From Gough Whitlam's desk: Letters of note

Extract from ABC News

From the famous letter of dismissal to handwritten speeches and notes from the public, take a look at documents of note that passed across Gough Whitlam's desk.

By Matthew Liddy

Letter of thanks for free medical care

This typed letter from an 84-year-old man thanks Gough Whitlam - rather belatedly, since it is dated 1990 - for instituting free medical care in Australia.

 
Infographic: An 84-year-old man writes to thank Gough Whitlam for free health care. (Supplied: Whitlam Institute)

Handwritten scrawl covers 1974 speech

Gough Whitlam's handwritten notes cover this draft speech, which he delivered after the double dissolution election of May 1974.

 

Infographic: Gough Whitlam's handwritten notes cover a draft speech, which he delivered after the double dissolution election of May 1974. (Supplied: Whitlam Institute)

Telegram from Manning Clark

When Gough Whitlam retired from politics in 1978, historian Manning Clark sent him this telegram, saying time would showcase his "great achievement".

Infographic: Telegram from historian Manning Clark to Gough Whitlam, stamped April 13, 1978.
(Supplied: Whitlam Institute)

Whitlam's response to the Dismissal

Gough Whitlam wrote this draft notice of motion at The Lodge on November 11, 1975, shortly after his dismissal by the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr.

Infographic: by the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr.Gough Whitlam wrote this draft notice of motion at The Lodge on November 11, 1975, shortly after his dismissal (Supplied: National Archives)

The National Archives notes:

"In the frantic hours after the Dismissal, Whitlam sought to find a way to restore his government to power...
"Whitlam returned home to The Lodge for lunch and to plan his next move. He summoned his key advisors, whom he greeted with news 'I've been sacked!' They were like 'stunned mullets', remembered Fred Daly. They could scarcely believe what had happened. In the morning they had been planning optimistically for a half-Senate election. Now, without warning, they had been ejected from office.
"Their only chance seemed to lie with Labor's majority in the House of Representatives. They still had the numbers to demonstrate their legitimacy, to show that they were the only party with the confidence of the House. The notice of motion, which Whitlam drafted, embodied their hopes and principles. Sir John Kerr's actions were unprecendented, perhaps unconstitutional, but Labor's response would hold firm to the foundations of representative government...
"The note paper shows fold lines, presumably from being carried in the suit pocket of Gough Whitlam for his return to Parliament House.
"The motion that Whitlam later presented in the House of Representatives was substantially different to this, but the intent was the same. Whitlam believed it was crucial to demonstrate that only his government had the confidence of the House of Representatives."

The It's Time speech

This is the original copy of Gough Whitlam's 1972 election policy speech, which the Whitlam Institute points out contained about 200 specific promises.
"Whitlam regarded this speech as the contract between his government and the Australian people, and referred to it often in retrospect. Its now famous opening line - 'Men and Women of Australia' was appropriated from the oratory of wartime Labor prime minister John Curtin," the institute says.
The full version shows the final amendments that were made before Whitlam delivered the speech.

 

Infographic: Page one of the original copy of Gough Whitlam's 1972 election policy speech - known as the It's Time speech. (Supplied: Whitlam Institute)

 

Infographic: Page seven from Gough Whitlam's 1972 election policy speech shows his hand edits. (Supplied: Whitlam Institute)

Letter from Spike Milligan

Comedian Spike Milligan wrote to Gough Whitlam in 1977, with a "small but human" consolation. (via Jason Murdoch on Twitter)

 

Infographic: Comedian Spike Milligan sent this letter to former PM Gough Whitlam in 1977. (Supplied: Whitlam Institute)

The letter of Dismissal

This is a scanned copy of the original letter that Governor-General Sir John Kerr gave to Gough Whitlam in 1975, terminating his commission as prime minister and dismissing his government from office.
The Whitlam Institute says the letter sat overturned on Kerr's desk when Whitlam walked into his office at 1pm on November 11, 1975. Whitlam intended to advise him to call a half-Senate election to break the deadlock that was blocking the passage of his budget but Kerr handed him the letter first.

"We shall all have to live with this," Kerr said to Whitlam.
"You certainly will," Whitlam replied.

Infographic: The original letter that Governor-General Sir John Kerr gave to Gough Whitlam in 1975, terminating his commission as prime minister and dismissing his government from office. (Supplied: Whitlam Institute)

Gough Whitlam's perceived weaknesses

The 1972 It's Time campaign is famed for not only delivering power to Labor and Gough Whitlam, but changing how political parties campaign in Australia.
This composite image shows a list of Mr Whitlam's perceived weaknesses, as identified by qualitative research.