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RIP Gough Whitlam

I don't know how old you are @pecan but I was only a kid during his time in office. I feel sad and more so after hearing people speaking highly of him on the radio on the drive home from work particularly Malcolm Turnbull's generous and genuine tribute. I'll be honest, tears have flowed but more for where we have ended up as a country now which is far removed from the one of compassion set by his legacy.
 
MADONNA said:
I'm watching something about him on ABC now and he sounds like he slayed. RIP.
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He empowered people of the western suburbs not only in Sydney but Melbourne and Brisbane. Up until the mid 70s people were still using an outside toilet that required the 'can' been removed and emptied.
 
A great, great man.
It is difficult to put into words how inspirational he was and is.
A colossal intellect ,and kindess
And the partnership with his wife was so beautiful and inspiring too.


It is one of my earliest political memories, that It's Time, and how excited everyone was.
And he won office on my birthday - and it was like the dark ages melted away, and we stepped into the modern world.

I had older brothers, as a kid conscription was scary.

Gough Whitlam, was my first young venture into learning about politics, what a way in.
 
kxk said:
A great, great man.
It is difficult to put into words how inspirational he was and is.
And the partnership with his wife was so beautiful and inspiring too.


It is one of my earliest political memories, that It's Time, and how excited everyone was.
And he won office on my birthday - and it was like the dark ages melted away, and we stepped into the modern world.

I had older brothers, as a kid conscription was scary.

Gough Whitlam, was my first young venture into learning about politics, what a way in.
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My boss was telling me today that her brother was conscripted through the whole 'birthday draft'. Fortunately for him, Gough came to power and he ended it. Maybe saved her brother's life.
 
Yes and don't forget what he did for education. Many firsts, First world leader to acknowledge china (I think).
And Margaret Whitlam was a classic too! I remember there was a joke going around that Margaret was so down to earth she could kick start a jumbo jet!
Loved by many, Hated by some, Respected by All.
 
@MADONNA

Pretty much every anti discrimination law in place now is based on a Whitlam initiative or policy of equality for all.
I believe they passed more bills in the first 100 days of office than most parties achieve in a full term.
I think it is a record of some sort and it was pretty much all reforms.
We have medicare due to Gough, we had free uni for a bit because of Gough and he changed unis forever from old boys clubs.
Family Law Gough, womens pay & rights, gough.....check it out, it is rather awesome reading about him.
Aboriginal rights, the beginning of land rights.....
The Labor party has over years introduced many of the reforms to the legal system, including setting up Legal Aid, and funding free community legal services

And Margaret was a whip too, I loved how she took Mrs Howard to task, for doing bugger all.
 
Knock_Loudly said:
http://www.whitlam.org/gough_whitlam/Western_Sydney
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Thx, will read after BB xo

kxk said:
@MADONNA

Pretty much every anti discrimination law in place now is based on a Whitlam initiative or policy of equality for all.
I believe they passed more bills in the first 100 days of office than most parties achieve in a full term.
I think it is a record of some sort and it was pretty much all reforms.
We have medicare due to Gough, we had free uni for a bit because of Gough and he changed unis forever from old boys clubs.
Family Law Gough, womens pay & rights, gough.....check it out, it is rather awesome reading about him.
Aboriginal rights, the beginning of land rights.....
The Labor party has over years introduced many of the reforms to the legal system, including setting up Legal Aid, and funding free community legal services

And Margaret was a whip too, I loved how she took Mrs Howard to task, for doing bugger all.
Click to expand...

The hell happened to FREE UNI >_>
 
kxk said:
@MADONNA

Pretty much every anti discrimination law in place now is based on a Whitlam initiative or policy of equality for all.
I believe they passed more bills in the first 100 days of office than most parties achieve in a full term.
I think it is a record of some sort and it was pretty much all reforms.
We have medicare due to Gough, we had free uni for a bit because of Gough and he changed unis forever from old boys clubs.
Family Law Gough, womens pay & rights, gough.....check it out, it is rather awesome reading about him.
Aboriginal rights, the beginning of land rights.....
The Labor party has over years introduced many of the reforms to the legal system, including setting up Legal Aid, and funding free community legal services

And Margaret was a whip too, I loved how she took Mrs Howard to task, for doing bugger all.
Click to expand...

He setup the reforms in Family Law which was to (No Fault) proceedings. The Family Law Act clth was passed in '75 and brought divorce out of the dark ages. As far as Tertiary Education, my life would be very different if not for Gough and "Its Time"
 
Knock_Loudly said:
I don't know how old you are @pecan but I was only a kid during his time in office. I feel sad and more so after hearing people speaking highly of him on the radio on the drive home from work particularly Malcolm Turnbull's generous and genuine tribute. I'll be honest, tears have flowed but more for where we have ended up as a country now which is far removed from the one of compassion set by his legacy.
Click to expand...

It was before I was born Knock_Loudly, but his policies shaped the Australia I grew up with. I grew up with Medicare and university access as a given, for instance. I've been reading through some of the things he achieved today, some of them I already knew, but there were other things I didn't know about, like improving access to sewerage is one thing I wouldn't have thought of. So many things we take for granted now were initiated or progressed by his government - Medicare, university access for all, Legal Aid, the Racial Discrimination Act, land rights, the Family Court, no fault divorce, welfare support for single mothers and the homeless, the voting age of 18, territory representation in the Senate, the abolition of the death penalty, conscription and the White Australia policy etc. All in 3 short years.
 
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I was around, it was a magic time, in a way. Smokin pot wasn't a big deal (cept in queensland) The mood was big amongst the younger people. Universities were beginning to "free think" . Sociology and philosophy opened up.

I hope derspatz doesn't see this ...could all end up in tears.
 
@kxk, "free" ?

It ain't "free" if somebody else is paying !

Free means NOBODY pays, which clearly ain't the case re: the disaster upon disaster the recently departed "worst PM Oz eva had before emily lister fabian socialist gillard came along" inflicted upon this once great nation.

The fact of the matter is that Oz is still paying off and for the curse and "beginning of the end" upon our nation that stemmed from the Whitlam years .

regarDS
 
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I grew up in a very Labour biased house; and remember local branch meetings after Kerr's Cur. Firebrand stuff.

RIP Gough.
 
penelopepitstop said:
He setup the reforms in Family Law which was to (No Fault) proceedings. The Family Law Act clth was passed in '75 and brought divorce out of the dark ages. As far as Tertiary Education, my life would be very different if not for Gough and "Its Time"
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Ditto on the tertiary education. The only politician I can point to and say that one changed my life has been Gough Whitlam.
 
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