Gough's birthday, but we get the present
Gough's birthday, but we get the present
Institute Chair Geoffery Roberson accepts historic documents from Mr Whitlam.
Though 11 July was Gough's birthday, he was the gift-giver. Mr Whitlam took the opportunity to generously endow the Whitlam Prime Ministerial Collection with a package of historic letters and documents that span his extraordinary political and public life.
The documents included: an original "Candidate for Werriwa" pamphlet from 1952 marking the beginning of Mr Whitlam’s career in politics; personal letters to Mr Whitlam from John Kerr as NSW Chief Justice (dated October 1973) and Governor General (dated May 1975), providing a new insight into the relationship between the two men prior to the tumultuous Dismissal; and Mr Whitlam's 1983 Commission of Appointment as Australian Ambassador to UNESCO, signed by then Governor-General Sir Ninian Stephen.
These new additions to the Collection are a fascinating selection of primary source material that covers the key periods of Mr Whitlam’s public life, and provides a further insight into the politics of the time.
The Whitlam Institute is honoured to be the custodian of these important pieces of history.
