kids & dads joined the protest marches to stop the killing.

Gough Whitlam the father of modern egalitarian Australia. Lets not lose this.

Saw this list posted on FB, so I thought I would share:

It was the Whitlam Government that:-

1. ended Conscription,

2. withdrew Australian troops from Vietnam,

3. implemented Equal Pay for Women,

4. launched an Inquiry into Education and the Funding of Government and Non-government Schools on a Needs Basis,

5. established a separate ministry responsible for Aboriginal Affairs,

6. established the single Department of Defence,

7. withdrew support for apartheid–South Africa,

8. granted independence to Papua New Guinea,

9. abolished Tertiary Education Fees,

10. established the Tertiary Education Assistance Scheme (TEAS),

11. increased pensions,

12. established Medibank (medicare today),

13. established controls on Foreign Ownership of Australian resources,

14. passed the Family Law Act establishing No-Fault Divorce,

15. passed a series of laws banning Racial and Sexual Discrimination,

16. extended Maternity Leave and Benefits for Single Mothers,

17. introduced One-Vote-One-Value to democratize the electoral system,

18. implemented wide-ranging reforms of the ALP's organization,

19. initiated Australia's first Federal Legislation on Human Rights, the Environment and Heritage,

20. established the Legal Aid Office,

21. established the National Film and Television School,

22. launched construction of National Gallery of Australia,

23. established the Australian Development Assistance Agency,

24. reopened the Australian Embassy in Peking after 24 years,

25. established the Prices Justification Tribunal,

26. revalued the Australian Dollar,

27. cut tariffs across the board,

28. established the Trade Practices Commission,

29. established the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service,

30. established the Law Reform Commission,

31. established the Australian Film Commission,

32. established the Australia Council,

33. established the Australian Heritage Commission,

34. established the Consumer Affairs Commission,

35. established the Technical and Further Education Commission,

36. implemented a national employment and training program,

37. created Telecom and Australia Post to replace the Postmaster-General's Department,

38. devised the Order of Australia Honors System to replace the British Honors system,

39. abolished appeals to the Privy Council,

40. changed the National Anthem to 'Advance Australia Fair' (confirmed at 1977 Referendum),

41. instituted Aboriginal Land Rights, and

42. sewered most of Sydney.

All in three and a bit years.

Building, nurturing, protecting, not cutting, slashing and burning.

Holy [censored], I had no idea as it was far far before my time.

A lot of people say he couldn't handle the economy but that is an impressive list of social reforms right there.

That's a lot of the foundation of our modern society right there.

I was just coming out of high school & was terrifies=d of being sent over to a war no one wanted or believed in to be shot at & have poison dropped on me.

Fortunately Gough got in the way, then the mums, kids & dads joined the protest marches to stop the killing.

Gough Whitlam the father of modern egalitarian Australia. Lets not lose this.

I was conscripted in 1972 on my birthday (26th March). Fortunately that was the year that Gough got elected and conscription (national service) was abolished. The only one that was disappointed was my father as he thought I needed discipline :-)

Holy [censored], I had no idea as it was far far before my time.

A lot of people say he couldn't handle the economy but that is an impressive list of social reforms right there.

That's a lot of the foundation of our modern society right there.

yes, and look at how that list is being eroded away now. He built what others seek to destroy. He had a vision for Australia, and now our leaders have tunnel vision.

yes, and look at how that list is being eroded away now. He built what others seek to destroy. He had a vision for Australia, and now our leaders have tunnel vision.

I was sent that list yesterday by a friend...Astounding isn't it.

Add 43. Standerdized Railway Gauges all over Australia...

Look at the swill running the place now....Makes me very sad for future Gens....

I was just coming out of high school & was terrifies=d of being sent over to a war no one wanted or believed in to be shot at & have poison dropped on me.

Fortunately Gough got in the way, then the mums, kids & dads joined the protest marches to stop the killing.

Gough Whitlam the father of modern egalitarian Australia. Lets not lose this.

I would give myself 10 days in any army before they kicked me out if it was for a war I did not believe in.

Because whatever they told me to do I would do the opposite.

Conscription in Australia is only for the direct defense of the nation and not for over sea wars. They real criminal was those politicians who breached the law by sending conscripted soldiers to fight in the Yanks war.

I loved Whitlam for his vision and passion for making Australia a better place.

He is rightly getting the plaudits deserved and when you look at his legacy it is impressive list of social change.

It does need to be tempered in that he headed a government that did fail miserably on implementation and its attention to detail ( and in the loans affair - any semblance of governance).

I do believe we are sadly any politicians of his vision. We talk about populist governments - how Australia early on embraced his commitment to change and how he was the first of television Prime Ministers. We now have politicians who don't fart unless an opinion poll tells them that is what the should be doing. Todays politicians are pretty committed to nothing.

It is a tribute to Whitlams character and force of personality that he could be so popular whilst proposing an agenda that was fairly radical for those times.

I was conscripted in 1972 on my birthday (26th March).Fortunately that was the year that Gough got elected and conscription (national service) was abolished. The only one that was disappointed was my father as he thought I needed discipline :-)

Same birthday Hardtack. Only raffle I ever won. I was registered as a conscientious objector . God I was glad when conscription was repealed and I didn't have to go to goal.

I was conscripted in 1972 on my birthday (26th March). Fortunately that was the year that Gough got elected and conscription (national service) was abolished. The only one that was disappointed was my father as he thought I needed discipline :-)

yeah, you may have ended up with more than discipline, a good dose of comprox.

Holy [censored], I had no idea as it was far far before my time.

A lot of people say he couldn't handle the economy but that is an impressive list of social reforms right there.

That's a lot of the foundation of our modern society right there.

I didn't realise either choke, I wasn't politically interested back in the 70's.

but now I'm interested in so many of those values it isn't funny.

most of these things have been taken for granted by even me. now I can see why my time since the early 70's has been so good in Australia. but now it is eroding with too much competing with one another to try to outdo everyone else, instead of living & having a good weekend.

what are we all turning into?

Same birthday Hardtack. Only raffle I ever won. I was registered as a conscientious objector . God I was glad when conscription was repealed and I didn't have to go to goal.

I would have been in trouble, I was a sheep back then with no spine at all. but a defiant streak but scared.

nowadays I would absolutely be a conscientious objector without question, as I have now become my true self.

Saw this list posted on FB, so I thought I would share:

It was the Whitlam Government that:-

1. ended Conscription,

2. withdrew Australian troops from Vietnam,

3. implemented Equal Pay for Women,

4. launched an Inquiry into Education and the Funding of Government and Non-government Schools on a Needs Basis,

5. established a separate ministry responsible for Aboriginal Affairs,

6. established the single Department of Defence,

7. withdrew support for apartheid–South Africa,

8. granted independence to Papua New Guinea,

9. abolished Tertiary Education Fees,

10. established the Tertiary Education Assistance Scheme (TEAS),

11. increased pensions,

12. established Medibank (medicare today),

13. established controls on Foreign Ownership of Australian resources,

14. passed the Family Law Act establishing No-Fault Divorce,

15. passed a series of laws banning Racial and Sexual Discrimination,

16. extended Maternity Leave and Benefits for Single Mothers,

17. introduced One-Vote-One-Value to democratize the electoral system,

18. implemented wide-ranging reforms of the ALP's organization,

19. initiated Australia's first Federal Legislation on Human Rights, the Environment and Heritage,

20. established the Legal Aid Office,

21. established the National Film and Television School,

22. launched construction of National Gallery of Australia,

23. established the Australian Development Assistance Agency,

24. reopened the Australian Embassy in Peking after 24 years,

25. established the Prices Justification Tribunal,

26. revalued the Australian Dollar,

27. cut tariffs across the board,

28. established the Trade Practices Commission,

29. established the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service,

30. established the Law Reform Commission,

31. established the Australian Film Commission,

32. established the Australia Council,

33. established the Australian Heritage Commission,

34. established the Consumer Affairs Commission,

35. established the Technical and Further Education Commission,

36. implemented a national employment and training program,

37. created Telecom and Australia Post to replace the Postmaster-General's Department,

38. devised the Order of Australia Honors System to replace the British Honors system,

39. abolished appeals to the Privy Council,

40. changed the National Anthem to 'Advance Australia Fair' (confirmed at 1977 Referendum),

41. instituted Aboriginal Land Rights, and

42. sewered most of Sydney.

All in three and a bit years.

Building, nurturing, protecting, not cutting, slashing and burning.

What an extraordinary list of achievements in the space of 3 years, half of which was spent fighting elections and supply crises, not to mention the odd Cyclone. He was far from perfect but you cant bring about that sort of change without making mistakes and making plenty of enemies and he had them by the truckload in the end both inside and outside the party.

Fraser recently said Gough tried to do too much too quickly. Yes he is probably correct that the people couldn't handle it but in reality after 23 years of conservative slumber Gough was the equivalent of many CEO's we now laud when they come into a moribund company and turn the whole place upside down just to wake everyone up that things need to change. Oz certainly needed a shakeup. What he wasn't ready for and didn't handle all that well was the economy but the economy of the Western World was in crisis, inflation from the US printing money to pay for the Vietnam War and then the OPEC oil crisis that tripled the cost of oil overnight. Add to that powerful unions and the centralised wage system so it was near impossible to control wage demands until jobs losses started to mount. Every government in the world struggled with the "stagflation" crisis as it was called, low growth but rising costs.

At the time I was at Uni and I was only there because of Gough so I am biased but what a contrast he makes to today's regime. Gough the ultimate crash through or crash agent for change versus Tony the ultimate defender of the established order!

Interested to learn that in the 70-odd years between Federation and the Whitlam Government, the Senate blocked about 80 pieces of legislation. During his 3 years in office, the Senate blocked more than 90 pieces of legislation. Makes it all the more remarkable that he was able to usher in so much change in the face of an utterly hostile Upper House.

Interested to learn that in the 70-odd years between Federation and the Whitlam Government, the Senate blocked about 80 pieces of legislation. During his 3 years in office, the Senate blocked more than 90 pieces of legislation. Makes it all the more remarkable that he was able to usher in so much change in the face of an utterly hostile Upper House.

Plus he had the CIA working on removing his government by creating instability.

I read Andrew Bolts piece on Whitlam this morning ( I know - what was I thinking ) - as you would imagine - not a fan of Whitlams. He is such an objectionable man ( and highly predictable).

There are countless books on the Whitlam era that points out his great achievements laced with his many failings and shortcomings.

There is no doubt in my that he was a true visionary in what he wanted for Australia even if his ability to implement was lacking. I just found it distasteful to launch such a broadside at such a great man at his passing.

I read Andrew Bolts piece on Whitlam this morning ( I know - what was I thinking ) - as you would imagine - not a fan of Whitlams. He is such an objectionable man ( and highly predictable).

There are countless books on the Whitlam era that points out his great achievements laced with his many failings and shortcomings.

There is no doubt in my that he was a true visionary in what he wanted for Australia even if his ability to implement was lacking. I just found it distasteful to launch such a broadside at such a great man at his passing.

NB looking at Hardtrack's list of Whitlam Government achievements I don't think implementation was one of Gough's weaknesses but as I said earlier when make so many decisions you are going get your fair share wrong and make plenty of enemies along the way. Unlike some of the botched efforts of the recent Rudd administration, Gough and co had actually spent years developing detailed policy. They knew what they wanted to do and had a good idea how it could be done. He was the last leader to actually develop detailed policies for implementation. Unheard of today of course when you can knock up a $40 billion NBN plan on a whiteboard in the PM's office one night and announce it to the world a day later.

Thanks for the warning not to skim read through today's Hun as I sometimes do if I can't find something better at the coffee shop.

I read Andrew Bolts piece on Whitlam this morning ( I know - what was I thinking ) - as you would imagine - not a fan of Whitlams. He is such an objectionable man ( and highly predictable).

There are countless books on the Whitlam era that points out his great achievements laced with his many failings and shortcomings.

There is no doubt in my that he was a true visionary in what he wanted for Australia even if his ability to implement was lacking. I just found it distasteful to launch such a broadside at such a great man at his passing.

why even go there to that crapp column ? I haven't read his stuff for about close to 5 yrs.

anyone who thinks life is all about money cannot have a balanced view. life is not about money. its just been steered that way over the recent past century of our world civilisation & democracy... its wandered off course.

now democracy has become a shadow of itself dominated by people in power positions for their own philosophies & desires

democracy has become a puppet of the powerful