Gough Whitlam Contribution

“Maintain your rage and enthusiasm.” (20th Anniversary: Maintain your Rage, 2014) This was the simple yet heavily implicating request left by Edward Gough Whitlam as he expounded his controversial dismissal from his position as Prime Minister of Australia. Born on 11th of July, 1916, Whitlam, who was a member of the Australian Labour Party, was known as “a force to be reckoned with” (40th Anniversary Of The 1974 Joint Sitting Of Parliament, 2014) and was a crucial figure in developing many Government schemes regarding the environment, heritage and federal legislation on human rights. He had created himself a legacy which lived on throughout the late years of his life and, although he passed away October 2014, his contributions will be imprinted
in Australia’s history forever. Edward Gough Whitlam had a firm grasp on our changing nation, and a strong belief in multiculturalism, and got the countries future leaders interested in the relevance of history. One of Whitlam’s key attributes was his ability to convince and satisfy almost everyone; but how could someone do this at a time when government was stuck in Liberal mindset?

Born in Melbourne, Victoria, to Fred Whitlam and Martha Maddocks, Edward Gough Whitlam was the eldest of two children. Sharing a name with his paternal grandfather, Edward was called by his middle name from an early age. The Whitlam family moved to Canberra when Gough was 11 where he attended Canberra Grammar School. His adolescence and early adulthood were influenced highly by his father’s work as Commonwealth Crown Solicitor. This sparked a certain passion for human rights in Gough. Whitlam began law studies at the University of Sydney but left to join the Royal Australian Air Force following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. During his service he reached the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Whitlam was discharged in 1945 and completed his studies, receiving his Bachelor of Laws and was later elected into the House of Representatives as the Labour member for the federal electorate of Werriwa. Whitlam was first noted as a Labour spearhead during his maiden speech when he responded to a heckle by saying “The time will come when you may interrupt me.” (A Champion of Education and Youth, 2014) (Adapting Benjamin Disraeli’s comment: “The time will come when you shall hear me.”). He then went on to become the Leader of the Labour Party and was then elected Prime Minister in the 1972 elections.

Simply calling Gough Whitlam influential is an understatement.
His contributions can arguably outweigh the offerings of any other Prime Minister in Australian history. In the first year of his term (1973) he addressed civil rights issues regarding Australia’s indigenous population, and reopened an embassy in Peking, recommencing diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Gough had noticed that various defence department could be merged into a single agency so he took the time to neaten that up. In the same year he opened a national gallery in Canberra, organised the Royal Style and Titles Act 1973 and established the Australian Development Assistance
Agency.
In 1974, Whitlam set up a regional funding scheme. This meant government bodies around Australia could receive grants for flood mitigation, urban renewal, leisure and tourist facilities, and to build sewerage systems. This regional funding also provided funding for health centres and regional-based hospitals, thus saving lives of many. Amongst this and other things Whitlam set up the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service with the Department of Environment and Conservation.
1975, Whitlam’s last year as Prime Minister, was just as fast paced as any other, if not, then more so. Whitlam set up an Order of Australia (replacing the British honours system), the Australian heritage commission and a Technical and Further Education Commission. He enacted the Family Law Act 1975, the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 and extended health services by establishing Medibank, which was perhaps the most benevolent act of 1975. These all affected the way Australia developed and this is only naming a few of Whitlam’s contributions. But amongst all this, many still remember him for his work drafting the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976.

Whitlam showed his views on Aboriginal rights from the start of his career. In his 1972 election speech he made his policies clear, saying his government “will legislate to give aborigines land rights – not just because their case is beyond argument, but because all of us as Australians are diminished while the aborigines are denied their rightful place in this nation.” (Australian Prime Ministers, 2014) He often stated his “unrelenting” and “deep determined anger” (Edward Gough Whitlam, 2014), something he believed all Australians should feel towards the matter. Once in power, the Whitlam government quickly set to putting his policies in place and it was obvious one of his priorities was giving back to the Aboriginal people. During 1974, he set up what was one of the biggest successes for aboriginal rights. During December, he set up the Aboriginal Land Fund, with a purpose to grant subsidy to indigenous organisations. The funding was primarily for buying back the traditional land that was now owned by private interests. Whitlam’s Land Fund helped with over 59 purchases of properties for indigenous people. During 1975, the Whitlam government also returned traditional lands in the Northern Territory to the Gurindji people. This ended a 9 year strike against the agricultural business that had been occupying the land (which was what first caught Whitlam’s attention). The land was purchased by the government on behalf of the Gurindji people and during the hand-over ceremony Whitlam did one of his most memorable actions: pouring some sand from the land into the hands of Vincent Lingiari, the protest’s leader. Whitlam’s acts have now become iconic symbols of reconciliation regarding the land rights movement.

Gough Whitlam is one of the most significant figures in Australian history because of his work as Prime Minister; work which shaped Australia more than anyone at the time could’ve imagined.
Today we still see his policies in effect. His successors in government not only admire and aim to be like him, but have often followed through with his work or have modelled their proposals off of his. In particular, the Fraser government continued with Whitlam’s reforms and modelled the National Aboriginal Conference from his National Aboriginal Consultative Counsel. On 11th of July, 2014, the Hon. John Faulkner said:”Tomorrow, 11 July, marks Gough’s 98th birthday, a time to celebrate his longevity, his resilience and his extraordinary contribution to this nation.” (In Memoriam, 2014) This clearly tells us that even long after his work in government his legacy lives on. His policies regarding civil rights have given individuals the chance to reclaim land and have a say, his toil helped to set up life-saving systems such as Medicare and his dismissal is still one of the most controversial and talked-about topics in Australia. Whitlam is a hero and a role-model and he will hold a significance that isn’t going to dwindle for a long
time.

Edward Gough Whitlam made an enormous contribution to Australia, mainly in the areas of civil rights, equality and multiculturalism. During his lifetime he not only served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia, but also as a Flight Lieutenant throughout WWII. After an upbringing in law and social issues, Whitlam had a firm grasp on what needed to be done and wasn’t afraid to take action. His list of achievements are inspiring and his work with Australia’s aboriginal population was revolutionary and radical. His life after government continued to be influential with the formation of the Whitlam Institute and many university lectures. After his controversial dismissal even more people were inclined to listen and Whitlam found he had “more influence now (post dismissal) than when I had the power.” (Edward Gough Whitlam, 2014) A man who changed the history and future of our nation: Gough Whitlam.