The Whitlam Government

The legacy of this government was that it instigated major changes in the social and cultural fabric of Australia but it also challenged the philosophy of what an Australian is and what Australia represented. The late 1960s and early 1970s were times of great change. Perspectives and acceptances about imperialism, women's liberation, racism, ideology, religion, war, morality, social responsibility and the natural environment were changing for a great many people throughout the world. Some issues were long term political debates that had been presented previously but not received enough support for legislative change.

The first Bill introduced to the Senate on March 1, 1972, the Death Penalty Abolition Bill was by not a new issue (1). The abolition of the death penalty had been a tenet of the ALP since 1919 although the Scullin, Curtin and Chifley ALP governments had not introduced any Bill (2). It was the second reading of the third introduction of the Bill that was passed on May 8, 1973 (3).

This Bill was opposed by the Country Party but supported by the ALP and over half the Liberal members that voted on the Bill when it was carried on the September 13, 1973 (4).

Other examples of issues of change that had been previously presented by the Whitlam opposition were the lowering of the age to vote from 21 to 18 and the lowering of the age when a person could marry without parental consent from 21 to 18. These two Bills were the first to be presented in the Whitlam Government's House of Representatives (5). This empowerment of youth was an important social and political step by the Whitlam lead ALP. The children of the post war baby boom were reaching or nearing adulthood, Australia had a large youth population and in typically ALP seats like Whitlam's own seat of Werriwa the youth population was very high (6). The withdrawal of troops from Viet Nam and the end of conscription were also issues that affected the youth of Australia.

Another legacy of the Whitlam Government is found in the support and improvements offered to women. Soon after the Whitlam government came to power issues relating to rights and status of women were either supported or addressed by the Government. This included the rights and requests for equal pay for equal work, for maternity leave, amendments to the Public Services Act, grants for family planning centres, more affordable availability of the contraceptive pill and a supporting mothers pension for women who were the sole parent (7).

The anti-racist philosophy forwarded by the Whitlam Government marked a major change in the ALP and the White Australian ideology. The Racial Discrimination Bill 1975 represented a major achievement of the Whitlam Government that effected immigration, indigenous affairs and rights, international politics and the beginning of the multiculturalism policy.

Two other of the major policy changes instigated by the Whitlam Government were the introduction of free tertiary education and the introduction of free medical services under Medicare.

The Whitlam Government also brought changes in the arts, Australian culture and nationalism. Under the Whitlam Government funding for every area of the arts was increased, this included the Australian Opera, the Australian Ballet, the Australian National Gallery and its international and nation collection, this injection of funding to the arts also included the formation of the Australia Council and an increased support for Australian literature, film, drama and indigenous art (8). Yet by far the greatest cultural legacy of the Whitlam Government was the changing of the National Anthem from "God Save