Who they were
Whitlam brought Labor back to power in 1972 after 23 years in opposition. His government carried out reforms in quick succession, introducing universal health insurance (Medibank), ending conscription, and abolishing university fees.
What they did
He established diplomatic relations with China, removed the remnants of the White Australia Policy, and opened the way to Indigenous land rights. Yet economic turmoil and political conflict shook his government.
Legacy
In 1975, amid a deadlock over the budget, Governor-General John Kerr dismissed him. This unprecedented event is regarded as the greatest crisis in Australian constitutional history and is debated to this day.