# Gough Whitlam

_Australian politician, 21st Prime Minister of Australia (1916–2014)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/gough-whitlam
Last updated: 2026-11-10

> Edward Gough Whitlam was the 21st prime minister of Australia, serving from December 1972 to November 1975. To date the longest-serving federal leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), he was notable for being the head of a reformist and socially progressive government that ended with his controversial dismissal by the then governor-general of Australia, Sir John Kerr, at the climax of the 1975 constitutional crisis. Whitlam remains the only Australian prime minister to have been removed from office by a governor-general.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 11 July 1916 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Gough Whitlam's birthplace ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333#P19))
- **Died:** 21 October 2014 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333#P570))
- **Place of death:** Sydney ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Australia ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; diplomat; barrister; minister; jurist; head of government ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333#P106))
- **Political party:** Australian Labor Party (since 8 August 1945) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333#P102))
- **Education:** University of Sydney; Telopea Park School; Canberra Grammar School; Mowbray House ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333#P69))
- **Spouse:** Margaret Whitlam ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333#P26))
- **Positions held:** Prime Minister of Australia (5 December 1972 – 11 November 1975); Attorney-General for Australia (5 December 1972 – 19 December 1972); Minister for Justice (5 December 1972 – 6 November 1973); Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia) (5 December 1972 – 6 November 1973); Treasurer of Australia (5 December 1972 – 19 December 1972); member of the Australian House of Representatives (29 November 1952 – 31 July 1978); ambassador ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333#P39))
- **Awards:** Centenary Medal; Honorary Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu; Australian National Living Treasure; Companion of the Order of Australia; Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333#P166))

## Questions

**When was Gough Whitlam born?**  
Gough Whitlam was born on 11 July 1916 in Gough Whitlam's birthplace.

**What positions has Gough Whitlam held?**  
Positions held by Gough Whitlam include: Prime Minister of Australia (1972–1975); Attorney-General for Australia (1972–1972); Minister for Justice (1972–1973); Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia) (1972–1973); Treasurer of Australia (1972–1972).

**Where did Gough Whitlam study?**  
Gough Whitlam was educated at University of Sydney, Telopea Park School, Canberra Grammar School, Mowbray House.

## Related

- [Edmund Barton](https://diginpl.com/people/edmund-barton)
- [Chris Watson](https://diginpl.com/people/chris-watson)
- [George Reid](https://diginpl.com/people/george-reid)
- [James Scullin](https://diginpl.com/people/james-scullin)
- [Stanley Bruce](https://diginpl.com/people/stanley-bruce)
- [Arthur Fadden](https://diginpl.com/people/arthur-fadden)
- [Billy Hughes](https://diginpl.com/people/billy-hughes)
- [Robert Menzies](https://diginpl.com/people/robert-menzies)
- [Alfred Deakin](https://diginpl.com/people/alfred-deakin)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Gough Whitlam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_Whitlam) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikipedia (Nepali): गोफ विट्ल्याम](https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AB_%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q23333](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23333) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Gough Whitlam - ACF - crop.jpg by Australian Conservation Foundation (CC BY-SA 4.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gough_Whitlam_-_ACF_-_crop.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Gough Whitlam, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Gough Whitlam - ACF - crop.jpg — Australian Conservation Foundation, CC BY-SA 4.0.

## Cite this page

"Gough Whitlam". DigiNepal. Last updated 10 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/gough-whitlam. Retrieved 10 November 2026.