Skip to main content

Home

Main navigation

  • Explore the collection
    • Search the collection: RecordSearch
      • What's in the collection
      • Defence and war service records
      • First Australians
      • Immigration and citizenship
      • Cabinet
      • Intelligence and security
      • Prime ministers
      • Search for people
      • Visit our other websites
      • #ArchivesAtHome
      • Stories from the archives
  • Help with your research
      • Getting started
      • What's in the collection
      • Using the collection
      • International movement records
      • Research centres
      • Research guides
      • Research grants and scholarships
      • Research agents
      • Ask us about the collection
  • Students and teachers
      • School visits
      • Learning resources
      • Competitions and special programs
  • Information management
      • Getting started
      • Building trust in the public record
      • Public release schedule
      • Ask for advice
      • Information governance
      • Build data interoperability
      • Check-up survey
      • Legislation
      • Manage information assets
      • GAIN Australia
      • Standards
      • Metadata
      • Records authorities
      • Learning and skills
      • Information Awareness Month 2023
  • Visit us
      • Events and exhibitions
      • Research centres
      • Our locations
      • Cafe Constitution
      • Venue hire
      • Contact us
  • About us
      • What we do
      • Support us
      • Employment
      • Who we are
      • Partnerships
      • Volunteer
      • Our services
      • Members
      • Media and publications
      • Contact us
  • Toggle search
  • Toggle menu

Offscreen Menu

Menu

MAIN MENU

  • Explore the collection
    • What's in the collection
    • Defence and war service records
    • First Australians
    • Immigration and citizenship
    • Cabinet
    • Intelligence and security
    • Prime ministers
    • Search for people
    • Visit our other websites
    • #ArchivesAtHome
    • Stories from the archives
  • Help with your research
    • Getting started
    • What's in the collection
    • Using the collection
    • International movement records
    • Research centres
    • Research guides
    • Research grants and scholarships
    • Research agents
    • Ask us about the collection
  • Students and teachers
    • School visits
    • Learning resources
    • Competitions and special programs
  • Information management
    • Getting started
    • Building trust in the public record
    • Public release schedule
    • Ask for advice
    • Information governance
    • Build data interoperability
    • Check-up survey
    • Legislation
    • Manage information assets
    • GAIN Australia
    • Standards
    • Metadata
    • Records authorities
    • Learning and skills
    • Information Awareness Month 2023
  • Visit us
    • Events and exhibitions
    • Research centres
    • Our locations
    • Cafe Constitution
    • Venue hire
    • Contact us
  • About us
    • What we do
    • Support us
    • Employment
    • Who we are
    • Partnerships
    • Volunteer
    • Our services
    • Members
    • Media and publications
    • Contact us

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that the National Archives' website and collection contain the names, images and voices of people who have died.

Some records include terms and views that are not appropriate today. They reflect the period in which they were created and are not the views of the National Archives.

This is a portrait of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Explore the collection
  3. Australia's prime ministers
  4. Gough Whitlam
  5. Gough Whitlam: fast facts

Gough Whitlam: fast facts

Gough Whitlam was the Prime Minister of Australia from 1972 to 1975.

Personal profile

Born

11 July 1916, Kew, Victoria

Education

  • Telopea Park High School
  • Canberra Grammar School
  • University of Sydney (1946)

Employment

  • barrister
  • navigator, Royal Australian Air Force (1941-45)
  • politician
  • company director

Memberships

  • Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues and World Heritage Committee
  • International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
  • University of Sydney Senate
  • Academy of Athens
  • Hanoi Architectural Heritage Foundation

Marriage

22 April 1942, Vaucluse, New South Wales

Children

  • Antony (1944)
  • Nicholas (1945)
  • Stephen (1950)
  • Catherine (1954)

Died

21 October 2014, Sydney, New South Wales

Honours

  • Queen’s Counsel (QC; 1962)
  • Socialist International Plate of Honour (1976)
  • Companion of the Order of Australia (AC; 1978)

Partner

Name

Margaret Elaine Whitlam

Previous name

Margaret Elaine Dovey

Born

19 November 1919, Bondi, New South Wales

Memberships

Australian Labor Party (National Life Member 2007)

Died

17 March 2012, Sydney, New South Wales

Honours

  • Order of Australia (AO; 1983)
  • Doctor of Letters
    • University of Queensland (1994)
    • University of New England (1995)

Political profile

Term as Prime Minister

5 December 1972 to 11 November 1975

Terms as Member of Parliament

  • House of Representatives: 17 February 1953 to 31 July 1978 (Werriwa)
  • Deputy Leader of the Opposition: March 1960 to February 1967
  • Leader of the Opposition:
    • February 1967 to December 1972
    • November 1975 to December 1977

Portfolios

  • 13 portfolios: 5 to 19 December 1972
  • Foreign Affairs: December 1972 to November 1973
  • Environment: July 1975

Political memberships

  • Australian Labor Party (1945-2014)
    • federal parliamentary leader (February 1967 to December 1977)
  • Socialist International
  • UNESCO Executive Board

After office

  • Australian Ambassador to UNESCO (1983-86)
  • Chair, National Gallery of Australia Council (1987-90)
  • Chair, Australia-China Council (1986-91)

In this section: Gough Whitlam

  • Fast facts
  • Timeline
  • Before office
  • Elections
  • During office
  • After office
  • Partner
  • Key people
  • Records

Want some help?

Our research tips and guides could help you find what you need

Help with your research

Explore Prime Ministers

Portrait of William McMahon.

William McMahon

1971–1972

Portrait of Malcolm Fraser.

Malcolm Fraser

1975–1983

Portrait of Robert Hawke.

Robert Hawke

1983–1991

Old Parliament House, Canberra

All prime ministers

Explore the stories of each prime minister's time in office through official and personal records held by the National Archives.

Acknowledgement of Country

The National Archives of Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, their cultures and Elders past, present and emerging.

Connect with us

  • Facebook Facebook
  • Twitter Twitter
  • YouTube YouTube
  • Instagram Instagram

Subscribe to our newsletter

Site map

  • Contact us

    • +61 2 6212 3600
    • archives@naa.gov.au
    • ABN: 36 889 228 992
  • For researchers

    • RecordSearch
    • What's in the collection
    • Using the collection
    • Ask us a question about our records
    • Getting started with your research
    • Research guides
    • Grants and scholarships
    • Our other websites
  • For government

    • Agency Service Centre
    • Check-up survey
    • Building trust in the public record policy
    • Getting started with information management
    • Information governance
    • Records authorities

    For students & teachers

    • School programs
    • Plan a school visit
    • Competitions and special programs
    • Learning resources
  • Shop

    • Browse our products

    Visit us

    • Admission to the Archives is free
    • Events and exhibitions
    • Research centres
    • Our locations
  • About us

    • What we do
    • Our organisation
    • Our services
    • Our history
    • Partnerships
    • Work for us
National Archives of Australia
  • Privacy
  • Freedom of information
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility
National Archives of Australia