The 1975 “dismissal” of Australian Labor PM Gough Whitlam is often seen as a constitutional crisis initiated by an old British-led establishment. In reality, it was a bloodless analog of other US-orchestrated coups against reforming left governments.

On both Left and Right, many like to take the Whitlam dismissal— as it became known — as a constitutional struggle between an old British-oriented establishment and a new, progressive Australia. But in retrospect, it’s hard to doubt that the 1975 dismissal was in fact a soft coup d’état, heavily influenced by US power and influence.

  • stonkage@aussie.zoneEnglish
    1·
    1 day ago

    No one made labor/Whitlam appoint senators to overseas posts or to the high court. If they hadn’t made some of these crazy the decisions they wouldn’t have been a dismissal

    Hell, Whitlam appointed Kerr albeit it was his last choice.

    The whole thing was a massive own goal for Labor. I’m sure there was some shenanigans between Kerr and Fraser, but I think it was opportunistic rather than the Palace or CIA.