Certain Grandeur Of Whitlam Years

by Stephen Loosley - Sunday Telegraph

As always, it was Graham Freudenberg who said it best. Taking the words from the newspaper editorial, his memoir of the Whitlam Labor governments (1972-75) was lyrically entitled, A Certain Grandeur.

Now, Freudenberg's commitment to the Labor cause is unquestioned, and he served Gough Whitlam as his principal speech writer, but nonetheless it is difficult for any reasonable observer to deny the accuracy of his assessment.

The Whitlam reputation has been under assault this week, with the release under the 30-year rule of cabinet papers from the period.

Courtesy of some traditional and entrenched Labor detractors, the second Whitlam government has been trashed, particularly on real or alleged failings in economic management. Admittedly, the statistics do suggest serious failings.

But the Whitlam years need to be seen in the context of the prevailing international economic climate with "stagflation" (high unemployment, coupled with high inflation) rampant in the world, partly occasioned as a consequence of the oil price hikes imposed unilaterally by the OPEC countries after the Yom Kippur War.

Having said this, it would be churlish not to concede that some in Gough's cabinet were economic illiterates, having spent their best years in Opposition. It was only when this political deadwood had disappeared that the government assumed economic competence, but, by the end of 1975, it was too late.

For the forces of reaction had decided (as they had already attempted unsuccessfully in April, 1974) to cut short a democratically elected government's life, deploying the numbers in a Senate stacked by conservative state governments to force a double-dissolution election.

In Sir John Kerr, the Coalition found a pliant vice-regal ally. On November 11, constitutional vandalism entered politics.

So some conservatives are as loud in their denunciation of Gough, as they are apparently unconcerned about the machinations which led to his destruction.

The Whitlam record speaks for itself, from ending conscription and withdrawing from Vietnam, to recognition of China, universal health care and open access to universities, a social security net, a national approach on the cities and environment. The list remains truly impressive even three decades later.

However, there is a fair test to decide whether Gough's enemies are right.

Ask yourself how the records of PM Billy McMahon (1971-72) or Malcolm Fraser (1975-83) compare with E.G. Whitlam? The answer will explain why no one, especially the Liberals, celebrate either of their two former Prime Ministers with anything like the measure of respect and affection which the ALP still affords Gough.

For all their flaws, the Whitlam governments do retain a certain grandeur. The critics will not even be footnotes in our history.


loosleys@sundaytelegraph.com.au