The dismissal of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam

On 11 November 1975, Governor-General Sir John Kerr terminated Gough Whitlam's appointment as Prime Minister of Australia.

At 1.00pm on 11 November 1975, Governor-General Sir John Kerr handed a letter to Gough Whitlam terminating his appointment as Prime Minister of Australia.

Kerr also terminated the appointment of Whitlam’s ministers—and, effectively, of his government. The letter identified section 64 of the Australian Constitution as the authority for this action.

Curriculum areas

Year 7 Civics and Citizenship
Year 9 Civics and Citizenship

Questions

How and why did an elected government—with a majority in the House of Representatives—come to be dismissed?
Who were the key people involved? What were their roles?
What were the consequences of the dismissal for the key people involved and for the nation?

Records

Record

Bob Hawke at a Dismissal rally in Canberra

Bob Hawke at a protest rally during the Whitlam dismissal

This is a colour photograph that shows Bob Hawke speaking at a rally to protest the dismissal of the Whitlam government.

Record

Part of a handwritten response to the Dismissal from Gough Whitlam

Response to the dismissal – draft notice of motion written by Gough Whitlam

This is the draft notice of a motion handwritten by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam at the Lodge on 11 November 1975.

Record

Letter from the Speaker of the House on the Dismissal, 1975.

Letter on the dismissal of Gough Whitlam – from the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the Queen

A letter for the Queen sent from Gordon Scholes, the Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives, about the dismissal of Gough Whitlam.

Record

Governor-General Sir John Kerr's statement of events regarding the dismissal of the Whitlam government.

Dismissal of the Whitlam government – Governor-General Sir John Kerr's statement of events

This is Governor-General Sir John Kerr's official written statement describing the events leading to the dismissal of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.

Record

Letter to Gough Whitlam from Sir John Kerr dismissing him as Prime Minister, 1975

This is the letter that Governor-General Sir John Kerr handed to Gough Whitlam, terminating his appointment as Prime Minister of Australia on 11 November 1975.

Record

Prime Minister Gough Whitlam speaking at a United Nations convention in the USA

This is a colour photograph of Edward Gough Whitlam, Australia's twenty-first prime minister.

Record

Portrait of Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser

This is a black-and-white photograph of John Malcolm Fraser (1930-2015), Australia's twenty-second prime minister.