YOUR readers have been subjected to the achievements of the late Gough Whitlam, in the main by people who were still wet behind the ears when he was Prime Minister.

In 1967 my wife and I constructed a modest home at Wacol on an estate developed by the late Clem Jones. As I worked in an industry (banking) where employees were subject to transfer, we sold the house in 1971 for $10,000.

Following the election of the Whitlam Labor Government wages went up by 48% and inflation hit 20%.

The purchaser of our house sold it less than two years later for $18,500. When we were transferred back to Brisbane it was impossible for us to buy another home due to the rampant inflation on the price of houses.

My former manager at Rockhampton retired in 1971 after 45 years in the bank on a superannuation pension of $4000 per year.

Whitlam's legacy left him and his wife on the poverty line for the rest of their lives.

The effect of his policies on inflation, wages and unemployment would be the reason Whitlam was soundly defeated in 1975 and again two years.

In fact in 1975 Bill Hayden would have been defeated by Shapcott have the Liberals run a "better" candidate in Oxley.

IAN WEIER, Riverview

OPINION: Letters to the Editor

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