Margaret Whitlam

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Margaret Elaine Whitlam (nee Dovey) AO (born 19 November 1919 in Sydney, New South Wales) is a prominent Australian personality and the wife of former Prime Minister of Australia Gough Whitlam. Ms Whitlam is a published author, social worker and former champion swimmer, having represented Australia at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney. She is known for having a sardonic wit equal to that of her husband.

She married Gough Whitlam in 1942, and together they have three sons and a daughter. One of their sons, Nicholas Whitlam, became a prominent banker and a controversial figure in his own right. Another son, Tony Whitlam, was briefly a federal MP.

Ms Whitlam was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1983, for services to the community. [1]

In 2006, Ms Whitlam criticised Janette Howard's lack of commitment to community activities.^[1] She withdrew the comments (but stopped short of apologising to Howard) after attracting widespread condemnation from both sides of politics.