Word: whitlam
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...foreign affairs, Whitlam tried to make Australia a power in its own right, seeking to broaden relations with producing Third World nation, with which, Australia, a major exporter of raw goods, has something in common. he was far less hostile to Communist governments in East Asia. Administrators in his cabinet, for the first time, created trouble for the United States at some of the American military installations in Australia. Whitlam was prepared to seek greater Asian ties at the expense of U.S. friendship/subordination...
Members of Whitlam's cabinet, chosen by the Labour Party caucus, favored fairly radical redistribution of income. His first labour minister, whose position permitted him to influence the nation's wage rates markedly, consistently supported unions engaged in mandatory federal arbitration. he "came to office with the conviction that it was time to give the workers a bigger share of the cake," according to a recent issue of The Economist. Unions received favorable legislation and generous wage increases. Salaries doubled in two years with women's wages rising 85 per cent. Public employees' pay hikes paced the nation...
Inflation was the issue when Fraser, then leader of the Liberal opposition in parliament, called last fall for a cutoff of funds for the Whitlam government. An impasse ensued. Finally in November 1975, the Australian governor general, using a little known emergency provision, sacked Whitlam and replaced him with Fraser, who would remain the caretaker prime minister until elections were held next month. Throughout the campaign Whitlam argued his sacking had been unconstitutional. Although he originally won broad support with that appeal, the inflation issue triumphed in the end. A landslide deposited Fraser in the prime minister's office...
...switch was major. Where as Whitlam represents a highly interventionist strain of progressive government stressing social change, Fraser symbolizes government based on solely conservative principles. Last Friday, some of the Australian visitors in Cambridge privately noted the similarities between Fraser and presidential candidate Ronald Reagan. A look at some of Fraser's recent policy stands extracted from speeches, corroborates the comparison...
Although he hasn't made any drastic cutbacks, Fraser has stated his opposition to many of the Whitlam administration's programs. He has modified the health insurance plan to make it more attractive for the wealthy to subscribe to private insurance. He has attempted to cut back on the number of welfare recipients. He pushed for unions to accept wage increases below the cost of living. Cuts in educational spending and urban development are expected...