A brief biography of Gough Whitlam
Mr Gough Whitlam was born in 1916 and dead in 2014. He was a former Prime Minister of Australia. He was famous because of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, also known as the Dismissal. This was a quite unique moment in Australia political history. As for the only one time in history, the Governor-General, usually been considered as a mascot, used his power to dismiss the Prime Minister. At that time, Whitlam won the election in 1972 without the majority of Senate. Consequently, in 1975 the opposition used its control of the Senate to defer one of Whitlam’s policy and asked for an election. Both sides didn’t give in. Negotiation seemed to have reached an impasse. Then the Governor-General Kerr dismissed Whitlam as the Prime Minister and finished this crisis. But Kerr was widely criticised for that in his rest life.
Mr Gough Whitlam was born in Melbourne in a public servant family. In 1918 his family relocated to Sydney as his father’s work changed. Whitlam took his primary education in 3 different schools in Sydney. When he was 11 years old his father was promoted to Assistant Crown Solicitor. His new working location was in Canberra. So all his family moved to Canberra. Whitlam took his secondary education in Canberra. Firstly at Telopea Park School and then transferred to Canberra Grammar School. Whitlam enrolled at the University of Sydney at his age of 18. After got his Bachelor of Arts degree, he continued to study law. But his study was interrupted by war.
World War II outbreak in 1939 then Whitlam joined the army. In 1942 he entered Royal Australia Air Force (RAAF) and trained as a navigator. In 1945 he left RAAF and went back to school to finish his study. In 1951 Whitlam won the preselection as an Australia Labour Party (ALP) candidate. Next year he became a member of the House of Representatives and began his political career. On his maiden speech, he responded to an interrupter that ‘The time will come when you may interrupt me.’ This cool response raised the notice to this newcomer. In 1956 Whitlam was appointed to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Constitutional Review. This influenced his political development very much. At this period he learned that the Constitution could be used as a benefit for his party. In 1967 Whitlam was elected ALP leader. He reformed the ALP to get more support from middle class. He won the election in 1972, then in 1975 the Dismissal happened. He resigned 3 years later.
Whitlam died in 2014 at age of 98. He has greater longevity than any other prime minister of Australia.
