Bazza wrote: As the Left today will recall with sombre reverence his many legacies, I will remember him for the irreparable damage he caused this nation, damage that will continue to last generations.
I recall his economic illiteracy, the unwavering belief in himself, his disdain of mere mortals and his self-acclaimed intellectualism, it was painful. Had he been competent in the slightest, it was a pain I could have endured.
Gough, with his corrupt Cabinet, was unable to serve two complete terms of Office and what he did serve was utter mayhem.
The Left decry his sacking but Gough, bereft of supply, was quite prepared to go down in flames and take the nation with him.
The ensuing general election was an exercise in what the Australian people really thought of him.
Crean, who printed money like there was no tomorrow. Connors, who tried to borrow even more from a shady loan shark called Khemlani. Cairns, the unabashed communist root rat. Attorney General Murphy, who escaped jail by dying. Grassby the drug lord who dressed with the light off.
Gough’s team made Gillard’s look like the Luton Boys’ Choir.
Just one example of Gough’s economic empty headedness was his grand idea to provide housing for young Labor voting couples who could not break into the housing market (much like today). He dumped a borrowed $500 million (a lot in those days) into the banking sector at a ridiculously low rate of interest.
Instead of assisting young couples, the banks predictably lent the money to existing home-owners who upgraded to bigger, better homes. Why not? After all they had the security in their current homes the banks wanted. Not one new house was built and the resultant increased demand on existing houses put them even further out of reach of the young couples, who were supposed to vote Labor, but in the end they didn’t.
But Gough’s real crown of thorns was his Schools’ Commission and his fixation with phonetic spelling. The real legacy left by Gough is the kids of today who cannot spell, or construct a sentence.
But never mind, Gillard’s Labor fixed that with a multi-billion Gonski scheme that will do nothing to educate teachers, but will certainly ensure they are paid better.
Kids now lack communication skills, the ability to express themselves, and there is no-one to teach them because the teachers of today were Gough’s pupils of yesterday.
English Expression and Latin are lost subjects, exchanged for ethereal ideological Social Studies’ subjects that extol a global-warming hoax and a One World Government.
Yes, that’s the real legacy of Gough... kids without communication skills who in frustration resort to violence to explain themselves and journalists without the ability to sub-edit their own work.
Most wars are fought between nations who don’t speak the same language and if one has lost the art of its own language what chance has interpretive
So apparently we are to believe that all the teachers in the Education Sustem received their training in the period 1972 - 1975. Simply remarkable.
I have stayed out of this discussion to see what people would write about EG Whitlam, who in my opinion and I believe historically he will be seen to be, the Prime Minister who had the most significant and positive affect on the Australian Nation since the Second World War. His Government's achievements, in so little time, are truly remarkable.
Some of the comments here are as base and crass as those spoken by BArnett.
My other observation is that when Messrs. Abbott, Hockey et al talk about mandates it would serve both them and the electors of Australia to put it in an historical context and they will realise how fatuous and hypocritical their comments about a mandate.
PS Good to see A/Man and myself in accord on one subject.
. I was only 2 years old when he was in, but from what I have read thank Christ Whitlam came along!
