The Whitlam Dismissal | John Kerr
Tuesday the 11th of November, 1975, became a significant day in Australia’s political history, the government was dismissed. The Governor General at the time, John Kerr, sacked the Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, and appointed Malcolm Fraser, the leader of the opposition, as the caretaker Prime Minister.
This act is famously referred to as “The Dismissal” and occurred due to a constitutional crisis, which is where there is severe crisis within the government about the use of power, in the senate. The dismissal caused a mixed response from the Australian population on the matter. Many believed it was wrong for the Governor General, whom no one had elected, to sack the government which Australia had democratically voted for. Whereas others were relieved that the government had been removed due to them mismanaging the economy, but even these people thought the Governor General had no right and that he himself should be the one sacked.
The Whitlam government had won the majority of the seats in the House of Representatives, but few in the senate. This made it easy for the Whitlam government to pass bills on the House of Representatives but difficult to pass them in the senate. When the Whitlam government attempted to pass their supply constitution in the Senate the Liberal MP’s decided to vote against it, causing the Whitlam government to have little funds. This was putting pressure on the Liberal government to go to an early election, but Gough Whitlam refused.
Instead the Governor General stepped in and turned the decision back to the Australian Public with an early election, where Liberal party where voted in.
This act is famously referred to as “The Dismissal” and occurred due to a constitutional crisis, which is where there is severe crisis within the government about the use of power, in the senate. The dismissal caused a mixed response from the Australian population on the matter. Many believed it was wrong for the Governor General, whom no one had elected, to sack the government which Australia had democratically voted for. Whereas others were relieved that the government had been removed due to them mismanaging the economy, but even these people thought the Governor General had no right and that he himself should be the one sacked.
The Whitlam government had won the majority of the seats in the House of Representatives, but few in the senate. This made it easy for the Whitlam government to pass bills on the House of Representatives but difficult to pass them in the senate. When the Whitlam government attempted to pass their supply constitution in the Senate the Liberal MP’s decided to vote against it, causing the Whitlam government to have little funds. This was putting pressure on the Liberal government to go to an early election, but Gough Whitlam refused.
Instead the Governor General stepped in and turned the decision back to the Australian Public with an early election, where Liberal party where voted in.
John Kerr’s dismissal of Gough Whitlam’s Government was important to the political development of Australia for a number of reasons. Kerr using his rights as the Governor General showed the necessity of having a Governor General to make a call on the Prime Minister, sending it back to the people. This was the first time in Australian history the government had been sacked and showed the power the governor general had. It reminded the politicians of what can happen when the government makes mistakes regarding their constitutional requirements.
John Kerr exercised his democratic rights thoroughly as Governor General, acting on behalf of the Monarch within Australia. Kerr took action against a failing Australian government by removing the Labour party, and their leader, Gough Whitlam, from parliament. Therefore giving the decision regarding the next course of action for the government next back to the Australian Public.
I believe that John Kerr mad e the right decision, although I can understand where the Australian Public was coming from. Kerr was simply doing his job as the Governor General, and seen as the Whitlam government was not doing theirs, he had little choice. Taking the Australian public back to an election was the correct course of action in this situation.
John Kerr exercised his democratic rights thoroughly as Governor General, acting on behalf of the Monarch within Australia. Kerr took action against a failing Australian government by removing the Labour party, and their leader, Gough Whitlam, from parliament. Therefore giving the decision regarding the next course of action for the government next back to the Australian Public.
I believe that John Kerr mad e the right decision, although I can understand where the Australian Public was coming from. Kerr was simply doing his job as the Governor General, and seen as the Whitlam government was not doing theirs, he had little choice. Taking the Australian public back to an election was the correct course of action in this situation.