Overview
- In a speech at Old Parliament House, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the 1975 sacking of Gough Whitlam a partisan ambush with no legitimate pretext, describing it as a calculated plot by conservative forces.
- The government will commission a statue of Whitlam for placement at Old Parliament House, with the memorial intended to highlight the reforms of his three-year tenure.
- Governor-General Sam Mostyn said she would never say never to using reserve powers in extreme circumstances, framing the office as a safeguard against irresponsible government and stressing early warnings over surprise action.
- Former prime minister John Howard argued there was no alternative to Whitlam’s dismissal given the Senate’s refusal to pass supply, saying Kerr resolved a deadlock that neither Whitlam nor Fraser would break.
- Renewed coverage revisits the 2020 release of the palace letters showing Kerr’s communications with the Queen’s private secretary, as broadcasters mark the anniversary with specials and archival retrospectives.