ALP 1972 New Labor Government
1972
The election victory of 1972 unleashed the reformist tide that had been building inside the ALP since the 1960s
Other topics in The Whitlam Years
A changed world
A number of technological changes in the second half of the twentieth century brought about profound changes in both society and politics that had begun in the war. In 1956 the first regular transmissions of television began in Australia. Within a short period this had…
Modernising Labor, 1969 election
In his first electoral test of strength, a half Senate election at the end of 1967, Whitlam performed creditably against Prime Minister Holt although still falling short of winning. A more important pointer to his importance came after the disappearance of Holt in the sea…
The 1974 election
The problem for the new administration was getting legislation passed through the Senate as long as the Opposition did not recognise any electoral mandate for the Labor government. Meanwhile, the first year in office saw a deterioration in economic conditions precipitated by huge increases in…
The dismissal and the 1975 election
By mid-1975 Malcolm Fraser determined that the economic management of the Whitlam government, and the alleged scandals of the loans affair, provided justification for using the Senate to deny supply to the government and force another election. For his part, Prime Minister Whitlam maintained that…