Tony Whitlam addressing Sydney shoppers/campaigning.




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Background: The son of Gough Whitlam, former Australian Prime Minister, is hitting the campaign trail in support of the Australian Labor Party after being endorsed as Labor candidate for the safe Sydney electorate of Grayndler.

Mr Tony Whitlam, aged 32, replaces Mr Fred Daly, a minister in the Whitlam ministry and representative of Grayndler fro most of his 33 years in Parliament.

The selection of Mr Whitlam has been criticised by the Liberal-Country Party administration, installed as caretaker government by the Governor General, Sir John Kerr, who withdraw Labor's commission when it failed to gain Supply.

And members of the Labor Party joined the criticism, claiming that Tony Whitlam's endorsement was unfair to experienced members with a long history of science to the party.

Mr Whitlam, who recently returned from Britain, said he was aware there had been some bitterness within Labor circles because of his easy march into Grayndler.However, he felt the electoral executive were as excited about the endorsement as he was.Mr Whitlam said there had been no local Labor officials willing to stand.

Mr Daly had offered the seat to his son Lawrence, who had declined.Now, Mr Whitlam is being opposed by an Independent Labor candidate in the Grayndler seat, but he is still certain to win.

He has lost no time in launching an intensive campaign within the electorate, speaking at factory-gate meetings and touring the shopping districts of the inner-Sydney area.

First words: " I'm sorry to be interrupting...

ends : "to destroy democracy."