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
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.

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

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.