The whitlam government

The Whitlam Government (1972 – 1975) introduced many ideas that impacted on all the people of Australia. There may have been impediments that prevented the Whitlam Government from introducing new ideas, such as the Senate. Nevertheless in three years the Whitlam Government managed to win the hearts of many Australians. In their three year reign the Whitlam Government managed to create Medibank, establish firm relations with People’s Republic of China, establish the Department of Aboriginal Affairs (Giving all Aboriginals a ‘voice’), obtained responsibility for tertiary education over from the states and eradicated tertiary fees, and establishing Supporting Mother’s Benefit’s. These were only a few of their achievements.

Gough Whitlam had previously seen and heard of the Medical health scheme systems based at U.K. which he favoured. The constitution was the barrier to introducing a health scheme in Australia, and the civil conscription clause. Medibank and other health schemes were designed to avoid civil conscription and provide healthcare service based on Government finance.

Whitlam’s aim in creating this system was to break the connection between healthcare and money. Whitlam wanted to break free from the hindrance of money; he wanted healthcare system based on health needs of people rather than the importance of money requirements.

In 1972, the introduction of universal health insurance system known as Medibank (now Medicare) was born. It provided significant benefits to the population of Australia who had previously not been able to afford sufficient medical care; it declined private medicine and commenced to pay 85% of medical and hospital fees. Medibank provided inexpensive treatment by hospitals and doctors to all permanent citizens of Australia. Medicare is publicly funded tax surcharge that comes under the title of Medicare levy which add to the scheme. People with low income are excluded which follows a good example. People earning a high income pay a higher tax therefore compensating the loss of low paid workers.

Medibank made a vast impact on all the Australian society, as now many people could afford sufficient medical care chiefly people who were still tormented from poverty.

The disadvantages might to some people be that the higher they earn the more they have to pay in tax for the Medicare levy.

The Whitlam Government had established a...

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... of the House of Representatives or a double dissolution and the only way possible for that to happen, was by the dismissal of Whitlam and his colleagues.

Opposition parties of Whitlam had affirmed they would only pass the bill only if Whitlam called an election for the House of Representatives. This could not be agreed upon, so a double dissolution (simultaneous election for all members in both houses) had to be called.

Kerr could have appropriately notified Malcolm Fraser that the recurrent postponement of Supply had shaped and unbearable constitutional crisis and that the first steps could be taken to determine it if Fraser would choose one of the two alternatives. These were to instruct supporters in the Senate to pass Appropriation bills, or to reject Supply outright. The first option would have resolved the crisis; the second would have left Kerr to seek further advice from responsible ministers.

Also, Kerr could have arranged Whitlam a half-senate election, so long as the basic services of government would not subside and that Whitlam take notice of the effect of the election if it did not determine the crisis.

These both alternatives were open to Governor General Kerr.