Liberals Quick To Ridicule Beazley

Jan 28, 2005

The Liberal Party has been quick to react to the re-election of Kim Beazley as Labor leader.

Following Beazley’s re-election press conference, the Liberal Party circulated a statement, attributed to Gough Whitlam by Phillip Adams, to subscribers to the party’s email newsletter.

The remark has Whitlam referring to Beazley’s extensive experience in government and asking: “Tell me one thing he did in any of them!”

The email is headed:

What does Gough Whitlam really think about Kim Beazley’s performance?

The email quotes from Adams’ article in The Australian on January 25, 2005:

“Reviewing his career, Gough Whitlam reminded me that Kim’s now the ALP’s most experienced front-bencher – rattling off the portfolios and the dates he held them. Staring down at me, he used a moment’s silence to emphasise the point. ‘Tell me one thing he did in any of them!’”

The full text of Adams’ article is available here. In it, he describes Beazley “as the ALP’s counterpart to Al Gore” and asserts that the resurrected leader will be a captive of factional bosses who won’t be able to throw off his small-target strategy from the past.

Beazley was a minister for all of the 13 years of the Hawke and Keating governments. He held the following portfolios:

  • Minister for Aviation from 11.3.83 to 13.12.84
  • Special Minister of State from 14.7.83 to 21.1.84
  • Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence from 11.3.83 to 13.12.84
  • Minister for Defence from 13.12.84 to 4.4.90
  • Vice-President of the Executive Council from 15.2.88 to 1.2.91
  • Minister for Transport and Communications from 4.4.90 to 9.12.91
  • Minister for Finance from 9.12.91 to 27.12.91
  • Minister for Employment, Education and Training from 27.12.91 to 23.12.93
  • Minister for Finance from 23.12.93 to 11.3.96
  • Deputy Prime Minister from 20.6.95 to 11.3.96
Filed Under: A.L.P., Howard Government Tagged With: , ,

50 Years Of ANZUS – John Howard Speech

May 30, 2001

This is the text of a speech given by the Prime Minister, John Howard, at a reception on the occasion of 50 years of the Australia-United States Alliance, held at the Sydney Opera House.

John HowardWell ladies and gentlemen I’d like to welcome you to this, I think very important gathering to mark a very important treaty between two very great countries and two very great societies. And I’d particularly like to welcome Senator Michael Enzie from Wyoming, and Senate Sargent at Arms James Ziglar and their wives, Vice-Admiral Jim Metzger the Commander of the Seventh Fleet and his wife, and also to the captain and the crew members of USS Blue Ridge. [Read more...]

Filed Under: ANZUS, Howard Government Tagged With: , , ,

Great Man Sends Birthday Greetings

Dec 02, 1999

Gough Whitlam, former Prime Minister and Greatest Living Australian, has sent this email on the anniversary of his election to government and Malcolm Farnsworth’s birthday:

Gough Whitlam, Greatest Living Australian

Everybody knows that this is the anniversary of Napoleon I’s coronation and Louis Napoleon’s coup d’état and the defeats of ramshackle and reactionary coalitions by Napoleon at Austerlitz, by me in Canberra and by Goss in Brisbane. I’m sure your staff will remember that it is the anniversary of your birth.

Many happy returns

Gough Whitlam

Filed Under: Opinion, Political History Tagged With:

A Day of Significant Anniversaries…

Dec 02, 1999

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…

Filed Under: Political History Tagged With: , ,

Howard Defends Sir John Kerr

Nov 03, 1999

In a radio interview with John Laws today, Prime Minister John Howard has reiterated his support for the current system of constitutional monarchy and defended the role played by Sir John Kerr in the 1975 dismissal of the Whitlam Government.

In defending role and actions of the Governor-General in the crisis brought about by the blocking of the Whitlam government’s budget in the Senate in October 1975, Howard said:

“And whatever may now be retrospectively said by both Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser about 1975 what the late Governor-General then did was to remit the matter to the Australian people. And within a few weeks the Australian people could decide whether or not they agreed or disagreed with Mr Whitlam or Mr Fraser.

Now, that is the essence of a democracy and it worked on that occasion. And, of course, the other irony about 1975 is that the republicans are supporting a model which they say would still allow the future Australian president to do what John Kerr did. So, I mean, I am lost as to quite what they are getting at.

I thought for some of the Labor republicans maintaining the rage was the only thing that mattered in life yet they are now purporting to carry forward into a new republican constitution the reserve powers of the Crown, it’s like having a monarchy without the monarch which is an interesting proposition within itself. But that’s for them to answer.

I thought what Sir John Kerr did in 1975 at least provided a democratic outcome. I mean, if you look back on 1975 the last person who, in my view, should be criticised is the late Governor-General. I think if people felt strongly about 1975 they should direct their criticism either against Mr Fraser or Mr Whitlam.”

Filed Under: Howard Government, Republic, Whitlam Dismissal Tagged With: , , ,

Whitlam and Fraser, Old Foes, Unite For “YES” Vote

Nov 01, 1999

Gough WhitlamGough Whitlam, dismissed as Prime Minister by the Governor-General in 1975 has united with the man who defeated him, former Liberal Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, to support a “YES” vote in Saturday’s referendum.

Whitlam and Fraser are apprearing together in television commercials this week.

At one point, Whitlam turns to Fraser and says: “Malcolm, it’s time.” Fraser responds, “it is”.

Filed Under: Referendums, Republic, Video, Whitlam Dismissal Tagged With: ,

Gough Whitlam’s 1975 Election Policy Speech

Nov 24, 1975

Gough Whitlam delivered his policy speech for the 1975 election at Melbourne’s Festival Hall on Monday, November 24.

  • Listen to Whitlam’s speech in full

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  • Listen to the crowd chant ‘We Want Gough’

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  • Listen to Whitlam’s opening words

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Men and Women of Australia,

The whole future of Australian democracy is in your hands.

The decision you make on 13 December goes far beyond who shall govern Australia for a few months or a few years. It goes to the heart of how Australia is to be governed into the Twenty-First Century.

Above all, Australia must be re-united – united about our basic faith in the value of Parliamentary democracy; as a means for change, and as a means for good government.

The shame of the past six weeks must be wiped away. In those shameful six weeks, a stacked Senate went on strike against a Budget vital to Australia’s welfare and the nation’s economy. The nation and the nation’s elected government were held to ransom. And by those means, the elected government in full command of the confidence of Parliament was deposed.

Is Australia to continue to be a Parliamentary democracy? Are we to have governments elected by the people, through the People’s House? Are elected governments to govern? [Read more...]

Filed Under: 1975 Federal Election, Audio, Audio1975, Whitlam Dismissal, Whitlam Government Tagged With: ,

Gough Whitlam’s 1974 Election Policy Speech

Apr 29, 1974

The Whitlam Labor Government faced the electorate on May 18, 1974, just 18 months after taking office, in a double dissolution election.

Whitlam delivered his policy speech at the Blacktown Civic Centre, calling for a “fair go” for his government and a chance to carry out “the program”.

  • Listen to Whitlam’s Policy Speech

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Transcript of the Policy Speech delivered by the Prime Minister of Australia, Gough Whitlam, at the Blacktown Civic Centre, NSW, on April 29, 1974.

Men and Women of Australia,

Just 17 months ago, I stood here, and from this place and from this city I asked you to choose for Australia a new team, a new program, a new drive for equality of opportunities. You gave us a clear mandate to go ahead with our program for the next 3 years. For 17 months we have driven ourselves to carry out your mandate, to carry out the program I placed before you. Now the government you elected for 3 years has been interrupted in mid-career. Our program has been brought to a halt in mid-stream. [Read more...]

Filed Under: 1974 Federal Election, Audio, Audio1974, Whitlam Dismissal, Whitlam Government Tagged With:

Sir Paul Hasluck’s 1974 Proclamation Dissolving Parliament

Apr 11, 1974

The Twenty-Eighth Parliament was dissolved after only 18 months as a result of the controversy over the appointment of the DLP Senator Vince Gair as Australian Ambassador to Ireland.

The subsequent announcement by the Federal Opposition Leader, Bill Snedden, that the coalition parties would block the goverment’s Supply Bills in the Senate caused Prime Minister Gough Whitlam to respond by calling a double dissolution election for May 18, 1974.

PROCLAMATION
By PAUL HASLUCK, the
Governor-General of Australia

WHEREAS by section 57 of the Constitution it is provided that if the House of Representatives passes any proposed law, and the Senate rejects or fails to pass it, or passes it with amendments to which the House of Representatives will not agree, and if after an interval of three months the House of Representatives, in the same or the next session, again passes the proposed law with or without any amendments which have been made, suggested, or agreed to by the Senate and the Senate rejects or fails to pass it, or passes it with amendments to which the House of Representatives will not agree, the Governor-General may dissolve the Senate and the House of Representatives simultaneously: [Read more...]

Filed Under: 1974 Federal Election, Double Dissolutions, Governor-General, Whitlam Government Tagged With: ,