Edward Gough Whitlam: Australia's Political System

Kevin Rudd’s apology was to the Aboriginals; but in particular, to the Stolen Generations. From 1909-1969, the Australian Government forced a policy know as assimilation upon the Aboriginals. Assimilation is the forced integration of minority groups onto the dominant society. Inhumane acts were inflicted upon these proud people because of the ‘Aborigines Protection Board’ which entailed that the Australian Government had full rights to forcibly remove half-caste children from Aboriginal care without parental consent nor a court order.

This political perspective is undertaken by Johannes Bjelke-Petersen (JBP) and John Howard (JH). The text is set in North Queensland which JBP represented as a political power. JBP represented himself as the spokesman for the average Queenslander, its farmers, pastoralists and older generation of Australians. The text presents the shared perspective these groups as the past should be left in the past. In relation to the Aboriginals, this means that in the eyes of such people that the Aboriginals have no special claim to land and furthermore, the Aboriginals have done nothing to deserve as such. JBP is quoted by a newspaper in the text when he shares his perspective on the matter. “The Aborigines were the ‘most lucky lucky people in the world’ because ‘we [the white Australians] fought and died for this country, not them’.” (pg. 171) This quote is an example of the shared political perspective of a specific group of people presented in the text. JH is of a similar view when Henry Reynolds (R) says, “In an article in the Sunday Telegraph with the headline ‘Teacher “Thuggery” Distorts History’, [PM John Howard] accused the [Teachers] Federation of attempting to distort history to make a contemporary political point’.” (pg. 160) This is another example of

During his time in office, Gough Whitlam was able to determine and predict that in future times the Australian people would have to rely further on their Asian neighbours. Just two weeks after being elected, Whitlam officially recognised the communist government of the People's Republic of China and opened up diplomatic relations (Source 6) as well trading and cultural links. Within a year Australia had reopened its embassy in Beijing (Source 7) which had been closed in protest when the communist government took power. Whitlam wanted to change the racially charged thoughts of Australians which had prevented interactions in its own region. Relations between Australia and South-East Asia also improved after the abandonment of the 'White Australia' policy under the Whitlam government. Not only did that prompt the arrival of Asian refugees, it also allowed a larger range of people from Asian countries to obtain tourist and education visa’s. The Colombo Plan allowed Asian students to study in Australia. The Vietnam War and major Whitlam policy reforms brought Australians out of our Anglo-centric view and realise that we had a larger part to play in Asia. As a result of many new cultural, diplomatic, trade and tourist links to Australia, the Whitlam government was able to boost exports dramatically, change the racist face of Australian society and

John Winston Howard, OM, AC (born 26 July 1939), was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. Only Sir Robert Menzies has served in the position longer.

Australia had a natural sense of loyalty to Britain which ultimately led them to war. The declaration of war was greeted with great enthusiasm all over the country. This is because over 90% of Australians had a British heritage. (Skwirk, 2014) and Australia was and still is part of the British Empire and willingly found itself at war. The nation’s financial resources and manpower were used by the labour leader, Andrew Fisher, who quoted, "Australians

Before Whitlam came into power Indigenous Australians had tough lifestyle. In 1966, 200 Gurindji stockmen and their families walked off Wave Hill for a strike against Vestey’s, which was a British pastoral company that ran the cattle station, they employed the local Aboriginal people. It was to protest against their poor working and living conditions they suffered from. Aboriginal workers would be paid less to non-Aboriginal employees (Naagovau, 2015). This then lead to an attempt to introduce equal wages for the Aboriginal employees in 1965, but in March 1966 the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission decided to delay it further until 1978. The Wave Hill walk off had started the first Aboriginal land claims (Naagovau, 2015). December 1968, people of a well known Indigenous community called Yirrkala became the first Aboriginal people to bring a claim for their recognition to their land title to the Northern Territory Supreme Court, this was known as the Gove Case (QLDeduau, 2015). This action was reviewed and put on trial in May 1969. In the 1967 Commonwealth Referendum there was more than 90% of the voters to assist the Commonwealth to allow all Aboriginal people to be counted in the poll. All states except Queensland had abandoned the policies and laws that

It should be noted however, that prior to Hanson’s rise to power “between 1984 and 1996, hostility to Asian immigration and multiculturalism became more acceptable.” (Jupp 2002, p.128) These kinds of radical sentiments towards the Asians in particular demonstrates that though the Act was passed by Whitlam, the White Australia notion has not yet cease to exist. Hanson, instead of attempting to understand the rapidly changing world around her, took these pent up hostilities and transformed it into her backward political party, One Nation. Moreover, for a political party, no matter how backward the ideology is, its existence still depended on public support.

The Australian Labor Party also shortly known as ALP. This party has been in resistant at federal level since the election in 2013. the party is a federal party with in each state and territory. Labor is currently in control of the government of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and in the Australian Capital Territory. The labor party challenges against the Liberal for political office at the federal and state levels. The party's federal parliamentary leader is Bill Shorten since 13 October, 2013. The Australian Labor Party is a socialist party and has the intention/ purpose of the democratic socialization of industry, production, distribution and exchange, to the extent necessary to eliminate exploitation and other unsocial features

The “Australia transitioning into a republic” issue has resurfaced in recent years because the opinion is right. There is an inherent conflict between Australia's stated values and its structure. We claim to appreciate equality but allow our head of state to be decided through hereditary title. We function as a democracy but automatically surrender the highest position of legitimate honour to an unelected European monarch. Australia has earned her right to stand alone as a fully independent democracy; we have our own identity within the world.

Ms. Gillard and Mr. Abbott are both former prime ministers of Australia. However, both of them have different strategies and methods beginning with moving Australia in the right direction. Even though, they both served at different times, nevertheless, they expressed their opinion openly about the job they were doing, Ms. Gillard served as prime minister before Mr. Abbott, laying a solid foundation for Australia. She initiated policies and procedures to help Australia become a better place to live. Although, Australia suffered an economic crisis while Ms. Gillard was in office, she made Australia a better place. Following, Ms. Gillard, Mr. Abbott became prime minister. He made changes by implementing new laws. Ms. Gillard and Mr. Abbott both have different views on same sex marriages, education, and Medicare.

A landmark event for Aboriginal People’s struggle for rights is February 13, 2008, when in Federal Parliament the then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd stood up to apologise to the Aboriginal People, for Australia’s past mistreatment on laws, policies and practices that effected the people of the stolen generation (Welch, 2008 and National Sorry Day Committee, 2014). Aboriginal People have struggled for rights since the British came to Australia but it was especially highlighted when the Aborigines Act 1905 came out. There were multiple things that lead to this landmark event, though the Bringing them Home Report in 1997 was a huge step in helping the apology to come about (National Sorry Day Committee, 2014). This essay will discuss in more depth what led to this event, what the goals of the apology were, what the outcomes were and the ongoing impact has resulted.

“ Howard who referred to the whole sorry episode as a “blemish” in an Australian story of which all should otherwise be “extremely proud,” a “heroic achievement in the face of immense difficulties. This “blemish” was genocide. It took place, as considered policy, for 70 years, in a stable Westminster parliamentary democracy.” (Bartrop, 2001 p.84-85).

The Australian Labor Party is the oldest party of Australia, founded on May the 3rd in 1901. The first Labour prime minister was Chris Watson. The Labor government aims to promote equality and to involve the Australian people in the decision making of the nation. In basic terms, the ALP is all for the rights of the people of Australia.

Former prime minister, John Howard’s contentious statement that “Australians of this generation should not be required to accept blame for the past actions and policies over which they had no control” (Howard statement, human rights report) contradicts Australia’s character. This destructive comment has deepened old wounds that are present from the genocide committed towards Aboriginals of the Stolen Generation. Australia must accept liability for past policies as they have inflicted life-long impacts towards the victims, Australia continues to suffer division unless an apology is stated and Australia has previously apologised for the past policies of former governments. If the nation continues to deny its history, Australia will never close

Gough Whitlam gave land back to the Aboriginals and said “ We will legislate to give aboriginals land rights - not just because their case is beyond argument, but because all of us as Australians are diminished while the aborigines are denied their rightful place in this nation.”