FILM AUSTRALIA COLLECTION

Title Details

Ray Whitrod

Ray Whitrod came to national prominence when he resigned as Queensland's Commissioner of Police as a protest against corruption.
Series : Australian Biography Series 8 | Year : 2001 | Total Duration : 26 Minutes | Producer : Robin Hughes
Director : Robin Hughes |
Interview Ray Whitrod talking about problems with Queensland police force and apathy of Queensland people with political matters, 2001. Freeze frame. Super. Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod's parents in formal attire. B&W photo Ray's father pointing to camera. Interview Ray talking about parents working during WWI to supplement income 2001. Living in poverty. B&W photo Ray Whitrod as very young boy, 1910s. Interview about parents' education. B&W photo parents. B&W photo Ray Whitrod as young boy playing cricket.
Access No. 131498 | 2 mins 11 secs | Various | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Interview, 2001, Ray Whitrod talking about poverty and school days. Archival b&w footage uniformed school children and teachers, 1920s, walking out of school grounds. Children playing with medicine balls on sports field.
Access No. 131499 | 41 secs | 1920s | Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod as young man in swimming costume on beach, 1930s. B&W photo Ray in uniform shirt with backpack, swag, 1930s. Interview Ray Whitrod talking about job as office boy, looking for work during Depression, 2001. Still b&w portrait photo Ray wearing cap in profile with pipe in mouth. Interview about falling in love with a school teacher. B&W photo group of girls. Zoom to Mavis. Interview Ray talking about Mavis, 2001. B&W photo Ray and Mavis in rowing boat. Interview about being a suitor for Mavis.
Access No. 131500 | 1 min 50 secs | 1930s | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Still colour portrait painting / photograph Mavis Whitrod as young woman. Still b&w photo Ray Whitrod as SA police cadet on horseback, 1930s. Detail photo Ray in uniform on horse.
Access No. 131501 | 19 secs | 1930s | SA, Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Still b&w photograph CIB Criminal Investigation Bureau (elite police force) members posing for photo. Zoom to Ray Whitrod standing in back row.
Access No. 131502 | 17 secs | 1930s | SA, Australia | © SA Police Historical Society | B&W |
Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod and wife Mavis cutting wedding cake at wedding, 1930s. B&W photo Mavis with baby, 1939. B&W photo Mavis with baby son, 1930s. Interview , 2001, Ray Whitrod talking about WWII, Dunkirk and joining RAAF Reserve (Royal Australian Air Force). B&W photo RAAF members posing for photo, 1940. Zoom to Ray in front row. B&W photo two young sons. B&W photo Ray in RAAF uniform and hat. Interview Ray talking about being navigator with RAAF and difficulties with that job in Iceland.
Access No. 131503 | 1 min 25 secs | 1930s | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Archival b&w footage aeroplane in flight, POV binoculars ocean surface, airman in plane's cockpit, navigator at work, submarine beginning dive from surface, plane dropping bombs over ocean, bombs exploding in water.
Access No. 131504 | 26 secs | 1940s | Unknown | © NFSA | B&W |
Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod as RAAF navigator with two other airmen in uniform, 1940s. B&W photo Ray on camel. Interview Ray Whitrod talking about long flights and problem with getting to a convoy by dawn, 2001. B&W photo Ray with other airmen standing in front of plane, all wearing shorts. Slow zoom to Ray wearing life jacket. Interview Ray talking about effects of war and returning home, 2001.
Access No. 131505 | 1 min 18 secs | 1940s | Unknown; Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod in air force uniform with young son, 1940s. B&W photo Mavis Whitrod with two sons on swing, at beach, 1940s. Interview Ray Whitrod talking about how war years affected his relationships with sons, 2001. B&W photo two Whitrod boys on beach. Interview about time when he had returned from war and ensuing boredom, 2001. B&W portrait photo Ray . B&W photo shirtless Ray with his three children, two sons and daughter Ruth. Interview about returning to detective work. B&W photo cricket team posing for photo in casual dress. Zoom to Ray Whitrod at back.
Access No. 131506 | 1 min 41 secs | 1940s | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod with three other detectives, one sitting in car. All wearing hats. Detail photo MS Ray.
Access No. 131507 | 9 secs | 1940s | Australia | © SA Police Historical Society | B&W |
Archival b&w footage ASIO investigators at work, 1940s - 1950s. Detectives entering building and standing outside by car in front of building, pan of typing on ÒTop SecretÓ document, hands going through contents of filing cabinet, CU fingers going through files.
Access No. 131508 | 21 secs | 1940s | Australia | © ABC Television | B&W |
Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod standing with group on men from Commonwealth Investigation Service posing for photo, 1950s. Detail photo Ray. B&W photo CU Ray's face.
Access No. 131509 | 9 secs | 1950s | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | B&W |
Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod standing with two other men.
Access No. 131510 | 4 secs | 1950s | Australia | © SA Police Historical Society | B&W |
Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod with wife Mavis and daughter Ruth at garden party in Canberra, 1950s. Interview Ray Whitrod talking about belief in English policing system, 2001. B&W photo group of men (Commonwealth Investigation Service) gathered for group photo in conference room, 1950s. Detail photo pan from table to men. Detail photo CU Ray at back. Interview Ray about community involvement with policing. B&W photo Ray in police uniform saluting another police officer. Zoom to Ray. B&W portrait photo Ray as police commissioner for Queensland, in full uniform dress.
Access No. 131511 | 1 min 46 secs | 2000s | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Interview Ray Whitrod talking about taking on position as police commissioner for Queensland and first advice of police corruption in that state, 2001. Still b&w photograph Commissionaire Bischof in uniform, 1960s. Archival b&w footage Bishof in plain clothes walking towards building. Interview Ray Whitrod talking about corruption. Archival colour footage police car turning into street, exterior brothel / strip club with signs for movies and flashing lights, shadow of stripper against red screen, girl at window of brothel, 1970s.
Access No. 131512 | 2 mins 3 secs | Various | Australia | © ABC Television | Colour |
Interview Ray Whitrod talking about Fitzgerald Inquiry exposing only half of the corruption in Queensland, 2001. Archival b&w footage, 1970s, man shaking hands with Ray who is in uniform. Men sitting in meeting, all in dark suits. Exterior shot sign for ÒQueensland Police Department HeadquartersÓ. Pan zoom up to windows of police headquarters building. Interview Ray about how he went about identifying corruption, including bent policemen, 2001.
Access No. 131513 | 1 min 16 secs | 1970s | Australia | © ABC Television | Colour |
Archival colour footage cars driving along Brisbane street at night, 1970s, prostitute in cowboy hat smoking, police car driving along street at night, POV camera through doorway and up stairs. Interview Ray Whitrod talking about evidence against 23 serving police officers, 2001. Archival colour footage policemen talking to men on pavement outside club, policemen standing by parked van and police car outside bottle shop, 1970s.
Access No. 131514 | 39 secs | 1970s | Australia | © ABC Television | Colour |
Interview Ray Whitrod talking about losing 23 cases of police corruption, 2001. Various still photographs police officers Lewis, Murphy and Hallaghan. Interview Ray about how he was regarded as a Mexican from Òsouth of the borderÓ and opposition from the Queensland culture, 2001.
Access No. 131515 | 38 secs | 2000s | Australia | © ABC Television | Colour |
Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod in full uniform as police commissioner of Queensland, water in B/G.
Access No. 131516 | 9 secs | 2000s | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Archival colour footage certificate from Australian Institute of Management (AIM) in name of Ray Whitrod. Pan across various university degrees. Interview Ray Whitrod talking about education of Queensland police.
Access No. 131517 | 31 secs | 2000s | Australia | © ABC Television | Colour |
Still colour photograph Ray Whitrod in police commissioner uniform walking with other officers, mounted police in B/G. Zoom to Ray. Interview Ray talking about introduction of scheme to introduce education of police officers in Queensland, 2001.
Access No. 131518 | 24 secs | 2000s | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Still b&w photograph Queensland Premier, Joh Bjelke-Petersen with another man. Interview Ray Whitrod talking about Bjelke-Petersen's public announcement against Whitrod's ideas for educating police, 2001. B&W photo Joh Bjelke-Petersen reading document / paper. B&W photo Bjelke Petersen surrounded by press / media / reporters with microphones. Interview Ray about recent university doctorate offered to Bjelke-Petersen in honour of his assistance in promoting education in Queensland.
Access No. 131519 | 46 secs | Various | Australia | © ABC Television | Colour |
Archival colour footage Ray Whitrod's house. Ray , in uniform, walking across lawn / garden, 1980s. Interview Ray Whitrod talking about rough time endured by his team and wife Mavis from opponents, 2001.
Access No. 131520 | 22 secs | 1980s | Australia | © ABC Television | Colour |
Still colour photograph Mavis Whitrod laughing as she holds grandchild. Interview Ray Whitrod talking about his fear of attacks and sleeping with revolver under pillow, getting nervous after 7 years as Queensland police commissioner, 2001.
Access No. 131521 | 25 secs | 2000s | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Archival colour footage framed newspaper clipping ÒThe honest cop calls it quitsÓ. Interview, 2001, Ray Whitrod talking about cabinet rejection of selections for replacement assistant commissioner, being trigger point for his resignation. Archival b&w footage Parliament House , pan from entrance gate to building. Interview Ray about appointment of inspector Terry Lewis as assistant commissioner. Archival colour footage Terry Lewis at press conference, 1980s, drinking water, microphones in F/G. WS press conference. MS Lewis.
Access No. 131522 | 1 min 18 secs | 1980s | Australia | © ABC Television | Colour |
Interview Ray Whitrod talking about conversation with police minister about corruption of Terry Lewis and repercussions with his appointment as assistant police commissioner, 2001. Archival colour footage Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen getting out of car. Archival footage Ray Whitrod in suit walking along corridor and entering press conference. Interview Ray about corruption in police forces, mateship in force.
Access No. 131523 | 1 min 40 secs | Various | Australia | © ABC Television | Colour |
Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod with group of men, mates, friends. Interview Ray talking about how no honest policemen in Queensland would come forward about corrupt mates, bond between policemen,2001. Colour photograph Ray and wife Mavis in retirement years.
Access No. 131524 | 47 secs | 2000s | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Still colour photograph Ray Whitrod standing at lectern at the South Australia Police Club. Interview Ray talking about ideology for improvement of imperfect world, 2001.
Access No. 131525 | 31 secs | 2000s | SA, Australia | © Victims of Crime Support Service | Colour |
Still b&w photograph Ray Whitrod as young man in air force uniform, 1940s. Interview Ray Whitrod talking about an imperfect world, 2001. Colour photo Ray and two younger people in graduation garb. Interview Ray about how he will strive to improve world within his own little sphere, 2001.
Access No. 131526 | 55 secs | 1940s | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |
Various colour archival footage used in end credits, Ray Whitrod packing things up in office.
Access No. 131527 | 21 secs | 1980s | Australia | © ABC Television | Colour |
Various stills used in end credits, Ray Whitrod in dinner suit at lectern, CU Ray's face, Ray and wife Mavis with dog.
Access No. 131528 | 13 secs | Unknown | Australia | © Ray Whitrod | Colour |