Year 10 History – Research Assignment – Gough

Whitlam
Part A
Edward Gough Whitlam was born on 11th July 1916. He is well known as Gough
Whitlam, Australian politician and 21st Prime Minister of Australia. In 1972 he led
the Labor Party into government after a period of 23 years of conservative (against
reform and progress) government in Australia.
Major Policies
Gough Whitlam came to office claiming a demand for a wide-ranging program of
social reforms. In a lot of activity the government:
• Ended conscription and withdrew Australian troops from Vietnam giving
students and mothers the peace of mind.
• Implemented equal pay for women which influenced more females to work
and enjoy the benefits all other males do.
• Launched an inquiry into education and funded government and non-
government schools on a needs basis to provide equal and more education
and resources to students.
• Established a separate ministry responsible for aboriginal affairs and
supported the idea of land rights which gave Aboriginals the rights and land
they deserved.
• Recast our foreign policy by withdrawing support for South Africa,
recognising China, granting independence to Papua-New Guinea and
distancing Australia from USA foreign policy which proved ourselves to be
more individual while maintaining strong economical links.
• Abolished tertiary education fees and established the Tertiary Education
Assistance Scheme to attract more students to study in uni and further
education.
• Increased pensions.
• Established a universal system of health insurance known as Medibank
which at that time provided many benefits to the family and which gradually
involved to a free medical service to all applicable.
• Established controls on foreign ownership of Australian resources to ensure
our economical gains go towards us.
• Passed the Family Law Act, establishing no-fault divorce which allowed to
divorce without reasons.
• Passed a series of laws banning racial and sexual discrimination to make
multicultarism more equal and fair. Whitlam believed in equality and he
achieved that with applying this to all public of Australia.
• Extended maternity leave and benefits for single mothers to aid the costs
while still retaining the original job.
• Sought to democratise the electoral system by introducing one-vote-one-
value which aimed to get the government in equal say. This still applies
today and greatly affects the way we vote and set out laws and bills.
Post-war development (how the policies affected Australia)
Increasingly, a citizen's real standard of living, the health of himself and his family,
his children's opportunity for education and self-improvement, his access to
employment opportunities, his ability to enjoy the nation's resources for recreation
and cultural activity, his legacy from the national heritage, his scope to participate
in the decisions and actions of the community, are determined not so much by his
income but by the availability and accessibility of the services which the
community alone can provide and ensure (Whitlam, 1985, p. 3). This was
Whitlam’s concept and guidelines for his government, and this is what made a
difference for the working class people in Australia.
People
When he ended conscription, students and parents were relieved that that no one
would have to fight a war for nothing. Women finally saw equal rights in the
workplace. It was no longer fair and more women thought of working and pursuing
their ambitions. Whitlam also introduced the no-fault divorce which allowed
married couples to divorce without any reason. This helped many people who were
in situations where they had to escape. Now that women were now equally paid,
they also received maternity leaves while ensuring they didn’t lose their jobs. The
set
Education
Education was one of the main concerns held by the Whitlam government was
Education, and because of the policies in schools and universities, today working
class children have access to university education they can afford.
Aboriginals
Aboriginals had always been left out, no voting rights, no land rights and
discrimination throughout Australia. Whitlam introduced policies that would grant
aboriginals the right to have their land and the treatment they deserved. In the
policy speech in 1972 Whitlam said that “All of us as Australians are diminished
while the Aborigines are denied their rightful place in this nation”.
Economy
The Whitlam government started to establish new connections and trades with
other nations around the world. He made links to China, which now, holds an
important part of our economy. It gives us the boom in our resource industry and
furthermore the bonds with one of the largest economies in the world.
Foreign Policies
Foreign policies were changed to give Australia individuality but at the same time,
give it strong economic relations to all the nations in the world. Whitlam withdrew
support for South Africa due to racism and inequality in their country. This showed
the world our strong beliefs on multicultarism. We started to go further away from
America and granted independence to Papua-New Guinea.
Health
Whitlam proposed a plan to provide universal health insurance (paid by tax) which
would provide a working family with free dental and medical services throughout
Australia. This later evolved into the medical program now called Medicare. This
has provided all families with low prices on medicine, and free medical assistance.
Multiculturism
The main aim of Whitlam’s government was to
provide equal opportunities and that everyone
is treated equally. He established policies
which helped create a stronger sense of
Australia’s identity of a fair go. Today, the laws
are stronger and have dire consequences for
racial and other types of discrimination.

Gough Whitlam helped Australians and

Australia itself in many ways. He looked after
the working man, while maintaining the ever
rising economy of Australia.

Source A
This was the successful poster and campaign launched by the Labor government
to show the time of change and understanding. This poster particularly shows the
labor party’s strength in doing the things they do and change. This strong image
and the success has given Labor party respect and outlook. The public saw this as
Labor’s strength and their time to change the way Australia is and will be.

Source B
We see Whitlam handing over the land and other
rights to Aboriginals. This shows what the Whitlam
government really wanted to achieve. They wanted
to make things equal for everyone, and show the
world that we are a multicultural society where
everyone gets along and gets a fair go. This was
historical as the aborigines were never regarded and
were always left out. But here, The Whitlam
government handed land rights and other benefits to
all Aboriginal people.

Bibliography
Lessons of the Whitlam Government (2000)- http://www.marxist.com/whitlam-
labor-government101100.htm
Gough Whitlam's 1974 Policy Speech (2002)-
http://www.australianpolitics.com/elections/1974/74-04-29_whitlam-policy-
speech.shtml
The History of the Whitlam Government (1999) - http://www.whitlam.org/cgi-
bin/chronology/calendar.pl?mm=12&yyyy=1972
Gough Whitlam (2007) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_Whitlam
Australia’s Prime ministers: Meet a PM (2006) -
http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/meetpm.asp?pmId=21
Fiscal Federalism in Australia: Keating to Whitlam by Russell Mathews and
Bhajan Grewal (1995)