Whitlam memorial...

[gleee58]

There were some mighty fine speeches and moments there today.

It's a shame the PMs dept stuffed the arrangements for so many but great that they broadcast on some large screens outside. 

Imo, some people should have stayed away and made their seats available to those who would have appreciated them.

[cmcoins2000]

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@gleee58 wrote:

There were some mighty fine speeches and moments there today.

It's a shame the PMs dept stuffed the arrangements for so many but great that they broadcast on some large screens outside. 

Imo, some people should have stayed away and made their seats available to those who would have appreciated them.

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Hear, Hear.

Don't care which side you are on - we lost one incredible Australian.

[debra9275]

I've only just seen a little of it on tonight's news. It looked like a huge turn-out.

From little things big things grow

[gleee58]

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@debra9275 wrote:
I've only just seen a little of it on tonight's news. It looked like a huge turn-out.

From little things big things grow

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It was. That performance is on youtube if you want to see today's whole version. It was one of the highlights.

[debra9275]

Thanks Glee, I'll have a look @ that later tonight

[fourandsixpants]

7 of the living remaining Prime Ministers of Australia attended.......

.....a BOUQUET for Julia Gillard

......just *BOOs* for Howard and same for Abbott

.....I too am a recipient and result of a FREE tertiary education. Thank you and Rest In Peace Gough.

[gleee58]

Peter FitzSimons sums it up nicely

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/gough-whitlam-memorial-the-great-man-would-have-loved-it-20141105-11ha...

For it really did have, most appropriately, a certain grandeur and a whole lot of love for a man who will be remembered and rightly revered by many generations of Australians to come for what he accomplished as a titan of his age, on the most important stage. 

Fare thee well, Gough. You were an Australian original, a great man and, though not universally admired, those who truly understand your legacy also get that this country was tremendously lucky to have you as our leader.

We dips our lids, and bow our heads as you leave. 

[i-need-a-martini]

This was a good article too.

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/goughs-gift--40-years-on-australian-constitution-still-clinging-to-out...

[i-need-a-martini]

Particularly this:

Gough's death wasn't in itself sad. He had a splendid run and is rightly lauded for the breadth and intensity of his reforms:medicare, free universities, women's rights, mining rights, native title. Indeed, say some, Australian life divides naturally into BG and AG (a sentiment with which he would himself no doubt concur).

Yet viewed over 40 years, our progress on all these has been glacial to the point of retrograde. That's what saddened me; that Gough could change so much and yet change, in fact, so little.

How did we go so backwards??

[fourandsixpants]

Greed