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NOTES FOR THE PRIME MINISTER, MR, E, G. WHITLAM, M. P,,
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY UNION CENTENARY
DINNER, 19 JULY 1974
1, THIS IS THE FIRST UNION I EVER JOINED. I BECAME A STUDENT
MEMBER IN 1935 AND A LIFE MEMBER IN 1947. So I'VE BEEN A
UNIONIST FOR 39 YEARS LONGER THAN BOB HAWKE. AND I'VE NEVER
SEEN A MORE ELEGANT, DISTINGUISHED AND PROSPEROUS UNION MEETING
THAN THIS, IT'S A PITY YOU'RE NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE LABOR
PARTY. 2. I WISH CLYDE CAMERON WERE HERE THIS EVENING. THIS MUST
BE THE ONLY UNION THAT HAS NEVER BEEN ON STRIKE DURING THE
PAST 100 YEARS, YOU HAVEN'T EVEN HAD A WORK-TO-RULE.
3, THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY UNION IS AN AMALGAMATION OF THE
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY UNION AND THE SYDNEY UNIVERSITY'WOMEN'S
UNION, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL 1972, 1972 WAS A GREAT
YEAR FOR ALL OF US INDEED THE YEAR OF LIBERATION, IT TOOK
23 YEARS FOR MY PARTY TO COME TO POWER, IT TOOK 98 YEARS
FOR YOUR UNION TO BE CONSUMMATED
4, IT WAS VERY UNSATISFACTORY FOR ME TO BE IN ONE UNION
AND MY WIFE IN ANOTHER, WE HAD CONSTANT DEMARCATION DISPUTES.
As YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT HAS TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO
PASS LEGISLATION FOR UNION AMALGAMATIONS. WE HAVE BEEN BLOCKED
BY THE SENATE, THE SYDNEY UNIVERSITY SENATE IS A MUCH MORE
ENLIGHTENED BODY THAN THE SENATE IN CANBERRA, IT'S 120 YEARS
OLD. SOME OF OUR CANBERRA SENATORS WOULD FEEL VERY MUCH AT HOME THER
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6, YOUR CONSTITUTION SAYS: " THE OBJECTS OF THE UNION SHALL
BE TO PROVIDE A COMMON MEETING GROUND FOR MEMBERS,,,,; TO
PROVIDE DINING AND REFRESHMENT SERVICES; TO PROVIDE CONVENIENCES,
SERVICES AND AMENITIES FOR MEMBERS; TO PROVIDE SOCIAL, CULTURAL
AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES; TO PROMOTE THE INTELLECTUAL, CULTURAL
AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ITS MEMBERS BY DEBATES AND ACTIVITIES,,,,
IT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY GOOD DESCRIPTION OF PARLIAMENT,
No WONDER I FIND THE UNION SO CONGENIAL,
7, ALTHOUGH THE UNION WAS FORMED IN 1874 ITS CONSTITUTION
WAS NOT ADOPTED UNTIL 1911, IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT WE
CAN GET ALONG WITHOUT A CONSTITUTION IF WE TRY,
8. I REGRET TO SAY THAT I WAS NOT A VERY GOOD UNIONIST IN
MY DAYS AT UNIVERSITY, MY PROLETARIAN INSTINCTS WERE NOT WELL
DEVELOPED, I TOOK NO PART IN UNION DEBATES, INTER-COLLEGIATE
DEBATES WERE MORE IN MY LINE, LOOKING BACK THROUGH THE OLD
UNION RECORDER, HOWEVER, I FIND THAT SEVERAL OF MY DISTINGUISHED
CONTEMPORARIES WERE PROMINENT IN DEBATES AND UNION AFFAIRS,
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THERE WAS TALBOT DUCKMANTON, WHOSE POLISHED ACCENTS
ASSURED HIM OF A GREAT CAREER IN RADIO. THERE WAS BRUCE
MILLER, WHO WAS A RADIO ANNOUNCER BEFORE ATTAINING HIS
PRESENT EMINENCE AT THE AAA. U THERE WAS HERMAN BLACK;
HE ALSO MADE HIS NAME ON RADIO. SIR HERMAN WAS A GENERATION
BEFORE HIS TIME. HE WOULD HAVE RIVALLED JOHN LAWS AND BOB
ROGERS ON TALK-BACK PROGRAMS$
THERE WAS DONALD HORNE, WHO WAS GATHERING NOTES FOR
A BOOK ON " THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG DONALD", J. H. WOOTTENO
NOW PROFESSOR OF LAW IN ANOTHER PLACEo AND JIM PLIMSOLL.
THE UNION WAS A HOT-BED OF RADICALISM IN THOSE DAYS.
MY POLITICS, OF COURSE, WERE WELL TO THE LEFT OF THEIRS.
IMUST HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED By ENOCH POWELL.
9. Two OF THE GREAT PERSONALITIES IN THE UNION'S HISTORY
WERE PROFESSOR E. R. HOLME ( WHOM WE KNEW AS ' SUNNY' HOLME)
AND PROFESSOR F. A. TODD. I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO BE
TAUGHT. BY BOTH OF THEM. E. R. HOLME WAS my ENGLISH PROFESSOR
AND F. A. TODD GAVE ME SOME ACQUAINTANCE WITH LATIN.
THE UNIVERSITY WAS A DIFFERENT PLACE IN MY DAY.
IT WAS A MUCH STUFFIER AND MORE CONSERVATIVE INSTITUTION.
IT WAS QUIETER AND VERY MUCH SMALLER. WOMEN STUDENTS WERE
DECIDEDLY IN THE MINORITY. INOTICE THAT DESPITE YOUR
AMALGAMATION YOU HAVE YET TO ELECT A WOMAN AS PRESIDENT
OF THE UNION.