Gough Whitlam dies at 98; pivotal Australian prime minister
Edward Gough Whitlam, who shook up Australian politics and served as prime minister in the 1970s, has died at 98, the current prime minister’s office confirmed.
Known as Gough Whitlam, he led his reformist Labor Party into power in the 1972 election for the first time in more than two decades. He served as prime minister until his ouster in 1975.
Whitlam was “a giant of his time,” Prime Minister Tony Abbott said in a statement.
A longtime leader of Labor, Whitlam is credited with restructuring and unifying it and attracting more affluent people to the mainly working-class party.
Whitlam is also known for establishing diplomacy with China, which is now Australia’s biggest trading partner. He led a delegation to the country in 1971, the year before U.S. President Richard Nixon’s storied visit.
A complete obituary will follow at www.latimes.com/obits.
The Associated Press was used in compiling this report.
For more news, follow @raablauren on Twitter.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
