Gough Whitlam Turns 93 Today
Jul 11, 2009 - Edward Gough Whitlam, Australia's 21st Prime Minister, celebrates his 93rd birthday today. Whitlam was born on July 11, 1916.
Former Senator Ken Wriedt, Whitlam's Minister for Agriculture and later Minister for Minerals and Energy, is also celebrating his birthday today. He is 82.
Whitlam Becomes Longest Living Former Prime Minister
Jan 21, 2009 - Gough Whitlam today becomes Australia's longest living former Prime Minister. The former Labor leader is 92 years, 6 months and 10 days old.
Until today the oldest former Prime Minister was Frank Forde who served for eight days after the death of John Curtin in July 1945.
Crean Farewelled At State Funeral; Rudd Eulogises Former Treasurer
Dec 9, 2008 - The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has led the eulogies for Frank Crean at his state funeral in Melbourne today.
Rudd referred to Crean's attitude at the time of the ALP split in the 1950s as one based on "a belief that as a son of the movement he had a responsibility to steer this party of hope through the wilderness years."
Rudd said that at "a time when men of ill-will hoped that we would be destroyed ... Crean never lost sight of the light on the hill and the need to tender its fragile flame, when those arrayed against us sought to extinguish it forever."
The former Minister for the Media in the Whitlam Government, Doug McClelland, spoke to the congregation in St. Paul's Cathedral, as did Crean's sons, David and Simon. McClelland reminded the gathering that the Crean family is the only Labor family whose members served in the Whitlam, Hawke, Keating and Rudd ministries.
Paul Keating, Julia Gillard, John Brumby and John Faulkner were among a large number of Labor identities who attended the service. Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull also attended.
Listen to Audio of the State Funeral for Frank Crean:
Frank Crean Dies, 92
Dec 2, 2008 - Frank Crean, the first Treasurer in the Whitlam Government, later Minister for Overseas Trade and Deputy Prime Minister, has died, in Melbourne, aged 92.
Crean's death came on the 36th anniversary of the election of the Whitlam Government in December 1972.
Crean served as Treasurer for the first two years of the government. He was replaced by Dr. Jim Cairns in December 1974. Cairns was removed without delivering a budget and replaced by Bill Hayden in 1975.
After his removal as Treasurer, Crean became Minister for Overseas Trade, a position held today in the Rudd Government by his son, Simon.
Following the retirement of Lance Barnard, Crean was elected Deputy Prime Minister in July 1975, a position he held until the dismissal in November.
Crean's death means that over half of the Whitlam ministers are now gone. Fifteen remain, eleven of them aged 80 or more. Whitlam is the oldest surviving minister at 92.
November 11th, 1975
The Dismissal of the Whitlam Government on November 11, 1975 was the most dramatic political event in the history of Australia's Federation.
Edward Gough Whitlam's Labor government had been elected on December 2, 1972 and was the first Labor government in 23 years. Australia's Prime Minister for 16 years was Robert Menzies, whose Liberal Party governed in coalition with the Country Party. After Menzies' retirement in 1966, the government went into a steady decline until it was defeated by Whitlam.
The new government was elected in a climate of great hope and optimism. It's demise a mere three years later at the hands of the Senate and the Governor-General is a fascinating political story that is still relevant to this day.
What Happened?
A brief overview of what happened on November 11, 1975 and why it remains a significant event in Australian political history.
Background To 1972
The Whitlam Government was the first Labor government for 23 years, since the defeat of Ben Chifley in 1949. It was elected at a time of growing disillusionment with the Vietnam War, a concern about Australia's place in the world and great social change.
Gough Whitlam
Whitlam was born in Melbourne in 1916. He grew up in Canberra and entered Parliament in 1952, becoming deputy leader of the ALP in 1961 and leader in 1967. He won a 7% swing to his party in the 1969 election, rescuing it from the electoral disaster of 1966.
His 1972 election was the result of a program of party reform, policy development and political salesmanship. The 'Program' he presented to the people in 1972 still stands as the most definitive statement of policies ever proposed at an election.
Thirty years on, Whitlam is a Labor Party icon, the martyred leader. He continues to speak on public issues.
Chronology
The years 1972-1975 were a whirlwind of activity, controversy and change, culminating in the dramatic events of October 1975 when the coalition parties in the Senate used their numbers to delay passage of the government's Supply Bills. A three-week constitutional impasse followed, culminating in Whitlam's dismissal by the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, on November 11.
Political & Constitutional Issues: The Key Questions
The Dismissal raised a number of important constitutional, parliamentary and political issues, most of which remain unresolved to this day. Should the Senate have the right to block money bills? How should a government respond when this happens? Should the Governor-General intervene in conflicts between the houses? When should the Governor-General intervene?
Sir John Kerr
The man appointed by Whitlam to the position of Governor-General in 1974 is variously portrayed as a man of principle, a deceiver, an insecure man desperate to make his mark on history, a drunk.
Aftermath and Effects
The Dismissal was the most traumatic and significant political event in the first one hundred years of the Australian federation, but constitutionally little was changed by it. Malcolm Fraser initiated a referendum in 1977 to ensure that the casual Senate vacancy rules could not be manipulated by State governments, but no other constitutional changes have occurred. The most significant change is probably political. It is difficult now to imagine the Senate being able to repeat its 1975 performance. The question of an Australian republic was rekindled by the Dismissal, but this issue also remains unresolved.
Dismissal Documents
They're all here: the letter of dismissal from Sir John Kerr, the advice tendered by the Chief Justice of the High Court, Sir Garfield Barwick, the proclamation dissolving Parliament, the letter from the Queen's Secretary, and others.
Dismissal Sound Archive
A rare collection of audio files from the Whitlam era, including recordings from the House of Representatives shortly after the Dismissal, the full version of the famous "Kerr's Cur" speech by Whitlam, the policy speeches given by Whitlam and Fraser, and much more.
Dismissal Images
A collection of pictures from the Whitlam era, including photographs taken on November 11, 1975.
Web Links
A collection of web links relating to Whitlam and the Dismissal.
Whitlam Speeches
Gough Whitlam is now 91, but he remains an active contributor to the political debates in Australia. Alone among all of the nation's former leaders, he inspires a full measure of devotion from his supporters.
News
The Dismissal still makes news and will continue to do so in the coming years, especially now that official Cabinet papers are released each year under the 30-year rule.
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