Indigenous leader Noel Pearson's powerful eulogy for Gough Whitlam at his state memorial service is being hailed on social media as one of the best political speeches of our time.

The chairman of the Cape York Group paid tribute to "this old man" Whitlam, praising his foresight and moral vision in striving for universal opportunity in Australia.

He even channelled Monty Python as he listed Whitlam's achievements, saying: "And what did the Romans ever do for us anyway?", to laughter and clapping from the audience. He then answered his own question, reeling off a great list of Whitlam's achievements, including Medibank, the abolition of conscription, the introduction of student financial assistance and Aboriginal land rights.