Word: gair
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...Labor Party, controls the Australian Senate by 31 seats out of 60; Whitlam's Labor Party has a majority of nine seats only in the 125-member House of Representatives. In an attempt to capture control of the Senate, Whitlam last month appointed a longtime foe, Senator Vince Gair, former leader of the Democratic Labor Party, as Ambassador to Ireland. The government figured that it would win Gair's vacant seat in Queensland at the May 18 elections, when half of the Senate's 60 seats are voted on. That could be just enough...
Unrivaled Cynicism. As soon as the significance of Gair's appointment became clear, Whitlam's ploy provoked bitter complaints from both opposition politicians and the press. Billy Snedden, leader of the Liberals, complained that Whitlam's move was "the most shameful act by any government in Australia's history." His coalition colleague, Country Party Leader Doug Anthony, charged Whitlam with "an act of cynicism unrivaled in the political life of this nation." The independent Melbourne Age editorialized: "It is one thing to have grudging admiration for ratlike cunning. It is another to be pleased about having...