Homework Help:Great Australian Events 1946-Present Day

[Serial_Fool]

G'day,

I'm currently working on a display poster showing the past times of Australia from '46 to '07 and was wondering if any fellow Australians could suggest any events of importance of this era it would be greatly appreciated. Some subjects i have to cover are wartime, politics, entertainment, motoring (Holden's not getting a good wrap in my project and sports.

Anyway if you could leave anything at all it would help alot.

Cheers.

[Van D]

Bathurst 1-2? :P

[pertuan]

11 Nov 1975 - Gough Whitlam dismissed by Governor General Sir John Kerr. Remains the only PM to be dismissed by the GG

26 September 1983 - Australia II a 12m class yacht wins the Americas Cup removing it from American hands after 132 years.

22 Nov 1956 - Melbourne hosts the Olympics for the first time on Australian soil. Australia wins 13 Gold, 8 Silver and 14 Bronze for a total of 35 medals.

09 May 1988 - Parliament House on Capital Hill, Canberra is opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II

1971 - Neville Boner. First Aboriginal person to be elected into Parliament.

Nov/Dec 1986 - Pope John Paul II first visited Australia. He did so again in Jan 1995.

Thats what I got so far.... more to come if when I get back online. Hope this is a start.

[Racecraft]

1966 - We went to decimal currency, no more pounds and shillings :P

1974 -Darwin flattened by Tracey- killing 49

1983 - Ash Wednesday.. - killed 70 odd people

They are some more for you

[XR8 Uterous]

The release of the AU.

[XRchic]

Sport:

Winning the America's Cup in 1983
Sydney Olympics 2000
AFL formed in 1987 (when the Eagles joined?)
First one day international cricket match for Australia in 1971

Politics:

Gough Whitlam's dismissal in 1975
Pauline Hanson's escapades in the 1990s (Im sure there is one specific event to pick from) - One Nation Party formed 1997
Christopher Skase in Majorca around 1991?

Entertainment:

Beatles toured Australia in 1964
Completion of Sydney Opera House 1973
ACDC formed in 1973

Motoring:

First Australian built Falcon 1962
Peter Brock's death 2006
First Australian F1 Grand Prix 1985

Just a few ideas....

Jac

[dave351cid]

ford XY gtho - the words fastest 4 door sedan of its time.

nissan car factory closed down in `90s meaning all nissans now imported

tarrifs lifted in late `90s on imported cars allowing the market to be flooded with more brands and models then ever available before. this has really changed the australian motor industry more then mos people understand.

the Witlam saga woulg have to be the biggest thing thats happened in aust politics - except little johnny`s eyebrows

stoping the frankling dam in tas was a pretty big issue both enviromentle and political.

[Serial_Fool]

Thanks for the suggestions, off to wikipedia now to get the details.

[[dave]]

1988 - the year i was born

[Riksta]

Harold Holt getting eaten by a shark.

[dave351cid]

Originally Posted by [dave]

1988 - the year i was born

`88 was a big year too, lots of celebrations for australia`s bi-cential . or that that just a scam and it was really for your birthday ?? :

[Serial_Fool]

So can someone give me a brief run-down on what the Whitlam dismissal was about?

[Ford_V8]

September 29th 1990

[Serial_Fool]

hello?

[uranium_death]

1989 - Geelong v Hawthorn Grand Final

Round 6 --> Geelong led by 49-53 points (need to check that up) and still lost. Mark Yeates knocked over by Brereton, got sore testicle.

Grand Final --> Paul Couch wins Brownlow medal. Prior to match, Blight remains suspect on Brereton targeting Couch at opening bounce. Blight assigns Yeates task of knocking Brereton over at bounce. Brereton's ribs broken, gets up, marks, goals. Kicked three for the match.
Gary Ablett 9 goals, 5 on the full-back of the late 1980s, Chris Langford.
6 point margin, high scoring, free flowing. None of that 2005-2006 Grand Final rubbish.

1991 -> Bob Hawke gone (yay!).
1996 -> No more Keating insults (d'oh!) (very entertaining)

I am a Geelong man. One of the greatest games ever.

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by Serial_Fool

hello?

Here you go. Gough Whitlam on Wiki, including a fair bit on the dismissal:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_whitlam

The constituational crisis of 1975:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

The crisis of 1975 might not have occurred had the Senate as elected in 1974 maintained its member status. The crisis was precipitated by the Senate delaying the Whitlam government's money (Supply) bill. Although one of the two independents joined the Liberal Party, the other, Steele Hall, was opposed to blocking supply, and this would have been sufficient to prevent such a course being followed. The change in the composition of the Senate which made the constitutional crisis of 1975 possible was brought about by two appointments to fill vacancies in the Senate, which under Section 15 of the Australian Constitution are made by the State Parliaments 'if sitting'; or by the State Governor 'with the advice of Executive Council'. Since the introduction of proportional representation for Senate elections in 1949, there was an unwritten informal convention that Senators who died or resigned should be replaced by a Senator of their own party, and until 1975 state governments had adhered to this convention. The actual convention, however, which was established in 1952 by Labor Premier Gair in Queensland when a Liberal senator died, was for the opposition to provide a list of three names and for the Premier to be able to select one of them.

In February 1975 the Premier of New South Wales, Tom Lewis, broke the unwritten convention by appointing an independent Senator, Cleaver Bunton, to replace the Attorney-General, Senator Lionel Murphy, who had been appointed to the High Court of Australia. This appointment made no difference to the political situation, because it turned out that Bunton was opposed to blocking supply, but it provided a precedent for the Queensland National Party Premier, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, when a Queensland ALP Senator, Bert Milliner, died on 30 June. As permitted by Section 15 of the Australian Constitution, Bjelke-Petersen refused to appoint the ALP's chosen replacement, Dr Mal Colston, and asked Labor for three alternative nominations, as Gair had requested of them in 1952. Bjelke-Petersen said he had concerns over Colston's integrity, but Labor maintained that his real intention was to appoint a Senator who would support the blocking of supply and thus help bring down the Whitlam government.

When Labor insisted on nominating Colston, Bjelke-Petersen nominated Albert Field, president of the Federated Furnishing Trades Union and an ALP member of thirty-eight years standing. Bjelke-Petersen maintained that he was therefore not breaking the convention. Under ALP rules, however, Field ceased to be an ALP member as soon as he accepted nomination against an endorsed Labor candidate. Field said that he was opposed to Whitlam's behaviour in office and that he had approached Bjelke-Petersen asking to be nominated to the vacancy. Labor maintained that in these circumstances Field was in effect an anti-Labor Senator and that Bjelke-Petersen had broken the convention. (Colston later entered the parliament in 1975 and resigned - as an Independent - under ignominious circumstances in 1999)

Field was granted leave from the Senate when High Court writs were filed challenging his eligibility to sit, on the grounds that he was in Crown employment at the time of his appointment. (Field had been employed by the Queensland Education Department, and although he had resigned the day before he was appointed, he was required by the Education Act to give three weeks' notice). But the change to the composition of the Senate was in any case decisive, because with Milliner's vote gone, the Opposition could pass Senate motions 30 votes to 29. Rather than blocking supply, they moved to delay consideration of the budget. This delay would have resulted in essential public services ceasing to function due to lack of money; that is to say Whitlam attempted to govern without supply and no government had ever attempted such a course of action (Weller & Smith, The Rise and Fall of Whitlam Labor - full citation below). Fraser warned that the bill would not be passed unless Whitlam called an early election. Whitlam was determined to face the Opposition down, and proposed to borrow money from the banks to keep the government running. He was confident that some of the more moderate Liberal Senators would back down when the situation worsened as appropriations ran out during November and December.

It is interesting to note that as soon as three weeks had expired from the date of his resignation, Field could have been returned to the Senate in a few minutes if his vote had been needed. Bjelke-Petersen could have prorogued the Queensland Parliament, Field could have then resigned his Senate seat (ending all question of his eligibility), and then the Queensland Governor would have appointed Field to hold the place under Section 15 of the Constitution until the Parliament resumed.

Governor-General Sir John Kerr was also concerned about the legality of Whitlam's proposals for borrowing money, and to govern without Supply although the Solicitor-General and Attorney-General had carefully scrutinised them for legality.[8]

Kerr contacted the Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, the former Liberal Attorney-General Sir Garfield Barwick, who gave Kerr private advice in a letter on 10 November which stated in part...

"...the Senate may not originate nor amend a money Bill... the Senate has constitutional power to refuse to pass a money Bill: it has power to refuse Supply to the government of the day...a Prime Minister who cannot ensure Supply to the Crown, including funds for carrying on the ordinary services of government, must either advise a general election...or resign." Barwick also added that the Governor General...'has constitutional authority to withdraw his commission as Prime Minister." (Barwick's advice to Kerr on 10 Nov 1975, in Hall & Ironmonger, The Makers and Breakers - full citation below)

Kerr was also advised, by New South Wales Governor Sir Roden Cutler that he must warn Whitlam of the possibility of his dismissal.

So on 11 November 1975, Kerr in accordance with Section 64 exercised his power and revoked Whitlam's commission and installed Fraser as caretaker Prime Minister, with instructions to make no policy changes, no appointments, no dismissals and call an immediate federal election (Weller & Smith, 'The rise and fall of Whitlam Labor'). In a double irony, the Labor Senators were not advised of Whitlam's dismissal and at 2.15pm the Supply Bills were brought on and immediately passed, thus giving the caretaker, Fraser, the essential money bills to continue the business of government. At 2.45pm Fraser announced he was caretaker Prime Minister, had the Supply Bills passed and was going for a double dissolution. (Weller & Smith, 'The rise and fall of Whitlam Labor')

On hearing the proclamation dissolving Parliament, which ended with the traditional 'God Save the Queen', Whitlam delivered his famous impromptu address to the crowd that had gathered in front of the steps of Parliament House. During the speech he famously labelled Fraser as "Kerr's cur" and told the crowd: "Ladies and gentlemen, well may we say 'God Save the Queen', because nothing will save the Governor-General."[9]

In the House of Representatives, following Kerr's actions under Section 64, Whitlam moved a motion 'that this House expresses its want of confidence in the Prime Minister and requests Mr Speaker forthwith to advise His Excellency the Governor-General to call on me to form a government'. This vote of confidence in Whitlam was passed on party lines. This vote of confidence in Whitlam was delivered personally to Kerr by the Speaker of the House Gordon Scholes, but Kerr refused to see the Speaker until after his Official Secretary had read the notice of double dissolution at Parliament House at 4.45pm. (Weller & Smith, Ibid.)

Many unions mobilised and prepared to strike but Trade Union President Bob Hawke called for unions not to be provoked. Although there were a number of public protests against Fraser during the campaign, the media (especially the Murdoch press, which had supported the ALP in 1972) had long since lost confidence in Whitlam, reporting a string of ministerial failures. This had a major influence on public opinion, signalled some months previously in the Bass by-election and the election resulted in a landslide win to the Coalition.

[Scott]

1948 - All Australians became citizens of Australia - not British citizens living in Australia;
1956 - Melbourne Olympics;
1956 - 1st TV Broadcast;
1966 - Decimal life began;
1975 - Colour TV;
1984 - Our National Anthem became just that;

That's all I can think of that hasn't already been mentioned atm.

[eb_5litre]

February 1975 - Maslin Beach SA became Australias first nude beach.

[eb_5litre]

Also research when FatCat was axed...... lol

[V3RSAC3]

Originally Posted by MYGT05

The release of the AU.

AALRIIGGHT ...

just put a picture of a Gold S1 AU Fairmont on your poster ... Greatest invention in motoring history!!!

[Serial_Fool]

The thought of the AU series 1 grill brings tears to my eyes......

[Ringo]

Some thoughts from my 32 year old mind in addition to the excellent list already provided....

wartime,

ANZUS treaty
Kokoda
Vietnam

politics,

Howard's rise in the early 80's, fall in the late 80's ...and then rise again
Latham's impression of a shooting star across the canberra political landscape

entertainment,

Frank Sinatra stranded in Melbourne after a ban is placed on refulling his plane after making unsavoury comments on something or rather
Johnny O'Keefe
INXS
AC/DC
The death of Woodro from Wonder World - A sad day for kids TV

motoring
Button plan comes and goes...
Nissan Plant shutdown
The death of Leyland in Australia
Lowering of tariffs and the impact on manfacturers now playing on a global playing field, not local.

[JG66ME]

Adding to Vietnam, Occupation of Japan late 50s early 50s. Korean war early 1950s, Malayan emergency late 50s and early 60s.

The Victoria crosses won in Vietnam.

Battle of Long Tan.

Other battles in Vietnam not well know to guys on the street

FSB Coral Balmoral (This was a large set piece battle)

Binn Bah

Wikapeidia the exact dates.

Steve

[JG66ME]

Oh yes, getting rid of the White Australia Policy and how we wern't that far of South African Apartdhied befor that with our Indiginous people not allowed the vote and not even being citizens. Dates where 67 and early 70s. You need to look up.

Steve

[jcxr]

Today is fairly monumental with Bracksy snatching it.

[Riksta]

Originally Posted by eb_5litre

Also research when FatCat was axed...... lol

And then busted for drugs

[cool65]

27/07/07 - bracks resigns & take thwaites with him
a great day in history (for victoria)

[Serial_Fool]

Thanks guys, i handed the project up today.

Cheers!