Edward Gough Whitlam was born on July 11, 1916, at Kew, Victoria.
A photograph of Gough Whitlam, autographed in 1997.
Whitlam married Margaret Dovey in 1942. Margaret died in 2012, aged 92.
Whitlam gained a B.A. and LL.B from Sydney University. He practised as a barrister and became a Queen’s Counsel in 1962.
In 1941, during World War II, Whitlam enlisted in the R.A.A.F. General Duties Branch. He was discharged in 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
Whitlam was elected to the House of Representatives for Werriwa, New South Wales, at a by-election on 29 November 1952, following the death of H.P. Lazzarini.
He became Deputy Leader of the Opposition from March 7, 1960 to February 8, 1967. He became leader of the ALP on February 8, 1967 and served as Leader of the Oppostion until December 5, 1972.
He was Prime Minister from December 5, 1972 to November 11, 1975, and again served as Leader of the Opposition from January 27, 1976 to December 22, 1977.
Whitlam resigned from Parliament on July 31, 1978. In 1983, he was appointed Ambassador to UNESCO, a post that had been offered to Sir John Kerr in 1978.
Whitlam died in Sydney on October 21, 2014, at the age of 98.
Archived Posts
1952
- December 1, 1952: Werriwa Counting Nearly Complete
1967
- February 9, 1967: Newspapers Report Whitlam’s Election As ALP Leader
- June 9, 1967: Certainly, The Impotent Are Pure: Whitlam’s Speech To The Victorian ALP State Conference
1975
- January 1, 1975: Whitlam’s 1975 ALP Membership Ticket
- April 10, 1975: Whitlam Proposes Optional Preferential Voting
- May 13, 1975: Whitlam Tries To Speak Greek On 3ZZ
- May 13, 1975: Whitlam’s Report To The Nation On CHOGM And US Visit
- July 9, 1975: Loans Affair: Special One-Day Sitting
- July 11, 1975: PM’s Birthday Blast
- August 1, 1975: Whitlam Promises To Drink More
- August 16, 1975: Gurindji Land Ceremony
- September 30, 1975: Whitlam Attends Funeral Of Jack Lang
- October 15, 1975: Whitlam Responds To Fraser’s Decision To Block Supply: Parliamentary Democracy Is Under Challenge
- November 11, 1975: On The Morning Of The Dismissal
- November 11, 1975: Sir John Kerr’s Letter Of Dismissal
- November 11, 1975: Gough Whitlam’s Post-Dismissal Press Conference
- November 24, 1975: Whitlam’s 1975 Election Policy Speech
1977
- February 8, 1977: Whitlam’s 10th Anniversary As ALP Leader
- November 17, 1977: Whitlam’s 1977 Election Policy Speech
- November 28, 1977: 1977 Federal Election: Whitlam Addresses ALP Election Rally At Moorabbin Town Hall
- November 30, 1977: Did The Earth Move For You Too, Dear…
- December 10, 1977: Whitlam Resigns The ALP Leadership Following Election Defeat
- December 10, 1977: Whitlam Concedes Defeat, Resigns Leadership
1980
- July 4, 1980: Whitlam And McClelland Speak At NSW Labor Lawyers Dinner
- November 11, 1980: Five Years After The Dismissal, Whitlam Speaks To Derryn Hinch
1985
- November 10, 1985: Ten Years On, Channel 9’s Sunday Program Remembers The Dismissal
- November 11, 1985: Whitlam Addresses The National Press Club On The Dismissal’s 10th Anniversary
- November 11, 1985: Whitlam Interviewed By Willesee On 10th Anniversary of The Dismissal
- November 11, 1985: Gough Whitlam Interviewed On The 10th Anniversary Of The Dismissal
- November 15, 1985: Future Directions For Reform In Australia
1995
- November 8, 1995: Whitlam: The Coup Twenty Years After
- November 11, 1995: Twentieth Anniversary: Maintain Your Rage And Enthusiasm
- November 11, 1995: 20 Years On: Four Corners Remembers The Dismissal
1996
- July 11, 1996: Howard Congratulates Whitlam On Turning 80
2002
- July 11, 2002: Birthday Boy Proposes Major ALP Reforms
- November 10, 2002: Whitlam In His Own Words
- December 2, 2002: The Relevance Of The Whitlam Government Today
2005
- January 18, 2005: Whitlam’s Tribute To Mark Latham
- June 5, 2005: Philhellenes And Philologists: NSW Teachers Of Modern Greek
2006
- July 11, 2006: Whitlam, Grand Old Man Of Australian Politics, Turns 90
2007
- January 19, 2007: Gough Whitlam’s Eulogy For Sir James Killen
- April 28, 2007: Gough and Margaret Whitlam Awarded ALP National Life Membership
- July 11, 2007: Gough Whitlam, 91 Years Young
2012
- March 17, 2012: Margaret Whitlam Dies, 92
- March 23, 2012: Parliamentary Tributes To Margaret Whitlam
- August 26, 2012: Whitlam Comments On Hocking’s Biography
- August 26, 2012: When Murdoch Fought Whitlam
2013
- July 11, 2013: Whitlam Turns 97
- October 10, 2013: Whitlam Votes In ALP Leadership Election
2014
- July 11, 2014: Whitlam Turns 98
- October 21, 2014: GOUGH WHITLAM DIES AT 98
- October 21, 2014: House Of Representatives Marks Death Of Gough Whitlam
- October 24, 2014: Abbott Announces Memorial Service For Gough Whitlam
- October 27, 2014: House Of Representatives Condolences For Gough Whitlam Continue
- October 27, 2014: Senate Condolences For Gough Whitlam
- October 28, 2014: House Of Representatives Condolences For Whitlam Conclude
