Whitlam's Foreign Policy

SOLD OUT - ONLY TICKETED PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ADMITTED

SPACES FOR ZOOM PARTICIPATION STILL AVAILABLE

In association with The Whitlam Institute at Western Sydney University, we are honoured to welcome the Australian Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, to launch Dr Michael Easson's new monograph on Australian foreign policy under Prime Minister Whitlam, Whitlam's Foreign Policy.​

In the last 50 years no Australian political leader has had as much influence on politics as Gough Whitlam. Some of his greatest impacts were on Australian foreign policy.

As Prime Minister from 1972-1975, he established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China; reached a settlement with the United States on vital defence facilities; revitalised the ANZUS alliance, in the context of a more robustly independent Australia; presided over the establishment of an independent Papua New Guinea; actively engaged with the rest of the world. It was a period of optimism, excitement, challenge. Some changes were immense and long lasting, others ephemeral.

In foreign policy, no previous prime minister exercised such untrammelled power. Whitlam made mistakes, unnecessarily annoyed some allies, was sometimes careless in the niceties of diplomacy. Indonesian relations, Vietnamese refugees, East Timor independence, Baltic states recognition, Middle East policy, are key controversies, and part of the story. This monograph evaluates the realist Whitlam, the idealist Whitlam, the great reformer, the flawed man.

REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 4:00PM AEST ON Tuesday, May 1

We will have space for a limited number of participants in-person at the Glover Cottages, tickets to be pre-paid. Once the limit for in-person attendees is reached, tickets will no longer be sold on the website or at the door. In-person attendees will get priority during the Q & A session.

Refreshments will be served from 6pm at Glover Cottages.

This event will also be streamed online via Zoom. Register by clicking the "get tickets" button below. Once you have registered, you will receive a follow-up confirmation email on the day of the event (Tuesday, May 2) containing details of the Zoom link and how to join the event.

The event will start at 6.30pm AEST (Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne time), Tuesday May 2.

For further information please email nswexec@internationalaffairs.org.au