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The Latest Breaking News from Gough Whitlam

'Pandemonium': how Whitlam's sacking changed history

Insiders who had a front-row seat to the extraordinary political turmoil of the Whitlam dismissal have told their stories, 50 years on from the saga.

AAP

Grattan on Friday: November 11 1975 – watching history being made, from the best seats in the house

In his just-released memoir, historian and former diplomat Lachlan Strahan recalls being picked up from his Melbourne primary school by a neighbour on November 11 1975, the day Gough Whitlam was sacked as prime minister. His politically active mother “was so upset she didn’t trust herself behind the wheel”.

The Conversation

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Niki Savva and David Solomon on The Dismissal

Tuesday November 11 will be the 50th anniversary of the dismissal of the Whitlam government by the then Governor-General Sir John Kerr. It was a dramatic day in our federal political history, with Malcolm Fraser appointed prime minister. Fraser then led the Coalition to a landslide victory in the subsequent…

The Conversation

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Tony Abbott’s history of Australia wants us to be proud of men like him

Former prime minister (and journalist) Tony Abbott has published a political history of Australia. Across 18 well-written chapters, he narrates the nation’s trajectory, starting with the establishment of a penal colony in 1788 and ending with the failed Voice referendum of 2023. Abbott’s aim is to restore national pride by…

The Conversation

Albanese walks in Whitlam's footsteps half a century on

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has lauded a titan of the Labor movement for significant reforms social and political reforms that changed Australia.

AAP

The dinner pledge that secured Sydney the 2000 Olympics

John Coates' campaign for Sydney to host the 2000 Olympics culminated in a last-ditch financial offer to two African sporting bigwigs in a Monte Carlo hotel.

AAP

‘We dreamed of a better future’: remembering the first moments of Papua New Guinea in 1975

Australia had governed PNG for decades and the transfer of power was an attempt to unify more than 800 language groups under one state

The Guardian - AU

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Horses and courses: how Sydney won the 2000 Olympic bid

Sydney's bid to host the 2000 Olympics enlisted near-extinct Mongolian horses, Kerry Packer's choppers, Gough Whitlam's hospitality, and more to get the win.

AAP

Proud moment as PNG celebrates independence anniversary

Papua New Guinea will be alight with festivity as world leaders and dignitaries gather in Port Moresby to celebrate the 50th anniversary of independence.

AAP

Half a century ago, the Great Barrier Reef was to be drilled for oil. It was saved – for a time

At the end of the 1960s, there was every expectation the Great Barrier Reef would be drilled for oil.

The Conversation

A handful of soil: 50 years since iconic land hand-back

It has been 50 years since the iconic passing of soil from the hands of the prime minister to a Gurindji Elder - a moment that paved the way for land rights.

AAP

Whitlam, Vietnam and colour TV: how Australia was redefined by the ‘hinge year’ of 1975

National Library of Australia’s exhibition explores intense transformations during one of the most pivotal years in country’s history

The Guardian - AU

PM on winning strategy for hearts and minds in Beijing

Anthony Albanese was the beau of Beijing on his tour of China, with a focus on co-operation over conflict winning plenty of friends in the Middle Kingdom.

AAP

From ‘Stone Age’ treasury boss to National Party Senator: John Stone 1929–2025

John Owen Stone AO was a legendary leader of the Commonwealth Treasury. He was secretary (departmental head) from January 1979 to September 1984 but was an intellectual driving force before then as deputy secretary from 1971 to 1978.

The Conversation

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The Conversation

Mark Latham’s portrait may come off federal caucus wall

The Labor caucus tolerates having the odd “rat” among the photos of ALP leaders on the party room wall, but Mark Latham may have now pushed it too far.

The Conversation

The Racial Discrimination Act at 50: the bumpy, years-long journey to Australia’s first human rights laws

On June 11, Australia marks 50 years since the Racial Discrimination Act became law. This important legislation helps make sure people are treated equally no matter their race, skin colour, background, or where they come from.

The Conversation

Political parties can recover after a devastating election loss. But the Liberals will need to think differently

Australia has just had its second landslide election in a row.

The Guardian - AU

Fifty years since the sky fell: how the Vietnam war changed Australia

On the anniversary of Liberation Day, members of Australia’s Vietnamese community look back at the sacrifices made in pursuit of ‘a good life’

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The Conversation

Trainwrecks and triumphs: the 10 best books about the political campaign trail, chosen by experts

Phantasmagorical policy promises, TV meltdowns, gonzo journalists … political campaigns were once the stuff of passion and high drama. We asked 10 experts to nominate their favourite book about the hustings hustle.

The Conversation

Blue Poles and its $1.4m price-tag shocked the nation, but did it change us?

Even as a high school student in the 1920s, Jackson Pollock understood the value of art and culture. The young upstart and his friends caused a “classroom scandal” when they published a polemic criticising their school’s “overemphasis on athletics” and “disrespect” of the humanities. They called it the Journal of…

AAP

Why shock drop in jobs won't shift RBA rate cut bets

Fewer older Australians returned to work in February, driving a surprise fall in jobs and workforce participation but the labour market remains tight overall.

AAP

Swag that sways: from It's-Time skivvies to Albo socks

In the world of political merchandise, Liberal polo shirts, Greens totes and Labor socks are de rigueur on the election trail. But do they win votes?

The Conversation

1975 was declared International Women’s Year. 50 years on, the ‘revolution in our heads’ is still being fought

In December 1972, the same month the Whitlam government was first elected, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 1975 as International Women’s Year (IWY). This set in train a series of world-changing events, in which Australia was to play a significant part.

The Conversation

Remembering Simon Townsend as a conscientious objector and fearless anti-Vietnam War activist

Journalist Simon Townsend has died aged 79 only a few months after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. A statement released by his family reported “In his final days, Simon was surrounded by his family and a mix of journalists, writers, actors, political activists and Italians”.

AAP

Darwin still marked by Cyclone Tracy, 50 years on

Soaring frigatebirds warned of a cyclone that would be Australia's most destructive and put Darwin on the map for the wrong reasons.

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