What did Whitlam ever do for us?
30 December 2021
KEITH JACKSON
NOOSA – I am, after a short stay in hospital, back home, still feeling a bit poorly – but that is my normal state.
You should also know I’m in something of an intemperate mood.
However, I’m feeling well and agreeable enough to manage this short compilation for readers too young or too senile to recall.
And the ‘this’ is just a partial list of the achievements of EG (Gough) Whitlam, prime minister of Australia for 1,071 days between 5 December 1972, and 11 November 1975, Remembrance Day.
Some of these accomplishment s have huge significance still, and some may seem minor to you but important to others.
Somehow, most have survived to this day.
And I repeat, this is a partial list.
But it does include how taking over from Andrew Peacock, Minister for External Territories, Whitlam brought Papua New Guinea to independence, a passionate goal he shared with Peacock.
There’s a link here if you’re interested in reading more about Whitlam
___________
SOME OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE WHITLAM ADMINISTRATION
Introduced free medical care (Medibank, later privatised by Coalition and reintroduced by Labor as Medicare)
Made university and higher education free and vastly increased funding to tertiary education
Vastly increased education funding for state run schools and needy private and Catholic schools
Granted Indigenous land rights
Passed Racial Discrimination Act
Re-established diplomatic relations with China
Ended Australia's involvement in Vietnam War
Ended conscription
Abolished White Australia Policy
Established Australian Law Reform Commission
Legislated no-fault divorce through Family Law Act
Implemented system of Senate select and joint committees
Took French nuclear testing case to the International Court of Justice (French then voluntarily halted nuclear testing in the Pacific)
Ratified international conventions on eliminating racial discrimination, protecting civil and political rights and enhancing economic, social and cultural rights
He took over from Andrew Peacock in guiding Papua New Guinea to independence in 1975
Raised pensions to 25% of average weekly earnings and introduced many other welfare payments
Ensured Senate representation for the ACT and Northern Territory
Reopened equal pay case, championing rights of women to work and be fairly compensated
Abolished tax on contraceptives
Introduced Freedom of Information legislation
Created Office of Commonwealth Ombudsman
Made ASIO be accountable to Parliament
Ended death penalty for Commonwealth crimes
Lowering voted age from 21 to 18
Protected many more heritage and environmental sites (created environmental law division within Attorney General's Department)
Established community broadcasting (and Triple J)
Introduced legislation to establish SBS
Established Australian Film and Television School
Initiated Australian Legal Aid Office and Aboriginal Legal Service (both providing free legal representation)
Initiated a national competition for an Australian national anthem as a result of which God Save the Queen was replaced by Advance Australia Fair
Abolished imperial honours and established Australia’s own honours list (Order of Australia)
Established National Gallery in Canberra, doubled funding to the arts and created the Australia Council for the Arts
Abolished appeals to Privy Council
Dropped prosecutions against conscientious objectors
Inaugurated a new royal title, Queen of Australia
Removed royal insignia (the crown) from post boxes
Passed Trade Practices Act and implemented new laws in relation to monopolies, exclusive dealing, price discrimination, restraint of trade, anti-competitive mergers and many consumer protection measures
Introduced guidelines for foreign investment in Australia
Established Institute of Criminology and Criminology Research Council
Prevented State police from engaging in illegal telephone taps
There's more. It can wait.
Of Australian politicians current, does this news item indicate to whom Australians prefer to lean towards and associate with?
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/culture/art-and-design/tv-stars-and-athletes-beat-out-politicians-in-this-year-s-archibald-haul-20220331-p5a9ou.html
_______
I'm not surprised the artists of our land regard Morrison & Co as rubbish. When money was being sprayed around like crazy in 2020, Gerry Harvey got a motzah and now fills up the johnny rapers with his ads and the poor bloody garrett dwellers got zilch - KJ
Posted by: Lindsay F Bond | 02 April 2022 at 02:39 PM
Thank you Keith for this reminder of the Whitlam government's many lasting achievements.
Whitlam maintained, with tongue only half planted in cheek, that he was not Australia's best Prime Minister, only its most important.
To my mind there is a decent argument for that proposition, although it is pretty hard to argue against John Curtin for that honour.
In my lifetime I think that the PM's of the first rank have been Sir Robert Menzies, EG Whitlam, RJL Hawke and Paul Keating.
I include John Howard amongst the second rank because of his statesmanlike and determined reform of Australia's gun legislation after the Port Arthur massacre and his politically brave pursuit of the GST when this was intensely unpopular even within his own party.
Howard's record is tarnished by the infamous children overboard scandal, the thoroughly unfair Work Choices legislation which he forced through the Senate and what I perceive as the squandering of a once in a lifetime financial bonanza on unnecessary tax cuts as distinct from very necessary tax reform.
Since John Howard there has only been one Prime Minister who I think would rank amongst even the middle echelons of past incumbents and that is Julia Gillard.
The rest are very definitely amongst the lower ranks, with Tony Abbott and Morrison near the very bottom. Sir William McMahon probably still holds that position although future historians might put either Abbott or Morrison there.
In PNG, there have been very few PM's of the first rank. I think that only Sir Michael Somare and Sir Mekere Morauta would be deserving of that honour. The rest have fallen well short of the standards these two men set.
It is arguable that at least part of the malaise now affecting so many democracies lies in the inability of our political systems to now produce people of the first rank to take on leadership roles.
I blame this partly upon the professionalisation of politics, partly upon the emergence of professional lobbyists working for large and powerful interest groups and, perhaps most significantly, upon the need to generate huge financial 'war chests' to fund election campaigns.
The latter need has made political parties deeply susceptible to influence peddling and backroom dealings which have compromised both their integrity and ability to govern without fear or favour.
The current Australian government is a clear example of a party hopelessly compromised by its reliance upon very narrow interest groups for its finances.
None of this bodes well for the future and it is hard to see how the situation can be reformed unless and until someone of Whitlam or Hawke's stature comes along.
Posted by: Chris Overland | 30 December 2021 at 04:39 PM
Almost whirl without end.
Yet…
Posted by: Lindsay F Bond | 30 December 2021 at 03:51 PM
Truely impressive. I wonder how the current bloke compares. We know he doesn't hold a hose.
Posted by: Stephen Charteris | 30 December 2021 at 03:03 PM
That's quite an impressive and egalitarian list.
Meanwhile under the cover of Christmas and amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Stuart Robert, our acting Education Minister, has vetoed critical research grants.
Australian Research Council grants have only been blocked twice in the past.
The last time was in 2018 when Simon Birmingham (also a Liberal) blocked 11 research projects.
In 2006 Brendan Nelson (another Liberal) under John Howard's administration vetoed seven grants.
https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/politicisation-of-research-grants-beggars-belief-20211226-p59k6j
"An educated, healthy and confident nation is much harder to govern" - Tony Benn
Posted by: Bernard Corden | 30 December 2021 at 02:29 PM