A session at the Labor convention in memory of former Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam at the Melbourne Convention Centre in Melbourne, Australia, July 24, 2015. AAP Image/David Crosling
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the commissioning of a statue of former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam to mark 50 years since the dismissal of his government.
The statue will stand at Old Parliament House, now home to the Museum of Australian Democracy, joining the existing figures of Sir Robert Menzies, John Curtin, and other leaders.
“This new statue will stand not just for the immortal words Gough uttered on that day. More importantly, it will honour all that he achieved in this place,” Albanese said.
He noted that it would sit alongside the statues of Barton, Menzies, Curtin, Chifley, Lyons, Tangney, McEwen, Gorton, and Bonner.
Citing Whitlam’s biographer, Albanese recalled the power of his parliamentary presence.
“In Graham Freudenberg’s words: ‘His great stage was the House of Representatives—stage, pulpit, arena.’ John Howard, among many others, rated Whitlam the greatest parliamentary performer this building ever knew.”
Reason For Dismissal
On November 11, 1975, in an unprecedented act—governor-general removed an elected prime minister.
