I feel very sad. He was my political father. He had faults, but showed us as a nation that we COULD have an alternative government. I recall that Menzies was the only politician anyone thought of before that.
Sad news....was to young through that period in which he led the government but I always enjoyed his interviews and commentary in latter years, powerful and eloquent speaker and orator.
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I recall that Menzies was the only politician anyone thought of before that.
Maybe John Curtin could be given some consideration
He and his wife were close friends of my grandfather, and were regular visitors to his house. I have many fond memories of Gough and Marg, along with Bob Hawke at pops place in doonside having a beer or three... Hopefully they're reunited again somewhere..
Medibank/Medicare, Free education, The end of the Vietnam war and conscription, just to name a few. Unfortunately cobbled by inept ministers and a hostile Murdoch press, not to mention a corrupt Queensland Premier and a "rule at all costs" Liberal government which attempted to thwart him at all stages.
Democracy died when he was dismissed following the circumstances behind it imho.
I would not be a teacher if it wasn't for his education reforms.
He certainly saved many teenagers and their parents from the nightmare of "the draft" aka conscription. I remember my mother dreading the postmans arrival. My brother who had just finished high school was lucky, a couple of his mates were conscripted though.
He was indeed a wonderful statesman. He always showed his appreciation to the policemen and women who protected him, unlike the ones that have followed him.
Last of the true Aussie digger politicians who cared, even if we did not agree with all they said and did.
I remember he was the first -and last - Labor politicisn my parents voted for. All that have followed him on both sides have been less than rememberable, at least for good reasons
One wonders will Malcolm Fraser be at the funeral?
Fraser will definitely be there, they did become good friends after all the crap went down. Fraser has become quite the statesman since he retired. He even wears pants now.
One wonders will Malcolm Fraser be at the funeral?
I would think so, as they got on very well in later years. If you read Fraser's media comments then, he had moved from the right to the centre on many things.
When asked how he found Fraser to be in this period, he replied, with that bob of the chin and Whitlam-inflection - "Much improved, much improved"
He had some good ideas and certainly changed things but not always for the better. His policies wrecked the economy with some help from the rest of the parliamentary trash of the period. I remember the dole became a living wage when I started year 12; 80% of my year level walked out and became bludgers in the true sense of the term. We live with that legacy as well. They bred.
I'd say "controversial" . No better or worse than any of the others in most respects.
We all have lives to live, Gough Whitlam lived his to the fullest, he achieved a great deal in his political life, introducing many reforms which we are still benefiting from today, a giant of a man with a great intellect , he has left a legacy which will continue for many decades to come, RIP.
