Sydney Ideas marks 40th anniversary of Whitlam dismissal
The University of Sydney will mark the 40th聽anniversary of the dismissal of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam by Governor General Sir John Kerr with a free public event bringing together three leading scholars to lend their constitutional, legal and historical research expertise on the sacking.聽
Gough Whitlam
The dismissal looms large in Australia鈥檚 political psyche. This Sydney Ideas panel discussion will reflect on its impact on the nation and consider how events leading up to it may have transpired differently.
One of the great criticisms of the 1975 dismissal was Kerr鈥檚 failure to warn Whitlam, based on a fear this would result in a 鈥榬ace to the palace鈥� scenario. from Sydney Law School will discuss how events may have played out if Whitlam had asked the Queen to sack Kerr. She will draw on instances when other Prime Ministers or Premiers have called on the Queen to dismiss the Governor-General including Pakistan, Ceylon, Tuvalu and Nigeria.
from the University鈥檚 Department of History will examine Whitlam鈥檚 strong desire to rid the Anglo-Australian relationship of what he called its 鈥榗olonial relics鈥� and 鈥榗onstitutional anachronisms鈥�, a dialogue still very much part of contemporary Australian politics. Associate Professor Curran will discuss these changes within the broader context of Whitlam鈥檚 efforts to redefine the national self-image and Australia鈥檚 relations with the world.
One of the great criticisms of the 1975 dismissal was Kerr鈥檚 failure to warn Whitlam, based on a fear this would result in a 鈥榬ace to the palace鈥� scenario.
Dr Harshan Kumarasingham from the University of London and Ludwig Maximilians University and a visiting fellow at the University of Sydney, will examine the monarchy and Britain鈥檚 perspective and involvement in Whitlam鈥檚 dismissal. He will reflect on the suggestion of a senior British civil servant regarding Britain鈥檚 鈥渜uasi-colonial鈥� constitutional relationship with Australia at both Commonwealth and State levels in the late 1960s to 鈥渓et sleeping anomalies lie鈥�. This comment would have key implications for the 1975 crisis.
The Dismissal: 40 Years Later聽will be hosted by ABC Radio National broadcaster Andrew West, an alumni-elected fellow of the University鈥檚 Senate.聽
Event details
奥丑补迟:听
奥丑别谤别:听Law School Foyer, Sydney Law School, Eastern Avenue, The University of Sydney
奥丑别苍:听Wednesday 11 November, 6-7.30pm
颁辞蝉迟:听Free, but聽聽is required
颁辞苍迟补肠迟:听Sydney Ideas,聽sydney.ideas@sydney.edu.au
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