The dismissal of Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam by Queen Elizabeth’s Vice-Regal representative, Sir John Kerr, was an extraordinary event. For almost fifty years a debate has raged about why the Governor-General took the unprecedented action he did on 11 November 1975. This five-part series puts a spotlight on the on the external events that were in play at the time
Jon Stanford uncovers the Whitlam government’s fraught relationships with the US Administration and the Five Eyes intelligence agencies are explored in terms of their possible significance in Whitlam’s downfall. In the final piece we also endeavour to piece the whole jigsaw together and identify the different forces that led to Sir John Kerr taking that unprecedented action on a glorious Spring day in Canberra all those years ago.
“Shame Fraser, shame”: The overthrow of Edward Gough Whitlam. Part 1
Stress testing the US alliance: Whitlam and the secrets of Pine Gap. Part 2
Cold War imperatives: Whitlam and the US National Security Council. Part 3
Spooky fiddling: The CIA playbook and the overthrow of Whitlam. Part 4
The Overthrow of Edward Gough Whitlam: A stain on Australia’s democracy – finale
View the bibliography for the series:
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