Page 65 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

THE HIST OR Y OF A USTR ALIA  63

In 1972, the Labor Party, under
Edward Gough Whitlam, was
elected on a platform of social
reform. It abolished conscrip­
tion, introduced free university
education and health care
through public hospitals,
lowered the voting age from
21 to 18 and gave some land
rights to Aborigines. In 1974,
an immigration policy without
any racial discrimination
Vietnam War protestors in Australia, focusing on Vietnam Air Force chief Nguyen Cao Kỳ was adopted.

high standard of living. Menzies understood The Changing Economic and
his people’s desire for peace and prosperity, Political Landscape
and gave Australians conservatism and The unprecedented dismissal of the
stability. He did, however, also involve them Whitlam Labor administration in 1975
in three more wars, in Korea (1950), Malaya ushered in an era of social and political
(1955) and Vietnam (1965). Vietnam was the reform. Free education and universal health
first time Australia fought in a war in which care were wound back, the nation dealt
Britain was not also engaged. with recession in the 1980s and 1990s and
avoided the worst of the global financial
Social Unrest and Change crisis in the 2000s due to economic stimulus
Opposition to conscription and the Vietnam packages. The election of Kevin Rudd as
War increased in the late 1960s and led prime minister in 2007 marked a return to
to major demonstrations. At the same government for the Labor party after 11
time there was concern for issues such as years under Liberal leader John Howard. The
Aboriginal land rights new government’s first act was a formal
and free education. In 1967, a apology to indigenous Australians for
constitutional referendum was the pain of past mistreatment. Rudd
passed by 90.8 per cent of the was toppled as Labor leader in
voters, ending the ban on 2010 by Julia Gillard, the country’s
Aboriginal inclusion in the first female prime minister. Closer
national census. It also gave ties with Asia saw China emerge
power to the federal as Australia’s biggest trading
government to legislate for partner, with the nation’s natural
Aborigines in all states, Prime Minister Whitlam hands over mineral resources and agriculture
ending state discriminations. Aboriginal land rights in 1975 products in high demand.

1991 Paul 2010–11 2012 Fourth coronial
Keating 1996 John 2007 Kevin Rudd elected Extensive flooding inquest into disappearance
elected as Howard is prime minister in Queensland, of Azaria Chamberlain rules
prime elected as prime with 75 per cent of a dingo took the baby from
minister minister 2006 Commonwealth Games the state declared an Uluru camp site in 1980
held in Melbourne
a disaster zone
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
1992–3 High Court rules 2000 Sydney 2009 More than 170 2011 Cadel Evans is 2018 Gold
that Aborigines held valid hosts Olympic killed and 1,800 the first Australian to Coast to host
claims to land Games homes destroyed in win the Tour de France Commonwealth
1988 Bicentenary new federal Victoria bushfires 2010 Julia Gillard elected Games
Parliament House opened in Canberra Australia’s first female prime minister