1972 in Australia

Infobox Australian year
monarch =Elizabeth II
governor-general = Paul Hasluck
pm =William McMahon, then Gough Whitlam
population = 13,067,265
australian =
elections =Federal, TAS, QLD"See also:"
1971 in Australia,
other events of 1972,
1973 in Australia and the
Timeline of Australian history.

Incumbents

*Queen of Australia - Queen Elizabeth II
*Governor General - Sir Paul Hasluck
*Prime Minister - William McMahon, then Gough Whitlam

tate premiers

*Premier of New South Wales - Sir Robert Askin
*Premier of South Australia - Don Dunstan
*Premier of Queensland - Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen
*Premier of Tasmania - Angus Bethune, then Eric Reece
*Premier of Western Australia - John Tonkin
*Premier of Victoria - Sir Henry Bolte, then Rupert Hamer
*Chief Minister of the Northern Territory - Marshall Perron

Events

*May 10 - Law professor George Duncan is drowned in the Torrens River, Adelaide. Police establish that his death was a homophobic-related murder. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2002/s552142.htm A look back at the Duncan murder] , "The 7.30 Report" (ABC), 9 May 2002.]
*June 3 - Douglas Nicholls becomes the first Indigenous Australian to be knighted.
*October 6 - Faraday School kidnapping - six pupils and their teacher are kidnapped for $1 million ransom in Victoria.
*November 15 - First aircraft hijacking in Australia. Ansett Airlines flight 232 from Adelaide to Alice Springs with 28 passengers and a crew of 4. Followed by gun battle at Alice Springs Airport.
*December 2 - Gough Whitlam becomes Prime Minister of Australia.
* Shane Gould is announced as Australian of the Year
* The health warning, “Smoking is a Health Hazard” became compulsory on cigarette packets in Australia.

Arts and Literature

* Thea Astley's novel "The Acolyte" wins the Miles Franklin Award

Film

* The Adventures of Barry McKenzie

Television

*March 13 - Controversial soap opera "Number 96" debuts on Network 0-10.
*November 16 - The Aunty Jack Show premieres on ABC-TV in Sydney.

port

*September 16 - Bernard Vine wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:28:21 in Richmond, Australia.
* Piping Lane wins the Melbourne Cup
* Western Australia wins the Sheffield Shield
* "American Eagle" takes line and handicap honours in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
* Shane Gould wins 3 gold medals for swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich
* Australia draws Ashes Cricket Test Series 2-2 with England

Births

* April 8 — Katrina Powell, field hockey player
* May 30 — Renita Farrell, field hockey player
* June 19 — Poppy Montgomery, actress
* June 24 — Robbie McEwen, cyclist
* June 24 — Ian Rutledge, field hockey coach
* June 30 — Stuart Rendell, hammer thrower
* August 12 — Allison Tranquilli, basketball player
* September 1 — Louise Dobson, field hockey player
* September 20 — Jenny Morris, field hockey player
* October 11 — Claudia Black, actress
* November 1 — Toni Collette, actress
* November 7 — Melissa Bell, actress
* November 13 — Samantha Riley, swimmer
* December 28 — Patrick Rafter, tennis player

Deaths

* July 7 - Owen Dixon (b.1886), former Chief Justice of Australia
* August 21 - Ernestine Hill (b.1899), author

References