Anger outside Whitlam’s memorial service
Organisers of Gough Whitlam’s state memorial service have been accused of botching seating arrangements as thousands gather to farewell the former prime minister in Sydney’s CBD.
There is confusion outside Town Hall as mourners wait for the 11am ceremony to start, with some expressing disappointment about missing out on seats inside.
A reported 6000 people have registered for the service but only around 2000 can be seated inside the venue.
Several people who had registered with the hope of sitting inside have already been turned away at the door.
“I think it was a poor decision to have it here,” Arthur Crutchfield, 75, told AAP on Wednesday
“You could have filled up the Sydney Cricket Ground, ANZ stadium.”
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Gail Nagel said she had registered with organisers with the hope of siting inside but was turned away at the door.
She says organisers “botched” the arrangements.
“They never at any stage indicated you wouldn’t get a seat (inside),” she said.
“We were told only 1000 are allowed inside.”
Bill Highfield, who has been waiting outside Town Hall since 8am, said he’d been promised a seat but was turned back when he arrived.
“We waited for two hours in the queue and they told us there’s no point waiting anymore, it’s pointless,” he said.
“It’s the wrong venue for it.”
Actress Cate Blanchett, Aboriginal activist Noel Pearson, former political speechwriter Graham Freudenberg, Labor stalwart John Faulkner and Whitlam’s son Antony will speak at the ceremony.
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ABC TV veteran journalist Kerry O’Brien will MC the two-hour service.
Former prime ministers Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke and Paul Keating arrived and joined family, friends and politicians from both sides of politics at the federal and state levels inside Town Hall.
Keating, who made a rare appearance with his ex-wife Annita van Iersel, received a standing ovation and was cheered as he entered – as was Hawke and Blanche d’Alpuget.
Fraser, the former Liberal prime minister who played a leading role in Whitlam’s dismissal but later became friends with him, was also greeted with applause, and so to was Kevin Rudd who was accompanied by his daughter Jessica.
Other attendees included Barry Jones, Bob Carr and his wife Helena, Gareth Evans and Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and his wife.
From the Liberal side were Philip Ruddock, George Brandis and former prime minister John Howard, amongst others.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill was also there.
Outside in the square huge screens were in place to televise the services.
Cheers erupted each time the face of a Labor figure arriving was flashed up on a big screen.
Among the crowd were a few t-shirts carrying the iconic “It’s Time” slogan that helped sweep Whitlam and Labor to power in 1972.
Screens have also been set up in Melbourne’s Federation Square and Cabramatta in Sydney’s west, where Whitlam’s seat was.
Flags on the Sydney Harbour Bridge are being flown at half-mast.
Four F/A-18 Horner fighter jets will conduct a flyover above George Street in the CBD after the ceremony wraps up.
Whitlam died on October 21 at the age of 98 and was cremated in a private funeral last week.
Check back here this afternoon for a full wrap of the Whitlam memorial, including all the key speeches.
