The flag on Maitland Town Hall was flown at half mast yesterday as our city joined the nation in mourning the death of controversial former prime minister Gough Whitlam.
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In some people’s eyes he was a visionary who had the courage to shape a more modern Australia, with equality at its heart.
To others, however, his beliefs were unaffordable and economically irresponsible.
Joel Fitzgibbon was a child when he first met Gough Whitlam in the 1970s.
The then prime minister was opening a nursing home in Bellingen, on the NSW North Coast, while Mr Fitzgibbon’s family was there to visit his grandmother.
Years later, Mr Whitlam became a mentor to the Hunter MP when he entered Federal Parliament and was a sounding board during Mr Fitzgibbon’s years as a minister in the Rudd government.
Mr Fitzgibbon paid tribute to Mr Whitlam, who died yesterday morning aged 98.
The scheduled sitting of Parliament was cancelled upon hearing the news and flags across the nation flew at half mast out of respect for the former PM, who led the country from 1972 to 1975.
He was infamously removed from office by Governor-General Sir John Kerr in 1975.
During his short time as Prime Minister he introduced a myriad of reforms that improved Australia’s relationship with China, promoted Aboriginal land rights, abolished university fees, and introduced Medibank, which later became Medicare, no-fault divorces, payments for single parents and paved the way for equal pay for women.
Mr Whitlam was also a strong supporter of the arts and ended Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War as well as conscription.
Mr Fitzgibbon told the Mercury that Mr Whitlam was a towering figure in every sense of the word.
He said he often called Mr Whitlam to talk about how the Rudd government was performing during his years as defence minister.
“I knew Gough well, not in his years as prime minister, but in his later years,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“He was always interested in how my career was progressing rather than talking about himself.
“He devoted his life to improving Australia. He was very witty. He was a controversial figure, but he fought the good fight.
“His reforms to the Labor Party made the Labor Party electable again after 23 years in the wilderness.”
Maitland Labor stalwart and former councillor Ray Fairweather said he met Mr Whitlam when as prime minister he visited Maitland to support a federal Labor candidate in the 1970s.
“The thing that struck me was his presence. He stood out from other people,” Mr Fairweather said.
NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson said Mr Whitlam would be remembered by Australians of all political persuasions – not only Labor supporters.
“The pace of change under Gough Whitlam has set the benchmark for all governments since – as he embarked on changing our nation for the better in so many areas,” he said. “Our thoughts are with his family today as we acknowledge his lasting legacy.”
Premier Mike Baird said Mr Whitlam was a favourite son of NSW.
“We should remember that, as well as placing his intellect and energy at the disposal of his country, Mr Whitlam, like so many of his great generation, was prepared to lay his life on the line for it,” he said.
“Today he should also be honoured for his service with the Royal Australian Air Force between 1941 and the end of World War II.”
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GOUGH WHITLAM
EARLY LIFE:
- July 16, 1916 – Born Edward Gough Whitlam in Kew, Melbourne, to Martha (Maddocks) and Frederick Whitlam.
- 1941 – Joins the RAAF as a bomber navigator and flight lieutenant.
- 1942 – Marries university sweetheart Margaret Dovey. They had three sons and one daughter; Tony (1944), Nicholas (1945), Stephen (1950) and Catherine (1954).
EARLY POLITICAL LIFE:
- 1945 – Whitlam joins the Darlinghurst branch of the Labor Party in Sydney
- 1947 – Admitted to the NSW and Federal Courts as a barrister.
- 1948 – Stands for local government election for the Sutherland Shire Council.
- 1950 – Represents Sutherland in the NSW parliament
- 1952 – Elected to the House of Representatives for the Sydney seat of Werriwa.
POLITICAL CAREER
- 1960 – Elected Deputy Leader of the Opposition, working with Arthur Calwell
- 1967 – Calwell resigns as ALP leader. Whitlam narrowly defeats rival Jim Cairns to become the Leader of the Opposition. Implements drastic internal reforms.
- January 1968 – John Gorton becomes prime minister.
- 1969 – Labor wins extra 18 seats, four short of bringing down the coalition government.
- 1971 – William McMahon succeeds Gorton as prime minister
- 1972 – Whitlam wins the federal election with the “It’s Time” campaign. First ALP government since 1946. Becomes Australia’s 21st prime minister.
- 1972 – ALP establishes Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
- January 1973 – Australian Embassy in Peking is re-opened, resuming diplomatic relations with China after 24 years.
- July 1973 – Australian Legal Aid Office established.
- October 1973 – Whitlam becomes the first Australian prime minister to visit the People’s Republic of China.
- December 1973 – Schools Commission established to implement a needs-based program of financial aid to public schools.
- 1974 – Government finances national highway system and standard gauge railway line linking Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Alice Springs. Brisbane’s city railway system is extended and electrified. Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service established.
- May 1974 – Labor re-elected as 18-year-olds vote for the first time.
- October 1974 – Trade Practices Commission established.
- 1975 – Consumer Affairs Commission established.
- 1975 – Technical and Further Education Commission established, university tuition fees abolished.
- May 1975 – Family Law Act enacted, liberalising divorce law and providing for a national Family Court.
- June 1975 – Racial Discrimination Act becomes law. Australia bans South African sporting teams while the country remains under an apartheid regime.
- July 1975 – National Health Care scheme begins, paving way for Medicare.
- August 1975 – Whitlam formally hands title deeds to the Gurindji people at Wattie Creek in the Northern Territory.
- September 1975 – Papua New Guinea celebrates independence from Australia .
- 1975 – ALP politically damaged by the Loans Affair.
- October 1975 – Opposition Leader Malcolm Fraser announces Senate will defer passage of supply bills until Whitlam calls election. Whitlam refuses.
- November 11 1975 – Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismisses Whitlam government. Fraser made caretaker prime minister.
- December 1975 – Liberal Party wins double dissolution election.
- December 1977 – Whitlam succeeded by Bill Hayden as ALP leader and Leader of the Opposition.
- July 1978 – Whitlam resigns his seat in Parliament.
- 1978-1980 – Professorship at Australian National University.
- 1979 – Professorship at Harvard.
- 1981-1983, 1986-1989 – Professorship at University of Sydney.
- 1982-1983 – Whitlam campaigns for Australia’s complete adherence to ILO conventions and UN human rights, refugees, environment and heritage conventions and protocols.
- May 1983 – Hawke Labor government appoints Whitlam Australian Ambassador to UNESCO in Paris.
- 1985 – Whitlam appointed to Australia’s Constitutional Commission.
- 1995 – Whitlams are part of bid team that won support for the Olympic Games held in Sydney in 2000.
- 1999 – Whitlam campaigns for a republic with Fraser ahead of referendum.
- 2000 – Whitlam Institute set up at University of Western Sydney.
- 2007 – Gough and Margaret made life members of the ALP. Later moves into Sydney aged care facility.
- March 16, 2012 – Margaret Whitlam dies.
What they said:
- BILL SHORTEN: The Labor Party has lost a giant.
- BOB HAWKE: He was an idealist, a pragmatic idealist, and he was terribly frustrated with this long period of Labor in the wilderness and he was absolutely committed to getting the Australian Labor Party in shape for government. He wasn't concerned with just sitting under the banyan tree and talking ideology. He made the party relevant.
- MALCOLM TURNBULL: All Prime Ministers capture the attention of the Australian people. Not all Prime Ministers capture their imagination. Gough Whitlam was able to do that.
- ALAN JONES: He damaged the economy through the absence of any prime-ministerial control.
- CLIVE PALMER: He was a man of integrity who achieved a lot for our nation. He must never be forgotten by Australians.
- PETER O’NEILL (Papua New Guinea Prime Minister): Gough Whitlam's prime ministership was almost synonymous with Papua New Guinea's transition to independence and the people of our nation express our gratitude.
- HIS CHILDREN (Antony, Nicholas, Stephen and Catherine): A loving and generous father, he was a source of inspiration to us and our families and for millions of Australians.
- COLIN BARNETT (WA Premier): He was not able to run a competent government – I don't think Gough should really be remembered as a great prime minister.
- TIM FREEDMAN (The Whitlams): He improved us, made us laugh, and was one half of a magnificent inspiring marriage with Margaret.
- CHRISTINE MILNE: Mr Whitlam made us a progressive nation and put us on the global map.
- TANYA PLIBERSEK: He is the iconic figure for making brave policy stands.
- ANTHONY ALBANESE: Vale Gough Whitlam - a legend who shaped modern Australia.