John Cain Luncheon (December): The Whitlam Government - 50 years on, with Professor Jenny Hocking

To mark the 50th anniversary of the election of the Whitlam Government, we will be joined by Emeritus Professor Jenny Hocking, award-winning biographer and political commentator. From party reform and policy renewal, to forming the first Labor government in 23 years, Professor Hocking will share her insights into the renovation of the party platform, the It's Time campaign and the 1972 election. 

Join us in-person for a special Christmas lunch at 12:30pm or watch via Zoom. The Zoom broadcast will commence at:

- 1pm AEDT (Vic, NSW, ACT, Tas)
- 12pm AEST (Qld)
- 12:30pm ACDT (SA)
- 11:30am ACST (NT)
- 10am AWST (WA)

Professor Jenny Hocking is an award-winning author, Emeritus Professor at Monash University, Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, and inaugural Distinguished Whitlam Fellow at the Whitlam Institute, Western Sydney University. She is the author of numerous books including the acclaimed two-volume biography of Gough Whitlam, short-listed for several major literary awards including the Prime Minister's Literary Awards, The Age Book of the Year and the National Biography Award, and winner of the Fellowship of Australian Writers’ Barbara Ramsden Award.

In 2016, Jenny commenced legal action against the National Archives of Australia seeking public access to the secret 'Palace letters' between the Queen and the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, relating to Kerr’s 1975 dismissal of the Whitlam government. In May 2020, in a 6:1 decision, the High Court found in Jenny’s favour, ending the Queen’s indefinite embargo over the letters, and paving the way for their release.

Professor Hocking’s latest book The Palace Letters: The Queen, the governor-general, and the plot to dismiss Gough Whitlam tells the story of this remarkable archival research journey and legal battle to secure the release of the Palace letters, and their impact on the history of the dismissal of the Whitlam government. It was published in November 2020 with a foreword by the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull and has been described as ‘a political thriller’, an ‘absorbing courtroom drama’, and ‘vital Australian history’. The Palace Letters was awarded a Special Commendation in the 2020 Henry Mayer Award for best book on Australian politics, and a Commendation in the Mander Jones Awards.

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Register here to reserve a seat at our Graduate House event. Your ticket includes lunch from 12:30pm followed by a discussion from 1pm.

If you purchase an Online Zoom Ticket, you will be able to watch the event online. You'll receive the Zoom link by email.

Per Capita is committed to keeping its events accessible to those who may not be able to purchase a ticket. For this reason we are making a number of Concession Tickets available for unwaged/student/full age pension concessions. These tickets cover the cost of lunch plus a free ticket to the discussion.

Free tickets are available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in recognition of the fact that this event is being held on stolen land. Please email m.eldridge@percapita.org.au to request a free ticket.

If you are able to and would like to help us increase the number of Concession Tickets available, please consider a donation on top of your ticket purchase.