Chapter 04 Weblinks

Chapter 4. Legal Institutions

Weblinks

The Dismissal – 1975

On 11 November 1975 the prime minister, Gough Whitlam, drafted a handwritten notice of motion that he never had the chance to read to the parliament. Unaware that Malcolm Fraser had already been sworn in as caretaker prime minister, Prime Minister Whitlam had planned to move a motion that the House of Representatives had confidence in the Whitlam government but would not have confidence in any government led by the Member for Wannon (Malcolm Fraser). The handwritten note he prepared is now on public display at the National Archives.

The National Archives of Australia story, ‘The motion that might have saved the Whitlam government’ is at
www.naa.gov.au/whats-on/online/great-storiesfeature-exhibits/dismissal/index.aspx

A transcript of a related Radio National PM program by Sabra Lane is available here:
www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2270546.htm

Parliament of Australia
Information sheets about various aspects of the Australian Parliament are available at
www.aph.gov.au/house/info/infosheets/index.htm