Disraeliland
11-11-2005, 04:40
These words were spoken by Gough Whitlam on the steps of Parliament House on this day 30 years ago. The first time the Australian Crown dismissed its Prime Minister, one Edward Gough Whitlam (always called Gough)
Here's what happened (basically)
The Coalition Opposition, got a Senate Almost-Majority given it by the State Premiers (Tom Lewis for NSW, Joh Bjelke-Petersen for QLD)
The Senate numbers were LP/NCP: 30, ALP:27, IND: 3; 1 usually voted with the ALP). They couldn't pass their own motions, but they could block bills.
On October 15, 1975, Malcolm Fraser announced that he would use his numbers in the Senate to block supply. The reasons he gave were the general incompetance of the Whitlam Government, and the repeated scandals. These scandals were the attempt by Jim Cairns to get loans through the president of the Carlton AFL Club without anyone's permission, and offering him a 2.5% commission, and the attempt by Rex Connor to get $4B in loans through Tirath Khemlani, a Pakistani commodities broker who promised the world, and delivered nothing. Connor did have the authority of the Executive Council (though not the Loans Council) but he continued to use Khemlani for loans after that authority was revoked. Both actions were unconstitutional, and could be said were an attempt to commit fraud against the States (who also sit on the Loans Council). What makes it worse is that Connor lied to Whitlam, causing Whitlam to mislead Parliament.
It has been argued that the Senate passing supply is a convention. I would argue that by 1975, it didn't exist, that not only did the Constitutional power exist, but it could be used. I say this because the Labor Opposition (before 1972, of course) tried to block supply no less than 170 times (168 against one Prime Minister alone, Robert Menzies). Whitlam as opposition leader himself made two attempts to block supply.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17169376%255E7583,00.html
Of course, a Government unable to obtain supply must resign.
Whitlam decided to govern without supply, and govern without Parliament.
The deadlock lasted until this day 30 years ago, when Sir John Kerr, the Governor-General dismissed Whitlam, and commissioned Malcolm Fraser as Prime Minister. Kerr gave Whitlam no warning, but he did drop hints, such as asking Bill Hayden how Labor would do in an election, and telling him "You could be out and back in one term".
Fraser was commissioned as a caretaker Prime Minister, with more than the usual restrictions.
In addition to guaranteeing the passage of supply, he was required to:
Advise the dissolution of both Houses of Parliament and the calling of an election
Make no new appointments or dismissals (usual caretaker conventions only forbid the making of significant appointments and dismissals
Initiate no inquiries into the Whitlam Government
Initiate no new policies and make no new contracts
The election was to be held in December 13. While there were public demonstrations of rage against the dismissal, the election showed who the public wanted in The Lodge. Fraser got the largest majority in Australian history. Whitlam remained as Opposition Leader, and also lost the 1977 Election. Whitlam's last Treasurer, Bill Hayden lost in 1980. It took a Labor leader who wasn't in Whitlam's Government to get it back into office, Bob Hawke, who was at the time of the dismissal, President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
Kerr put forward five justifications for dismissing Whitlam:
The Senate had the right under Section 53 of the Constitution to block supply.
The Government had an obligation to obtain supply through Parliament.
If the Government could not obtain supply, it had either to resign or call an election.
If the Government refused to do either of these things, the Governor-General had a right and a duty to act to intervene
Since the Prime Minister could at any time advise the Queen to terminate the Governor-General's commission, the Governor-General had a right to dismiss the Government without advance warning of his intention to do so.
David Marr, and others have said Kerr should have waited until the Government actually ran out of money. This doesn't sit well with me, firstly it seems negligent, surely continuity of supply is better than the alternative, secondly, the Government had supply until early December, which would have left it too late to call an election for 1975, they would have to have waited until after the Christmas/New Year break. December 13 was the last date on which one could hold an election in 1975, which means that November 11 was the last date upon which to issue writs for it.
The Players:
Gough Whitlam:
Edward Gough Whitlam actually. He was a lawyer, and a WW2 RAAF Navigator. He entered the House in 1952 as the Member for Werrira (also held by the previous Labor leader, psycho Latham). Whitlam became Opposition Leader in 1967, defeating Jim Cairns. He developed a new program, and made extensive use of television (still uncommon for Australian politicians at the time). He possess a great speaking ability, and an equally great wit, he has given Australia its most famous political saying, and this thread's title.
Out of office, he still stands by his actions, but has become friends with Malcolm Fraser, and a campaigner for the removal of the crown.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_Whitlam
Malcolm Fraser:
John Malcolm Fraser (another middle name user, as was the independent Senator appointed to replace a Labor Senator by Joh Bjelke-Petersen, his name was Albert Patrick Field, but was called Pat) actually born in Melbourne in 1930, he was a grazier whose family had a long interest in politics. In 1955, he successfully contested the Victorian seat of Wannon as a Liberal, and was the youngest MP ever. He sat in that seat until 1983. John Gorton made him Minister for Education and Science, in 1966, he was appointed Minister for the Army, and in 1969, Minister for Defence.
In 1971, he resigned the Ministry because he claimed Gorton was interfering, this led to Gorton's downfall, his successor William McMahon reappointed him to Education and Science.
After the Coalition lost in 1972, he became a member of Snedden's shadow cabinet. He became convinced that Snedden was a weak leader, and in March 1975, convinced his colleagues of it. He became Opposition Leader.
After a series of Ministerial scandals, Fraser decided to force an early election, and got his senators to block supply. He became Caretaker Prime Minister 30 years ago this day, and after the December 13 elections, Prime Minister in his own right. He had a crushing majority of 97 to 31 in the House, and extended his Senate Majority to 8.
Although thought be many to be very conservative, he was in fact a moderate in office, to the frustration of some of his Ministers, including the Treasurer, John Howard.
He was actinve in foreign policy having a large responsibility for the rise of the Zimbabwean dictator Mugabe. He also recognised the Indonesian annexation of East Timor.
He supported the boycott by the US of the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow, but he didn't prevent the Australian Olympic Committee sending teams.
He created the SBS, and made land rights laws (though he didn't impose on the states).
In 1983, he lost the election to the trade union leader, and record winning beer-drinker Bob Hawke (2.5 pints in 12 seconds, no one could say he was un-Australian!).
He later worked for the UN and Commonwealth. He champions the removal of the Monarchy, and has become friends with Whitlam.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Fraser
Sir John Kerr:
He played the instrumental role in this affair, he also used his first name.
He was a lawyer born in 1914, and in fact worked in the same chambers as Whitlam. He tended to represent unions and their members, and became Chief Justice of New South Wales. He was Governor-General from 1974-77, after which he lived in a self-imposed exile in Surrey. I think he has been unfairly villified by the Labor Party because his hand was forced by the refusals of Whitlam and Fraser to reach a compromise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kerr
Here are a number of webpages you may find interesting:
Malcolm Fraser on the 7:30 Report last night
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1503097.htm
Gough Whitlam on the same program
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1503096.htm
Main 7:30 Report Story last night
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1503095.htm
In this weblink, Paul Keating (PM 91-96, also a Whitlam Minister) says what must be the most outrageous thing an ex-PM has ever said, that the Governor-General should have been put under house arrest!
http://whitlamdismissal.com/
Thoughts anyone?
Here's what happened (basically)
The Coalition Opposition, got a Senate Almost-Majority given it by the State Premiers (Tom Lewis for NSW, Joh Bjelke-Petersen for QLD)
The Senate numbers were LP/NCP: 30, ALP:27, IND: 3; 1 usually voted with the ALP). They couldn't pass their own motions, but they could block bills.
On October 15, 1975, Malcolm Fraser announced that he would use his numbers in the Senate to block supply. The reasons he gave were the general incompetance of the Whitlam Government, and the repeated scandals. These scandals were the attempt by Jim Cairns to get loans through the president of the Carlton AFL Club without anyone's permission, and offering him a 2.5% commission, and the attempt by Rex Connor to get $4B in loans through Tirath Khemlani, a Pakistani commodities broker who promised the world, and delivered nothing. Connor did have the authority of the Executive Council (though not the Loans Council) but he continued to use Khemlani for loans after that authority was revoked. Both actions were unconstitutional, and could be said were an attempt to commit fraud against the States (who also sit on the Loans Council). What makes it worse is that Connor lied to Whitlam, causing Whitlam to mislead Parliament.
It has been argued that the Senate passing supply is a convention. I would argue that by 1975, it didn't exist, that not only did the Constitutional power exist, but it could be used. I say this because the Labor Opposition (before 1972, of course) tried to block supply no less than 170 times (168 against one Prime Minister alone, Robert Menzies). Whitlam as opposition leader himself made two attempts to block supply.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17169376%255E7583,00.html
Of course, a Government unable to obtain supply must resign.
Whitlam decided to govern without supply, and govern without Parliament.
The deadlock lasted until this day 30 years ago, when Sir John Kerr, the Governor-General dismissed Whitlam, and commissioned Malcolm Fraser as Prime Minister. Kerr gave Whitlam no warning, but he did drop hints, such as asking Bill Hayden how Labor would do in an election, and telling him "You could be out and back in one term".
Fraser was commissioned as a caretaker Prime Minister, with more than the usual restrictions.
In addition to guaranteeing the passage of supply, he was required to:
Advise the dissolution of both Houses of Parliament and the calling of an election
Make no new appointments or dismissals (usual caretaker conventions only forbid the making of significant appointments and dismissals
Initiate no inquiries into the Whitlam Government
Initiate no new policies and make no new contracts
The election was to be held in December 13. While there were public demonstrations of rage against the dismissal, the election showed who the public wanted in The Lodge. Fraser got the largest majority in Australian history. Whitlam remained as Opposition Leader, and also lost the 1977 Election. Whitlam's last Treasurer, Bill Hayden lost in 1980. It took a Labor leader who wasn't in Whitlam's Government to get it back into office, Bob Hawke, who was at the time of the dismissal, President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
Kerr put forward five justifications for dismissing Whitlam:
The Senate had the right under Section 53 of the Constitution to block supply.
The Government had an obligation to obtain supply through Parliament.
If the Government could not obtain supply, it had either to resign or call an election.
If the Government refused to do either of these things, the Governor-General had a right and a duty to act to intervene
Since the Prime Minister could at any time advise the Queen to terminate the Governor-General's commission, the Governor-General had a right to dismiss the Government without advance warning of his intention to do so.
David Marr, and others have said Kerr should have waited until the Government actually ran out of money. This doesn't sit well with me, firstly it seems negligent, surely continuity of supply is better than the alternative, secondly, the Government had supply until early December, which would have left it too late to call an election for 1975, they would have to have waited until after the Christmas/New Year break. December 13 was the last date on which one could hold an election in 1975, which means that November 11 was the last date upon which to issue writs for it.
The Players:
Gough Whitlam:
Edward Gough Whitlam actually. He was a lawyer, and a WW2 RAAF Navigator. He entered the House in 1952 as the Member for Werrira (also held by the previous Labor leader, psycho Latham). Whitlam became Opposition Leader in 1967, defeating Jim Cairns. He developed a new program, and made extensive use of television (still uncommon for Australian politicians at the time). He possess a great speaking ability, and an equally great wit, he has given Australia its most famous political saying, and this thread's title.
Out of office, he still stands by his actions, but has become friends with Malcolm Fraser, and a campaigner for the removal of the crown.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_Whitlam
Malcolm Fraser:
John Malcolm Fraser (another middle name user, as was the independent Senator appointed to replace a Labor Senator by Joh Bjelke-Petersen, his name was Albert Patrick Field, but was called Pat) actually born in Melbourne in 1930, he was a grazier whose family had a long interest in politics. In 1955, he successfully contested the Victorian seat of Wannon as a Liberal, and was the youngest MP ever. He sat in that seat until 1983. John Gorton made him Minister for Education and Science, in 1966, he was appointed Minister for the Army, and in 1969, Minister for Defence.
In 1971, he resigned the Ministry because he claimed Gorton was interfering, this led to Gorton's downfall, his successor William McMahon reappointed him to Education and Science.
After the Coalition lost in 1972, he became a member of Snedden's shadow cabinet. He became convinced that Snedden was a weak leader, and in March 1975, convinced his colleagues of it. He became Opposition Leader.
After a series of Ministerial scandals, Fraser decided to force an early election, and got his senators to block supply. He became Caretaker Prime Minister 30 years ago this day, and after the December 13 elections, Prime Minister in his own right. He had a crushing majority of 97 to 31 in the House, and extended his Senate Majority to 8.
Although thought be many to be very conservative, he was in fact a moderate in office, to the frustration of some of his Ministers, including the Treasurer, John Howard.
He was actinve in foreign policy having a large responsibility for the rise of the Zimbabwean dictator Mugabe. He also recognised the Indonesian annexation of East Timor.
He supported the boycott by the US of the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow, but he didn't prevent the Australian Olympic Committee sending teams.
He created the SBS, and made land rights laws (though he didn't impose on the states).
In 1983, he lost the election to the trade union leader, and record winning beer-drinker Bob Hawke (2.5 pints in 12 seconds, no one could say he was un-Australian!).
He later worked for the UN and Commonwealth. He champions the removal of the Monarchy, and has become friends with Whitlam.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Fraser
Sir John Kerr:
He played the instrumental role in this affair, he also used his first name.
He was a lawyer born in 1914, and in fact worked in the same chambers as Whitlam. He tended to represent unions and their members, and became Chief Justice of New South Wales. He was Governor-General from 1974-77, after which he lived in a self-imposed exile in Surrey. I think he has been unfairly villified by the Labor Party because his hand was forced by the refusals of Whitlam and Fraser to reach a compromise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kerr
Here are a number of webpages you may find interesting:
Malcolm Fraser on the 7:30 Report last night
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1503097.htm
Gough Whitlam on the same program
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1503096.htm
Main 7:30 Report Story last night
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1503095.htm
In this weblink, Paul Keating (PM 91-96, also a Whitlam Minister) says what must be the most outrageous thing an ex-PM has ever said, that the Governor-General should have been put under house arrest!
http://whitlamdismissal.com/
Thoughts anyone?