Whitlam stayed on as Opposition leader , surviving a leadership challenge . In early 1976 , an additional controversy broke when it was reported that Whitlam had been involved in ALP attempts to raise $ 500,000 during the election from the Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr government of Iraq . " Luckily , for Whitlam and Labor , the deal , ultimately , went pear-shaped . " No money had actually been paid , and no charges were filed . The Whitlams were visiting China at the time of the Tangshan earthquake in July 1976 , though they were staying in Tianjin , away from the epicentre . '' The Age '' printed a cartoon by Peter Nicholson showing the Whitlams huddled together in bed with Margaret Whitlam saying , " Did the earth move for you too , dear ? " This cartoon prompted a page full of outraged letters from Labor partisans and a telegram from Gough Whitlam , safe in Tokyo , requesting the original of the cartoon
Tangshan earthquake
1976 Tangshan earthquake
Gough Whitlam