He enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1944, reaching the rank of leading aircraftman, and was stationed at Ultimo, New South Wales, Benalla, Victoria, Oakey, Queensland and Townsville before his discharge in 1947.

He denied the allegations, which re-emerged when Liberal Senator Noel Crichton-Browne was embroiled in a domestic violence controversy in 1995.

[4] Gorman rarely spoke in parliament, stating on his retirement that he had only ever made "two major speeches", but he was known to speak his mind and for his colourful language elsewhere.

[7] He proposed lowering the pension age to 60 for all people, making mortgage payments tax-deductible for first home buyers, and requiring advertisers to contribute to the cost of cleaning up rubbish.

[8][9][10] In 1987, he reportedly told Treasurer Paul Keating during a debate about privatisation "if you blokes would stop stroking your stalks and get out there in the electorate, you'll find out what people really think of you".