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Whitlam Government

28 Oct 2014

Q. Below is a list of some of the achievements of Gough Whitlam’s Government from 1972-75. Which of them do you think were the three most important achievements?

 

 Total

 

Vote Labor

Vote Lib/Nat

Vote Greens

Vote other

 

Aged 18-34

Aged 35-54

Aged 55+

Established Medibank – the national health insurance system

68%

73%

66%

75%

67%

61%

65%

84%

Abolished university fees

39%

47%

32%

57%

32%

42%

39%

35%

Ended conscription

28%

28%

30%

17%

41%

20%

29%

38%

Protected the Great Barrier Reef

25%

21%

28%

22%

30%

24%

27%

22%

Established diplomatic relations with China

25%

26%

31%

13%

20%

23%

22%

31%

Aboriginal land rights

22%

26%

14%

30%

23%

23%

19%

26%

Passed the Racial Discrimination Act

22%

25%

16%

39%

18%

27%

25%

11%

Direct Commonwealth funding to non-Government schools

14%

13%

17%

3%

10%

14%

16%

10%

Introduced the policy of multiculturalism

13%

11%

11%

25%

9%

20%

12%

5%

Lowered voting age to 18

11%

6%

15%

9%

20%

7%

13%

13%

Cut tariffs on imports

10%

6%

14%

5%

5%

10%

10%

10%

Independence for PNG

5%

2%

6%

*

9%

8%

4%

4%

The most important achievements of the Whitlam Government were thought to be establishing Medibank (68%), abolishing university fees (39%) and ending conscription (28%).

Among those aged 55+ (who were more likely to recall the Whitlam Government) the most important achievements were establishing Medibank (84%), ending conscription (38%), abolishing university fees (35%) and establishing diplomatic relations with China (31%).

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