Thread by @costaacomics

Gough Whitlam was born 102 yrs ago today. Here's what he did:
- Introduced universal healthcare
- & no-fault divorce
- & Racial Discimination Act
- & Trade Practices Act
- & Family Court
- & Legal Aid
- Made unis free
- Sewered poor suburbs
- Ended (Cth) death penalty
#auspol /1

- Scrapped the draft
- Started relations with China
- Forbid ‘whites only’ sports teams
- Voted for sanctions on apartheid South Africa at UN
- Scrapped White Australia policy
- Established Multiculturalism policy
- Got France to stop Nuclear tests nearby
#auspol /2

- Reopened the women's equal pay case at the Arbitration Commission
- Set up women’s shelters
- Made The Pill easier to get
- Introduced single-mum welfare support
- Established a “Women’s Adviser” to the PM (first in the world!)
#auspol /3

- Funded arts bigtime
- Raised minimum local content standards
- meaning more Aussie stuff on TV/movies/radio/etc
- Established Triple J, multicultural radio stations and FM radio
- & Australian Film Commission
- & Australian Council for the Arts
- & National Gallery
#auspol /4

- Established Department of Aboriginal Affairs
- Funded existing Aboriginal Legal Services
- Set up new ones
- Gave the Gurindji people deeds to part of their land
- Pushed for more ATSI land reform
#auspol /5

- Introduced environmental protection laws
- Ratified World Heritage Convention
- Established protections for the Great Barrier Reef
- Established Australian Heritage Commission

And more. That ain’t even all of it. Thanks Gough.
#auspol /6