A signed photo of Gough Whitlam hangs in the conference room in my office in Charlestown.

It was 5 years ago today that this great man passed. To think of the amazing energy, creativity, wit, boldness and passion he brought to this nation makes me incredibly proud to be Australian.

He, like all politicians, and like all people, was not without his flaws. But there is no doubt that the changes he so eagerly fought for will continue to have a lasting impact on this Lucky Country of ours. As the Hon. Edward Gough Whitlam so eloquently stated: "I plan for the ages, not just for this life."

He was a force to be reckoned with and a true hero of the Labor Party.

Rest in peaceGough, your legacy will live on forever in our hearts and in the trees that have grown from the seeds that you planted, whose shade you'll never know.