R.I.P. Gough Whitlam

psionl0

Skeptical about skeptics
psionl0
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Former Australian Prime Minister Edward Gough Whitlam died yesterday aged 98. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...gough-whitlam-dead-at-98-20141021-1192t2.html

He is most famously remembered as the only prime minister in Australian history to be sacked by the Governor General (Sir John Kerr) in 1975.

He was Labor's last "true believer". History records that he brought about a long list of reforms to Australia - including free university education, recognition of Aboriginal land rights and nationalized health care amongst others. However, being years ahead of public opinion, his pace of reforms, inability to handle the economy of his time and his inability to contain the excesses of his ministers caused great fear amongst the voting public. Subsequent to his sacking, he had to take responsibility for Labor's worst electoral defeat in history.

In spite of this defeat, his legacy was the end of the Menzies era of fiscal responsibility. It was also the end of Labor's socialist ideals. By the time that Bob Hawke finally wrested victory for Labor 8 years later, any pretence that Labor represented the ordinary worker had long gone.

Reckless spending funded by borrowing against the next generation has been a feature of Australian governments ever since.
 
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Wow. My dad was a race car driver who raced in Australia every year. I actually have a signed picture of him while he was prime minister with my dad after a race signed by Gough. I didn't even know he was still alive until I found out he had died.
 
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devnull said:
wow. Way to politicise an RIP :)
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There is really no other way you can discuss Gough Whitlam. No matter your political position the man cast an exceptionally long shadow over the political landscape of Australia.
 
Before he was elected there was a long time when very little was done. He did what needed to be done. He was hit hard by a hostile Senate and the oil crises which fundamentally altered things in the world. For example before that time if you produced it, you probably could sell it. After that time you needed to sell it to consumers who had a choice of other similar products.

I do not think anything done by any PM since has had a more major impact on Australia.
 
rjh01 said:
He was hit hard by a hostile Senate and the oil crises which fundamentally altered things in the world.
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That and he CIA coup against him - the ambassador to Australia at the time was Marshall Green, who was ambassador to Indonesia when Suharto took over and to Korea when Major-General Park Chung Heegot took over there. Of course, that was probably just a coincidence...
 
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psionl0 said:
Former Australian Prime Minister Edward Gough Whitlam died yesterday aged 98. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...gough-whitlam-dead-at-98-20141021-1192t2.html

He is most famously remembered as the only prime minister in Australian history to be sacked by the Governor General (Sir John Kerr) in 1975.

He was Labor's last "true believer". History records that he brought about a long list of reforms to Australia - including free university education, recognition of Aboriginal land rights and nationalized health care amongst others. However, being years ahead of public opinion, his pace of reforms, inability to handle the economy of his time and his inability to contain the excesses of his ministers caused great fear amongst the voting public. Subsequent to his sacking, he had to take responsibility for Labor's worst electoral defeat in history.

In spite of this defeat, his legacy was the end of the Menzies era of fiscal responsibility. It was also the end of Labor's socialist ideals. By the time that Bob Hawke finally wrested victory for Labor 8 years later, any pretence that Labor represented the ordinary worker had long gone.

Reckless spending funded by borrowing against the next generation has been a feature of Australian governments ever since.
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The deficit Gough built up was around 2%.

Good governments have always borrowed against the future to build infrastructure. I mentioned in another thread that Henry Bolte, that ultra conservative toad, saw where Victoria was going and spent like a drunken sailor on roads, an airport, power stations, dams, sewage, ports and so on.

Where would Victoria be without this reckless irresponsibility? Stuffed.

Gough was trying to move Australia forward. It was a costly exercise.
 
MG1962 said:
There is really no other way you can discuss Gough Whitlam. No matter your political position the man cast an exceptionally long shadow over the political landscape of Australia.
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What, you can only discuss Gough by making grandiose statements about the Labor party and you're own misunderstanding of economics?

I stand corrected :D
 
bit_pattern said:
That and he CIA coup against him - the ambassador to Australia at the time was Marshall Green, who was ambassador to Indonesia when Suharto took over and to Korea when Major-General Park Chung Heegot took over there. Of course, that was probably just a coincidence...
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I don't think there was any coup.
Of course the Yanks did not like him and his politics.
Maybe they tried to pull a few strings.
But unfortunately the Australian people had their say on the Labor Government under Gough and kicked them out.
I was a big Gough fan and I still am.
He was a giant in a mediocre Government.
Probably our greatest Prime Minister.
What a legacy he has left.
 
wombatwal said:
I don't think there was any coup.
Of course the Yanks did not like him and his politics.
Maybe they tried to pull a few strings.
But unfortunately the Australian people had their say on the Labor Government under Gough and kicked them out.
I was a big Gough fan and I still am.
He was a giant in a mediocre Government.
Probably our greatest Prime Minister.
What a legacy he has left.
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I don't think CIA involvement is outrageous.

I think the CIA was terrified of the "communist" Jim Cairns getting access to Pine Gap and other intelligence.
 
rjh01 said:
One thing that has not been mentioned is his contribution to the Arts. An example is that he ordered that "Blue Poles" be bought. He coped some flake for that at the time. The headlines read "drunks did it". Now it is a significant painting in the National Gallery of Australia. If you ever go to Canberra make sure you see it.

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment...on-of-australian-culture-20141021-1196wz.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_11,_1952_(painting)
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I have been to Canberra and I have seen it in real life and still think it is a piece of crap. However the rate it has appreciated has left me far less disturbed by the original purchase
 
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