Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Thursday in this place, the member for New England quoted the former member for Werriwa and Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Whilst I'm not going to be anywhere near as articulate or quick-witted as Gough, I feel it necessary to set the record straight and make some suggestions for other policies from the Whitlam manifesto that the government should also implement. The quote was from 26 September 1969, 48 years ago. It was about the certainty of electricity provision for Queensland. Science has moved on, and I know that Gough would have moved with it. He would have embraced the innovation of new ways of power generation. He would have left the planet better for our children and grandchildren and, in his own words, he would have maintained contemporary relevance.

He believed in equity. He believed in properly funded education, not funding the richest schools. He funded universities and believed in infrastructure, in nation building, in health care and in safety nets for our most vulnerable citizens. He passed the Racial Discrimination Act. He believed in section 18C. He believed in our first Australians and their place in our country. He believed in a truly multicultural society. Most significantly, Gough would have made sure that this parliament didn't waste money on a costly postal survey and that we did what we were elected to do and voted on marriage equality. Australia would be better if this government didn't just quote the great man but implemented his policies.