Media Release
Gough Whitlam will be remembered as a Labor legend who ensured the need for a fair go remains a permanent part of our national political agenda.
Whether it was his insistence on affordable health care or his reforms to tertiary education and Indigenous issues, Gough Whitlam’s guiding principles were fairness and the widening of opportunities.
His energy and enthusiasm for reforms were well known and spanned a vast array of issues.
He had the common touch and was genuinely a man of the people who could talk to anyone on any subject.
Gough Whitlam inspired not just one but several generations to view our political system as the way to achieve real reforms that benefit not just those who need a helping hand, but our entire community.
The establishment of the original Medibank as a means to ensure affordable and universal health care lives on in Medicare and ranks as one of the great social reforms in our nation’s history.
It remains the envy of many other countries. We would not have Medicare today if it were not for the Whitlam Government.
He was passionate about social justice and education. The ongoing positive impact of the Whitlam Government’s widening of access to university education cannot be underestimated.
His government’s work in Indigenous affairs was also inspired by its demand for the original Australians to be treated fairly and given the respect and opportunities they deserve.
Gough Whitlam’s time in office may have been cut short, but his legacy has lasted and will continue to inspire generations to come.
One of my earliest memories is of the poster of Gough Whitlam on the wall in our family home.
As a 20-year-old I was proud to be in a group that had dinner with Gough Whitlam.
I was in awe to sit across a table and enjoy his conversation.
He inspired me and continues to inspire me.
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