Gough Whitlam Case Study

Policies and Prime Ministership of Gough Whitlam
Question (a): Write an outline of the changes made by Gough Whitlam when he was Australia’s Prime Minister.
Overview
o Wide-ranging reform plan o Aimed to quickly change the social aspects of society, rather than solving Australia’s economic problems o Whitlam’s key principles were:
 Equality of opportunity
 Promotion of the Australian identity o Post-Vietnam War policies o Whitlam’s policies addressed many social justice issues o Foreign policy o Human rights (women + Indigenous) o Multiculturalism o Public benefit o National Identity

Post-war policies
 Abolition of conscription for national service
 Immediate withdrawal from Vietnam
 Release of draft dodgers from prison

Foreign Policy o China
 Official
 Australia’s recognition of China was a pivotal moment in our history.
 Economic –
 Australia had bonds with the largest economy of the world
 It gives us the boom in our resource industry
 Two-way trade was $113 million in 1972
 In 1973, a Trade Agreement was signed, granting mutual ‘most favoured nation