Whitlam

Sir William Edward "Bill" Whitlam was an Australian politician and lawyer who served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia from 1972 to 1975. Born on October 22, 1916, in Melbourne, Whitlam was educated at the University of Melbourne, where he studied law and graduated in 1939. He later worked as a solicitor before entering politics, initially as a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP).

Whitlam first entered Parliament in 1955 as a member of the House of Representatives, representing the electorate of Werriwa in Sydney. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Deputy Leader of the ALP in 1967 and later Leader in 1967, succeeding Gough Whitlam’s father, John, who had been the party’s leader since 1941. Whitlam’s leadership marked a period of significant social and political change in Australia, including the introduction of the Electoral Commission, the abolition of the Senate’s power to reject appointments, and the expansion of voting rights.

Whitlam’s tenure as Prime Minister began on 5 December 1972, following the ALP’s landslide victory in the 1972 federal election. His government implemented numerous reforms, including the establishment of the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal, the introduction of the Fair Wages Commission, and the expansion of social services. However, his administration faced significant challenges, including the dismissal of the Whitlam government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr on 11 November 1975, following a political crisis involving the Senate’s refusal to confirm the appointment of the Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock.

After the dismissal, Whitlam and the ALP were defeated in the 1975 federal election, and he retired from politics. He later served as a member of the Australian Senate from 1980 to 1983 and continued to be active in public life, including his involvement in the 1988 Bicentenary celebrations. Whitlam passed away on June 21, 2019, at the age of 102, leaving a lasting legacy as a key figure in Australian democracy and social progress.