Thanks to all for the terrific response to our new venture Pearlcast which, if you haven’t caught it yet, focused on the Dismissal of the Whitlam Government.

More than 2000 of you listened in the first week, which was great for a brand-new podcast. We have deliberately shaped Pearlcast to appeal to a wide audience – those who are subject-matter experts and others who are newer to a topic. Pearlcast will become a regular feature, and we want your help to shape it.

Look out for one more episode before the end of this year, drawing on the talents and wisdom of our authors, on topics the mainstream media is not covering. There is no better recommendation than one from a P&I reader, so please do share Pearlcast widely.

We are nearing the end of our extensive coverage of the Dismissal, and I think it is fair to say there has been no better place to get well-formed, compelling, first-hand stories on the most momentous event in our political history. You can look back at all the coverage by just clicking on The Dismissal at 50 tab on the website. Later this year, we will collect it all into an e-book for educational and historical purposes.

Before I began researching the issue for the first three episodes of Pearlcast I thought I had a pretty good handle on the Dismissal. What I had not fully understood was:

• how carefully planned the sacking was;
• how vain, and totally unsuitable for the position of governor-general, John Kerr was; and
• how offended the establishment were by Whitlam and his ministers and how hard they worked to unseat him, from the day they won the 1972 election.

Many now agree the Dismissal was Australia’s own (fortunately bloodless) coup d’etat.

What is much less discussed is the period immediately after 11 November 1975, and luckily, we have a box seat. Later this week, we will roll out a series of pieces from John Menadue on what it was like working with Malcom Fraser in the immediate aftermath and beyond. I think you will be surprised by some of his conclusions.

And there is much else besides: from a terrific “ Canberra meets The Castle” story on the triumph of the Russian Government in a planning spat, and continuing coverage from Palestine as the suffering continues despite the fragile ceasefire.

Duncan Graham brings us the latest analysis post the surprise Indonesia/Australia treaty agreement, and we feature a call to ban nuclear weapons from Charissa Suli, president of the Uniting Church, and both the youngest and first person of non-Anglo-Celtic background to hold the position.

Until next time.