Gough Whitlam in conversation

Join Gough Whitlam in conversation with Terri-ann White as they discuss Australian cultural life.

Doorsales only: $20/$10 for Labor Readers members

(Edward) Gough Whitlam, AC 1987, QC 1962, MHR 1952-78, was the Prime Minister of Australia from December 1972 to November 1975. When Whitlam became Prime Minister in 1972 he abolished conscription, withdrew the remaining Australian troops from Vietnam, banned sporting teams from South Africa, changed Australia’s voting on South African questions in the UN, organised independence for PNG, abolished tertiary fees and the death penalty, introduced welfare payments for single parent families and reduced the voting age to eighteen years. Yet even years after ending his term of office as Prime Minister of Australia, Gough Whitlam remains a household name. On his resignation from parliament in 1978, Gough became a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University. The same year he was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia and in 1980 the first National Fellow of the Australian National University and the following year Sydney University conferred on him an honorary doctorate of Literature. He was appointed Australian Ambassador to UNESCO in 1983 and in 1985 was elected to its Executive Board. He has written accounts of his political career and his well known facility with words and his sharp, quick wit mean that he continues to be in demand as a speaker, political commentator and authority on both the
history and future direction of Australia and its position in the world.

This event is co-hosted by Labor Readers and the 28th Annual Conference of the Association for Australian Literature (ASAL) which takes place at the University of Western Australia on 3-5 July 2006.

Entry is included in full ASAL registration, however a limited number of places are available to the public at $20 or $10 for Labor Readers members.

Enquiries to: Institute of Advanced Studies University of Western Australia M021, 35 Stirling Highway Crawley WA 6009