William McMahon - Prime Minister

Prime Minister

Following continued plotting from Gorton's supporters, in 1971, McMahon found occasion to sack Gorton for perceived disloyalty; Billy Snedden was chosen as the new deputy Liberal leader.

In June 1971 McMahon cancelled Gorton's planned nuclear power program, which had included a reactor capable of generating weapons-grade plutonium. He considered it inconsistent with the goals of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, signed under Gorton in 1970, and later ratified under Whitlam in 1973.

McMahon attacked the Opposition Leader E.G. Whitlam over his policy of recognising the People's Republic of China, then had to back down when President Nixon announced his visit to China. McMahon's reputation for economic management was undermined by high inflation. His voice and appearance came across badly on television and he was no match in parliamentary debates for Whitlam, a witty and powerful orator, who opposed the increasingly unpopular Vietnam War, and advocated radical new policies such as universal health insurance.

In the December 1972 election campaign, he was outperformed by Whitlam. When Whitlam won the election, McMahon resigned the Liberal leadership and was replaced by Snedden, who became the new Opposition Leader.

McMahon had been a minister continuously for 21 years and 6 months, a record in the Australian Government. Only Sir George Pearce and Sir John McEwen had longer overall ministerial service, but their terms were not continuous.