Marxism? Socialism? Self-Interestism? Conservatism?
Narrowmindedism? Ignorantism? Close-mindedism?
Stupidism, Simplisticism?
So many "isms" to choose from.

Was Gough Whitlam good or bad? Was Malcolm Fraser right
or wrong? Was John Kerr weak or strong? To an ever small
number of still lingering ideological "warriors" a
simplistic frame still continues to cast every aspect of
a complex history in pure black and white terms.

But, like all good stories this one is less obvious and
actually far more interesting than these easy questions suggest.

Whitlam is neither a saint nor a sinner. but an exceptional
reformer, whose term in office both as a leader of the
Labor Party and as a Prime Minster changed Australia.

Gough Whitlam who died aged 98 - sits in an unusual position
between enduring controversy and belated recognition. There are
those who see him as an "elder statesman" and to others he's
the unrepentent leader of the "worst government in Australia's
history."

However, even those who deplore the nature of his government's
reforms - like the IPA (Institute of Public Affairs),
- would today dispute the fact that any other Prime Minister
changed Australia more than Gough Whitlam.

The IPA has acknowledged that fact.

For Gough Whitlam politics was, as his biographers have pointed
out, - both passion and practicality. He brought passion to a
reformist vision and practicality to its detail. Although
its implementation - which was ambitious was not always
successful.

Whitlam, we're told saw Australia as an independent state
subservient to neither Britain nor the US. He was determined to
change the face of modern Australia.

We shall have to wait and see if Whitlam's legacy continues
with the current government. A good start has been made thus
far. Will it be allowed to continue? The Australian voters
have made their feelings clear. The old "attack dog," attitudes
no longer work. Nor will they any longer continue to be
acceptable.

Hi Foxy,

I was a young member of the ALP in 1972, aged 19. Refused a vote by the Conservative government who had seen fit to conscript young men to die in their atrocious war in Vietnam, yet at the same time were refusing those same young Australians the right to cast a vote for the political leadership of that very country they were supposedly defending, utter rot of course. Something Whitlam did change in 1973 was to lower the voting age to 18. The late 60's, early 70's were years of great social change, the status quo was no longer acceptable to many thinking people, they were demanding a change to the social order, minorities such as Aboriginals, gays, women, the young workers and migrants were demanding change and like Aboriginals today a strong voice in their own affairs. The demands for equality and justice were growing ever louder, and the election of the Whitlam government was a reflection of those demands.

I read the comments of the likes of ttbn and the like minded, and they reassure me I was right then, and still right today.

Apart from destroying PNG the one standout thing that Whitlam proved beyond all doubt is that Ideology is the most dangerous thing in human activities.

He proved that it will always fail when logic & practicality is what is required, but are ignored.

Dear Paul,

Although my husband and I were out of Australia at the time
of Whitlam - both of us coming from a very conservative
background - were greatly influenced by American politics
of that time. American politics opened our eyes and we both
began to question so many things that we had been taught
to believe. A habit that is still with us today.

The kangaroo court ending in the censuring of Scott Morrison would not have occurred if the 'new Whitlam' was feeling confident of his abilities. The petty, childish waste of time had no effect on Morrison, who is still smirking away on the back bench, and refusing to apologise. Acknowledging that "unintentional' offence was caused to "those who were offended" ain't no apology - as "I have no intention now of submitting to the political intimidation of this government, using its numbers in this place to impose its retribution on a political opponent" indicates.

The electorate, concerned about the cost of living and sky-rocketing power prices due to Labor climate hysteria and Albanese's lie about reducing power prices, put Morrison out of their minds straight after the election. They dealt with him at the ballot box. Too much more of the revenge business will have them dealing with Albanese in the same way in two and a half years time - if he doesn't do a real Whitlam before then, requiring the Governor General to step in.

Morrison has things that he should have apologised for, but this nasty little waste of Parliamentary time on rubbish of no interest to the people paying Albanese's half a million dollars plus wage is not one of them.

Show trial antics have no place in Australia. We are not like China - yet.

We should not have to create laws to prevent Australian
leaders from trying to grab power. We have Prime Ministers
not Presidents. This is not America.

Our Prime Minister Antony Albanese sought legal advice before
proceeding on what was an unprecedented thrashing of our
democracy.

Scott Morrison's political career is now over.