Imagine just for a minute that it is 1972. Gough Whitlam has just brought the Labor Party to power. You are unaware that many changes will be occurring in the near future. And that this government will eventually be dismissed. Many of these changes were made in regards to Australia's foreign policy in relation to dealings with the United States and Asia. The Whitlam government also achieve many other changes including, attitudes to women and the expectations the Australian's had of their Government.

The three years of government under the Australian Labor Party resulted in immense activity in the area of foreign policy, with significantly different approaches and decisions from those of the previous Liberal-National Party governments. Whitlam was keen to move quickly in the foreign policy, as shown by the many changes he made shortly after taking office. The main reason he was able to achieve this was...