The " Dismissal " !

It was a " breaking news "  moment that coincided with the anniversary of the end of the first world war.  On November 11, 1975 the Governor General of Australia dismissed Gough Whitlam as prime minister and consequently removed his Labor government from office.

That was a time when some people feared Australia might be facing civil war.  The rebellious Senate had blocked the money supply the government needed to govern and the nation had slipped into a constitutional crisis.  The governor general was the monarch's direct representative and had what is termed the " reserve power " to step in and adjudicate in such a matter.

This dismissal brought angry crowds onto the streets.  The voters who had put Gough Whitlam into the Lodge in Canberra and installed his Labor government in office were incensed that a monarch in another country could reverse their decision.  It was claimed by the other side that Whitlam was in breach of the constitution and his government was certainly creating lurid news headlines.   It was claimed he was trying to borrow money from an Arab source to fund his government to overcome the Senate blockade of funds.

The crisis was finally settled with a general election that upheld the governor general's decision, but this dismissal still rankled.   Now - forty-four years later - it is again in the news because the correspondence between Governor General  John Kerr and Queen Elizabeth is safely locked away in our National Archives.   Under the terms of Kerr's will it will not be released until 2027 and even then it is possible the Queen may forbid disclosure.

This has degenerated into a court battle which has reached the High Court.   This correspondence was between the Monarch and her direct representative in Australia and as such it is claimed to be " personal ".   It can also be construed that the governor general was an employee of the Monarch and as such he was seeking instructions on how he should proceed.   That question could reengage hostility to our acceptance of " the Crown " as our formal head of state.

Queen Elizabeth has wide affection by the Australian people and it is generally accepted that thought of becoming a republic will await the end of her reign.   It is highly unlikely she will still be alive in eight years time when this correspondence will receive public scrutiny and that would be a fitting end to the controversy.

When a different monarch sits on the throne in London it will be an appropriate time to revisit those events of 1975.  The fact that it remained unresolved for forty-four years indicates the lack of urgency  !