Quotes from Gough Whitlam

Well may we say 'God save the Queen', because nothing will save the Governor-General'.

A conservative government survives essentially by dampening expectations and subduing hopes. Conservatism is basically pessimistic, reformism is basically optimistic.

Australia's treatment of her Aboriginal people will be the thing on which the world will judge Australia and Australians - Not just now, but in the greater perspective of history.

I have more influence now than when I had the power.

Men and women of western Sydney, it's appropriate, you apparently believe, that Australia's oldest surviving Prime Minister should make the concluding remarks in Australia's oldest surviving Government House. I hope the building's foundations are a bit more substantial than mine.

An education system where student selection is based on credit capacity and not merit capacity and where graduating students are no longer indebted to the nation, but increasingly indebted to the Australian Taxation Office - that's no way to improve the quality of education.

If I begin my book with a review of the coup, it is only to show that my abiding interests for Australia did not end with it. They shall end only with a long and fortunate life.

My great objective as a parliamentarian was to dramatise the deficiencies and devise practical government programs to deal with them. It was a cause that went to the heart of our way of life.

She was a remarkable person and the love of my life.

I'm the only P.M. of which that can be said - 'His legislation was never declared invalid in the High Court.'

Dying will happen sometime. As you know, I plan for the ages, not just for this life.

The punters know that the horse named Morality rarely gets past the post, whereas the nag named Self-interest always runs a good race.