The inequalities in our community now reflect not so much gross disparities in income, but the failure of successive Liberal governments to create opportunities for the overwhelming majority of our people—the lower, modest and middle income families—opportunities which only governments can make. And increasingly in Australia the national government must initiate those opportunities.

Gough Whitlam, 1969

Gough’s sentiment is as relevant today as it was on October 1, 1969. That is a sad indictment of the state of Australian politics in 2022. After eight years of conservative governments, once again it is time for a dramatic shift in Australian politics.