Gough Whitlam’s biographer, Jenny Hocking, has revealed hitherto unknown details of the role played by High Court Justice Sir Anthony Mason in the Whitlam dismissal. She discusses Mason’s involvement in a video posted on Fairfax websites.
Category: Documents
Whitlam Comments On Barwick’s Letter To Kerr
Text of Gough Whitlam’s speech to The Sydney Institute in 1997 in which he comments on Sir Garfield Barwick’s letter to Sir John Kerr.
Letter From The Queen’s Private Secretary
Text of a letter from the Queen’s Private Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Gordon Scholes.
Speaker Scholes’ Letter To The Queen
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Gordon Scholes, wrote to the Queen on November 12 expressing alarm about the actions of the Governor-General. Scholes was the ALP member for Corio, in Victoria. He was first elected at a by-election on July 22, 1967, following the retirement of the Liberal member, Hubert Opperman, who had… Continue reading Speaker Scholes’ Letter To The Queen
Vice-Regal Notice – November 11
Image and full text of the Vice-Regal notice published on November 12, 1975.
Kerr’s Proclamation Dissolving Parliament
Full text of the Governor-General’s Proclamation dissolving Parliament on November 11, 1975. Includes audio from the end of David Smith’s reading of the proclamation and Whitlam’s response.
Fraser’s Acceptance Of A Caretaker Commission
Text of Malcolm Fraser’s letter to Governor-General Sir John Kerr accepting his commission as prime minister.
Kerr’s Statement Of Reasons
Text of Sir John Kerr’s statement of reasons for dismissing Whitlam, issued on November 11, 1975.
Sir John Kerr’s Letter Of Dismissal
Text and Image of Sir John Kerr’s letter of dismissal handed to Gough Whitlam at 1pm on November 11, 1975.
Sir Garfield Barwick’s Advice To Sir John Kerr
On Sunday, November 9, 1975, two days before he dismissed Gough Whitlam, the Governor-General met with the Chief Justice of the High Court, Sir Garfield Barwick. On November 10, Barwick, a former Liberal Party minister under Menzies, tendered this advice to Kerr about his constitutional powers. 1997: Whitlam Comments On Barwick’s Letter Text of High… Continue reading Sir Garfield Barwick’s Advice To Sir John Kerr