outline and explain a major policy or issue of the term of office of the chosen Prime Minister
assess the contribution of the chosen Prime Minister to Australia's post-war development
Edward Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
"It's Time" The ALP had been in power from 1941 to 1949. From then until 1972 the Liberal Party was in power. In December 1972, the ALP under the leadership of Gough Whitlam won the federal election and returned to power after 23 years in opposition.
Reforms The Whitlam Government was a reformist government. In three years it made many significant changes in Australia.
Read the list of initiatives of the Whitlam Government on p.368.
Select two or three which you think are the most significant reforms.
Write a paragraph outlining the reasons for your choice.
Obstruction The ALP did not have a majority in the Senate and met with obstruction in passing its legislation. This led to the Prime Minister requesting a double dissolution election in May 1974 after only 17 months in power.
What is a double dissolution?
In what circumstances can it be requested by the Prime Minister?
What is its purpose?
The government won the 1974 election.
Malcolm Fraser
Problems The Whitlam Government faced a number of problems.
Outline the economic problems faced by the government.
What were some criticisms of the government?
How did the 'loans affair' affect the government?
Supply In March 1975 Malcolm Fraser became Leader of the Opposition. In October 1975 the opposition decided the block supply.
What does it mean to "block supply"?
How did the opposition get the numbers in the senate to be able to do this?
What did they want to achieve by blocking supply?
Was the opposition justified in blocking supply?
Sir John Kerr
The Dismissal On 11 November 1975 the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, dismissed the Whitlam Government. Outline the series of events leading to the dismissal.
Students learn to:
Gough Whitlam
"It's Time"
The ALP had been in power from 1941 to 1949. From then until 1972 the Liberal Party was in power.
In December 1972, the ALP under the leadership of Gough Whitlam won the federal election and returned to power after 23 years in opposition.
Reforms
The Whitlam Government was a reformist government. In three years it made many significant changes in Australia.
Obstruction
The ALP did not have a majority in the Senate and met with obstruction in passing its legislation. This led to the Prime Minister requesting a double dissolution election in May 1974 after only 17 months in power.
- What is a double dissolution?
- In what circumstances can it be requested by the Prime Minister?
- What is its purpose?
The government won the 1974 election.Problems
The Whitlam Government faced a number of problems.
Supply
In March 1975 Malcolm Fraser became Leader of the Opposition.
In October 1975 the opposition decided the block supply.
The Dismissal
On 11 November 1975 the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, dismissed the Whitlam Government.
Outline the series of events leading to the dismissal.