THE DISMISSAL

LORD AARON RAMSHAW, EARL OF WELLINGTON AND MASTER OF THE TIBETAN REPUBLIC

By Daniel CosterAnd

“Well may we say God Save the Queen; because nothing will save the Governor-General.”

ContentsContents

The 1975 Constitutional CrisisThe 1975 Constitutional Crisis Kerr’s Decisions To Sack Whitlam.Kerr’s Decisions To Sack Whitlam. Arguments Supporting DecisionArguments Supporting Decision Arguments Refuting DecisionArguments Refuting Decision Significance Of Crisis To PoliticsSignificance Of Crisis To Politics BibliographyBibliography

The 1975 Constitutional CrisisThe 1975 Constitutional CrisisThe 1975 Constitutional Crisis was a political crisis which ultimately resulted in the sacking of the Whitlam government. And the reappointment of Malcolm Fraser, the Liberal opposition leader as caretaker Prime-Minister.

Kerr’s Decision To Sack WhitlamKerr’s Decision To Sack Whitlam1) Ministers in the Whitlam government were lacking in experience

and discipline.

2) Malcolm Fraser became the opposition leader and decided that an early election had to be forced. Senate then blocked the supply of money to the Whitlam government.

3) Constitutional conventions were being broken, even by Sir John Kerr.

4) Labor was in power at a time of economic upheaval, with rising inflation and unemployment levels (stagflation).

5) The Senate had recently been dissolved, as had the House of Representatives, and now the Senate was evenly balanced with 29 Labor Senators, 29 Liberal-Country Party Senators and 2 independents.

Arguments Supporting DecisionArguments Supporting Decision1) The Labor Government was unable to provide supply, and

was rapidly running out of funds.2) The economy was not being stabilized by the Labor Party,

who were handing out welfare left, right and centre.3) If Sir John Kerr had not acted, Australia may have faced a

major economic depression, and caused widespread suffering as the country was brought to its knees by the stubbornness of one Prime Minister.

4) In Dismissing the Whitlam government, Kerr allowed the people of Australia to decide whether or not Labor should remaining power.

Arguments Refuting DecisionArguments Refuting Decision1) The Governor General broke two conventions. Consulting

someone other than the Prime Minister (Fraser and Barwick), and using his reserve powers to sack the Whitlam Government.

2) The opposition in the Senate would have eventually been forced to back down if Sir John Kerr had not got involved.

3) The whole crisis may have been avoided if the Governor General had been open and honest with the Prime Minister, and given him clear warnings.

4) Alternate arrangements could have been made to meet the government’s monetary needs, and thus dismissing Whitlam was unnecessary just to ensure the required financial obligations were met.

Significance Of 1975 Crisis In Significance Of 1975 Crisis In Modern PoliticsModern Politics

• The governor general (amid great controversy) used reserve powers.

• The Senate acted on its threat of blocking Supply to the government.

• It is impossible to know whether the actions of the Senate or the Governor General will be repeated in the future.

• The argument for a Republic touches on the 1975 Constitutional Crisis, which goes against the Constitutional Monarchists arguments.

• Conventions were broken in the crisis including:

There are many reasons that The 1975 Constitutional Crisis is still deemed an important event in Australia’s political history and modern politics in general, this is because:

BibliographyBibliography

Process and participation work bookProcess and participation work book Process and participation, politics and law Process and participation, politics and law

in Australiain Australia Experience of nationhood on modern Experience of nationhood on modern

Australia since 1901, KJ Mason, 4Australia since 1901, KJ Mason, 4thth edition edition www.www.politicaldebatepoliticaldebate//whitlamwhitlam/dismissal.co./dismissal.co.

ukuk www.p_l_124/constitution/crisis.htmlwww.p_l_124/constitution/crisis.html

The EndThe End

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