On the 40th anniversary of the dismissal of Gough Whitlam in 1975, we thought it fitting to remind readers of this witty exchange between Gough and his adversaries on matters balletic. Make sure you read it to the end!
When the Bolshoi Ballet visited Australia in August 1959, Jim Killen and William Wentworth, then Liberal backbenchers, but later ministers, were less than lavish in their praise. Killen took the opportunity of an adjournment debate in Parliament to make the following remarkable comment: "It would be folly of the first order if we failed to recognise that behind the grace, the beauty and the symmetry of the Bolshoi Ballet group in Australia there is a devilish design. The purpose of the ballet, of course, is plain. It has been sent to Australia to reach those people who are normally immune to orthodox Communist propaganda."
Whitlam closed the debate with the following reply:
Mr Whitlam: The house is indebted to the honourable member for Moreton and the honourable member for Mackellar for raising a matter of such moment on the motion for the adjournment. Both honourable gentlemen a well-known balletomaniacs.
Mr Speaker: Order! I ask the honourable member to restrain himself.
Mr Whitlam: I think we should realise that the visit of the Bolshoi Ballet company represents the most insidious infiltration of our community since the visit of the Soviet Olympic squad two years ago . . . I am told by those who have attended performances of the Bolshoi Ballet that some of the ballerinas are the most seductive and sinuous dancers since Salome.
Honourable members may laugh; they should not overlook the fact that in our day and age ballerinas of the greatest prominence are capable of subversive activities. I am ashamed, as a British citizen, to reflect that only a few months ago Dame Margot Fonteyn abetted a revolution in the friendly Republic of Panama and it took the whole of the Panamanian army of 200 to suppress it. That lady was honoured only a couple of years ago by her Majesty the Queen. At that period she was also admitted to this country by the Government.
Even worse, in her case the proletariat were able to attend her performances, whereas only capitalists can afford £2.10 shillings a seat to witness the Bolshoi Ballet performances. I believe that only members of the inner cabinet, with the prospect of budget concessions before them were able to afford the company's one night stand in the National Capital last Monday week."
Mr Ward: "They got in by showing their gold passes."
Mr Whitlam: "They were asked afterwards to the vodka and caviar party held by the Russian ambassador, who had presented his credentials to the Queen's representative earlier that day. I believe that Cabinet asked the Governor General to accelerate his reception of those credentials in order that they might attend the performance, meet him and accept his hospitality. It is well that we should realise the decadence of the society to which we are opposed to in the Soviet Union. It is a society which treats artists as if they had a high value in the community. We take much more realistic view of their worth in our materialistic society. We do not send artists on tours overseas. We drive them away for good."
From 'The Wit of Whitlam' by Deane Wells, Outback Press, 1976