Message from the Director

Sen John Faulkner delivering his speech

This latest edition of It's Time might be said to be Gough's Special Birthday Issue. Gough Whitlam turned 92 on Friday 11 July and just on 300 people gathered at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney to celebrate.

I am especially pleased to welcome you to this latest edition of It's Time. In some respects it might be said to be Gough's Special Birthday Issue.

It is a mark of the respect and the enduring affection that so many men and women of Australia have for Gough Whitlam that such a distinguished group of leaders from politics, industry and the Arts gathered to share in the occasion: Labor's longest serving Prime Minister Bob Hawke and former NSW Premiers Unsworth and Wran, Whitlam Ministers Morrison and McClelland, those grand men of words Graham Freudenberg and Evan Williams, serving Ministers Debus, Emerson and Griffin, NSW Deputy Premier Watkins, South Australian Premier Rann, serving members from every tier of Government, NSW Chief Justice Spigelman, union leaders past and present.

The Australian Arts community was also well represented as were leaders from industry and the union movement.

At the same time, as I noted on the day, the reason the Foundation Hall was full to capacity was due to the presence of Gough's citizens: those who travelled with Mr and Mrs Whitlam; those who told us they owe Gough their education; those who grew up in a more tolerant, confident, outward-looking Australia thanks to the Whitlam Government.

Mr Whitlam's birthday proved to be an opportunity to reflect upon the Whitlam era, and the sweeping changes his Government made to the nation and the lives of all Australians. You'll find more about this great occasion below and also on our website.

I would particularly encourage you to have a read of Senator John Faulkner's powerful address at the birthday lunch. Senator Faulkner also shared a few wonderful Gough anecdotes.

And just in case you thought that it was all about reminiscing, Mr Whitlam's own speech will show you that he remains very much alive to today's challenges and political developments. While the Birthday may have been the public highlight of the Institute's recent work, as you'll see from the news below the Whitlam Institute Program continues to develop and to grow.

Enjoy the read!

Eric Sidoti
Director