Australian Women's Register

An initiative of The National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW) in conjunction with The University of Melbourne

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Whitlam, Margaret Elaine (1919 - )

AO

Born
19 November 1919
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation
Journalist and Social worker
Alternative Names
  • Dovey, Margaret (maiden name, 19 November 1919 - 22 April 1942)

Summary

Recognised as a National Living Treasure, Margaret Whitlam achieved public figure status after 1972 as the wife of Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. She was outspoken on many issues affecting women and was appointed to the National Advisory Committee for International Women's Year in 1974.

Details

Events

1943
Social Worker for the Family Welfare Bureau
1964 - 1967
Medical Social Worker at the Parramatta Hospital, Sydney
1974 - 1977
Director Commonwealth Hostels Limited
1975
Member of the Advisory Council for International Women's Year
1977 - 1982
Director of the Sydney Dance Company
1978 - 1980
President of the Australian Capital Territory Council of Social Services
1978 - 1981
Councilor/President of the Sydney Teachers College
1979 - 1981
Chairman of the Opera Conference
1982 - 1983
President of the Council for the Sydney CAE
1982 - 1983
Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Law Foundation of New South Wales
1989 - 1991
Chairman of the National Council for the International Literacy Year (ILY)
1990
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for the International Literacy Year
1990 - 1999
Travel consultant of the International Study Programs
1995 - 1996
Co-Chairman of the Safer Australia Committee
November 1995
Along with a number of other Voluntary Aids from World War II, Margaret Whitlam spoke about her wartime experiences at a commemorative luncheon as part of the 'Australia Remembers, 1945-1995' celebrations
2002
Member of the Library Society Committee for the New South Wales Library

Sources used to compile this entry: Herd, Margaret (ed.), Who's who in Australia 2002, 38 edn, Crown Content, Melbourne, 2002, 2020 pp. p. 2125..

Related entries

Related Organisations

Archival resources

National Archives of Australia, National Office

  • Australian National Advisory Committee for International Women's Year 1975, 1 Jun 1974 - 31 May 1976, Agency CA 2640; National Archives of Australia, National Office. Details

Published resources

The Australian Women's Register Exhibitions

Books

  • Whitlam, Margaret, My Day - First edition., Collins, 1974. Details
  • Whitlam, Margaret, My Other World, Allen & Unwin, 2001. Details

Reviews

  • Producer/Director: Jenny Ainge, 'The Life and Times', review of Margaret Whitlam: The Life and Times, Australian Film Commission Women's Program: Australian Women's Archival Series, Australian Film Commission, 1994. Details

Online Resources

See also

  • Herd, Margaret (ed.), Who's who in Australia 2002, 38 edn, Crown Content, Melbourne, 2002, 2020 pp. p. 2125. Details
  • Mitchell, Susan, The matriarchs: twelve Australian women talk about their lives to Susan Mitchell., Penguin Books, Ringwood, Vic., 1987. Details

Elle Morrell

Created: 19 February 2001, Last modified: 1 May 2009

Site-wide information and acknowledgements

National Foundation for Australian Women The University of Melbourne, eScholarship Research Centre

http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE0100b.htm