Cairns Opposes Whitlam

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31663, 26 April 1968, Page 13

Cairns Opposes Whitlam

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, April 25. A leading Federal Labour politician, Dr J. Cairns, will oppose Mr Gough Whitlam for the leadership of The Federal Labour Party.

Dr Cairns’s candidacy was announced today on a live television broadcast. Because he has laryngitis, bis wife read the ment for him. Dr Cairns contributed, in a husky whisper, that his condition was caused by a cold, tension and too much talking. He left his bed for a few minutes to make an appearance before the cameras while Mrs Cairns spoke at their Melbourne suburban home. Mrs Cairns, with her husband standing beside her, read a statement he had prepared. Dr Cairns then went back to bed. He will be visited today by a throat specialist. Mr Whitlam and Dr Cairns will contest the party leadership at a special meeting of the Federal Labour caucus on April 30. Mr Whitlam announced last week that he would resign the leadership on April 20 and seek re-election in an attempt to get a vote of confidence.

He said then he wanted to have a showdown with members of the Victorian Labour Party executive, who oppose him on the caucus. Dr Cairns’s statement today said that Mr Whitlam’s conduct constituted “a serious challenge to the party, and it must now be resolved. “I deeply regret that the leadership of the Australian Labour Party has been called into question by Mr Whitlam’s decision to resign,” the statement said. Political correspondents believe the caucus meeting on April 30 will now be a straight, bitter faction fight between backers of the two candidates. Reports today of unofficial polls said that Dr Cairns would get strong support—but lose. Among Dr Cairn’s supporters is the former party leader, Mr Arthur Calwell.