ALP elders organise whip-round to buy Whitlam home for posterity

Labor elders want to buy Gough Whitlam’s former home in Cabramatta to preserve it as a museum.

Hot property: The family home of former prime minister Gough Whitlam.

Labor elders are organising to buy Gough Whitlam’s former home in Cabramatta, which he owned when he was prime minister, and hand it over to the public to be preserved as a museum and learning centre.

Former NSW premier Barrie Unsworth, businessman and son of Gough and Margaret Whitlam Nick Whitlam, NSW Labor president Mark Lennon and Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey have formed a company to buy the home when it goes to auction on Saturday.

They have raised the money for a deposit and will seek to recover the full cost with a public appeal for donations. Those who donate will, if they wish, be recognised on an honour board at the historic home.

The southwest Sydney property, which the Whitlams owned from 1956 to 1978, would be handed over to the state or federal government, or the Whitlam Institute at Western Sydney University.

A public company limited by guarantee, known as the Whitlam Heritage Home Fund, was established and registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission last week. A bank ­account was also set up.

Mr Unsworth, chair of the fund, told The Australian they would ­acquire the 32 Albert Street property and seek to have the home heritage listed for its preservation in perpetuity. It is politically significant and offers a window into suburban life from the 1950s to the 1970s. “The Whitlam home in ­Albert Street, Cabramatta, played an important role in the journey of the Australian Labor Party, and its leader Gough Whitlam, to the historic victory in 1972, after 23 years in the political wilderness,” Mr Unsworth said. “It is essential the home be acquired and preserved as a publicly accessible venue to commemorate the Whitlam journey over 25 years, serving his constituents in the electorate of Werriwa on behalf of the ALP.”

The Whitlams moved into the 670sq m home in 1957 and owned it while Mr Whitlam was Labor leader (1967-77) and prime minister (1972-75).

The rundown four-bedroom home will be auctioned on Saturday and is expected to sell for more than $775,000. Several offers have been made but the vendor said it would go to auction.

Mr Unsworth expects enough donations will be raised to fund the purchase of the property, carry out remedial works and establish it as a museum and educational facility.

“Upon successful acquisition, the home will be offered to the commonwealth government, or the NSW government or the Whitlam Institute for its utilisation for education and historical purposes, for the benefit of future generations,” he said.

The initiative to fund the home follows the Morrison government’s decision to purchase Bob Hawke’s childhood home at Bordertown in South Australia and the McGowan government’s purchase last year of Mr Hawke’s family home in West Leederville.

The homes of former Australian prime ministers have not always been preserved. Ben Chifley’s home in Bathurst is owned by the local council. John Curtin’s home in Perth is owned by the state government. However, Paul Keating’s family home in Bankstown was demolished a few years ago and John Howard’s Earlwood home is a KFC outlet.