The Dismissal of the Whitlam Government

Fifty years ago Governor-General Sir John Kerr removed the elected Prime Minister Gough Whitlam from office and installed the opposition leader Malcolm Fraser as interim Prime Minister. The subsequent election was one of the most bitterly fought in Australian history. But, do the events of 1975 still resonate in Australia? Most of the main characters are now gone. How would they have wanted us to remember the events of 1975 and their part in them? What is the legacy of the Dismissal and what does it mean today?

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face

COURSE OUTLINE

• The Australian parliament 1946 to 1972; and the Whitlam government 1972-October 1975; The increasing crisis October 1975 - 10 November 1975; 11 November 1975 - dramatis personae, precedent, reaction
• 11 November 1975 - dramatis personae, precedent, reaction; 1975 Australian federal election; 1977 Australian federal election
• Compare and contrast - Whitlam government, Hawke/Keating government, Kevin 07 and Albanese government; What we have learnt since about the actions and influence of other governments and Queen Elizabeth II?
• Reflect on the impact of the Dismissal in 2025

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Identify the issues which created the 1975 political crisis
2. Discuss the outcomes of the dismissal of the Whitlam government
3. Describe the ongoing social, political and constitutional issues arising from the Dismissal
4. Reflect on the long term impact of the Dismissal