Old Pals Party

FORTY years ago this Sunday, hero of the left and Labor Party icon Gough Whitlam ended 23 years of Liberal Party rule when he became Prime Minister.

Lulworth House resident Jeanne Little

On Friday the current Labor PM Julia Gillard survived the News Ltd led onslaught about...well no-one knows quite what except for the Opposition's repeated claims, echoing Rupert Murdoch's The Australian  that she "had questions to answer".
In her closing speech to Parliament for the year Ms Gillard paid tribute to Gough and his triumphs :ending Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, free university education, universal healthcare and the recognition of China, now out biggest trading partner.
As the Shuttle revealed in early 2011, 96 year old Gough, who Sir David Frost described as "the most intellectual political leader he had interviewed"  is now living in the luxury nursing home  Lulworth House in Elizabeth Bay.
On Sunday the Whitlam clan will join Gough to celebrate his remarkable win in '72.

Gough, Neville & Harry M.

Perhaps Gough's fellow residents will pop in for a drink. The entertainer Jeanne Little who sadly is suffering from altheimers but still recognises people, and his fellow Labor great Neville Wran who was NSW Premier for 10 years, and the promoter Harry M.Miller . Our spy says Harry greatly enjoys breakfasting with Neville, despite the fact it was Wran's government that jailed Harry for 10 months in 1982 over the Tickertek fraud.

exclusive : Jeanne Joins Gough

As we exclusively reported several months ago, Gough Whitlam the former Labor Prime Minister of Australia who broke the conservative stranglehold on power in 1972 when he was elected after 23 years of Liberal/National Party dominance, has moved into the luxury retirement home Lulworth House in Elizabeth Bay.

Now we hear that the 93 year old -who the famous British interviewer Sir David Frost described to the Social Shuttle earlier this year as: "probably the most intellectual of all world leaders I have interviewed"- has been joined at the home by Jeanne Little , the much loved TV personality who is suffering from a severe form of Alzheimer's.

Lulworth House which is part of St Luke's Hospital is considered to be one of the finest retirement homes in Sydney with it's beautiful leafy gardens and superb views of the harbour.

David Frost : 'most intellectual world leader'

Ironically, Whitlam who gave Australia it's Medicare system of free public health care which is regarded as the best in the Western world is a private patient as is Jeannie who in her heyday would have been the ideological  opposite of Gough.

Wheelchair bound Gough still makes it out almost every day to lunch with old political pals and foes- former Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser who defeated Gough in 1975 after Whitlam was dismissed by the Governor General Sir John Kerr, is a visitor and friend.

Sadly Jeannie no longer recognises her family and friends. Her family have asked people to donate to the Jeanne Little Alzheimer's Research Fund.