Troy Bramston: How Gough Whitlam reshaped Australia's place in the world

Troy Bramston is a senior writer at The Australian and author of the new biography Gough Whitlam: The Vista of the New — the first comprehensive biography of Australia's 21st prime minister since his death in 2014. Drawing on newly opened archives and more than 100 interviews, Bramston offers fresh insights into one of the most consequential periods in Australian history. Speaking with the Lowy Institute's Director of Research David Dutton in Sydney, Bramston examines Whitlam's opening to China, the end of White Australia, independence for Papua New Guinea, and the complexities of East Timor and the alliance with the United States. He explores how Whitlam's realpolitik approach transformed Australian diplomacy and why his legacy continues to shape our approach to the region today. More episodes of the Lowy Institute's podcasts are available on your favourite podcast apps, including Spotify , YouTube and Apple . Follow the Lowy Institute on our website , X , Instagram or LinkedIn . Follow David Dutton and Troy Bramston on X.

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Troy Bramston: How Gough Whitlam reshaped Australia's place in the world is an episode from Lowy Institute by Lowy Institute.

This episode is 61:12 long.

This episode was published on Jan 28, 2026.

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