Petrov affair
Petrov had been a clerk with a Soviet spy organisation since 1933. In 1951 as a full agent he was sent to Australia under diplomatic cover, ironically to make sure other Soviet citizens working as spy did not defect. Whilst in Australia he befriended a man named Dr Michael Bialoguski, who worked as a part time spy for ASIO. It was always ASIO’s purpose to use Bialoguski to persuade Petrov to defect. For many months Petrov could not make up his mind. In early 1954 he made his decision when his KGB successor arrived. He met secretly with a Senior ASIO office Ron Richards who offered him 5000 pounds when he defected. Petrov also brought with him allegations of spying by Soviet agents in Australia, and also provided evidence to support his confession. Around 10 days later, before parliament rose into the mode of promoting election campaigns, Robert Menzies announced the defection to the world. By this time 2 KGB officers would be arresting Mrs Petrov to escort her back to the Soviet Union. Mrs Petrov was famously pictured being escorted by brutish Russian men in Sydney airport, where she was force to board a plane back to the Soviet Union. But in Darwin, where the plane stopped to refuel, but was offered asylum by Australian officials, where she accepted.
Whitlam policies
Aboriginal rights
• Whitlam worked to improve indigenous access to justice. Whitlam introduced self-determination and land rights.
• Following the establishment of the Royal commission on Aboriginal land rights, Whitlam established the Northern and Central land and gain legal support for land rights.
• Whitlam increased the budget for Aboriginal affair by 7x
Multiculturalism
• The Whitlam government moved away from integration and into multiculturalism
• This was to recognise the range of different cultures and an idea that people should be able to celebrate and retain their cultural heritage, whilst living in Australia
• Whitlam went on to abolish policies that restricted immigration and citizenship, and also the White Australia Policy
• He also improved relationships with Australia’s Asian neighbours.
Other policies
• Free uni, more money on education
• Introduction of medibank
• Sewerage to all urban areas
By 1967 there was an agreement to
• Count all aboriginal people as a part of population
• Allow the commonwealth to make laws to improve condition for Aboriginal people, any where they lived.