On this day in 1972 (it was a Saturday then) the Whitlam Labor Government was elected, defeating what Whitlam described as a “ramshackle coalition” led by Liberal Prime Minister William McMahon.
The first Whitlam Government created history because all the portfolios were held either by Whitlam or his deputy, Lance Barnard. The second Whitlam ministry took office a few weeks later.
On this day in 1989 (also a Saturday) the Queensland Labor Party led by Wayne Goss defeated the National Party government of Russell Cooper, bringing to an end 32 years of gerrymandered conservative electoral dominance. Goss reflects on that victory in a newspaper article in today’s Australian.
On the eve of this day in 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for disobeying a law in Alabama that required black people to give up their seats on buses to white people. Her arrest sparked a year-long boycott of the Montgomery bus system. In 1956 the United States Supreme Court banned segregation on public transport. Parks was honored during this year’s State of the Union address by President Bill Clinton who invited the people’s representatives in the 3 arms of government to stand for her.
On this day some years ago, the owner of this website was born…
About Malcolm Farnsworth