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The Dismissal episode 2: A revolt of the establishment
In this second episode of Pearlcast from John Menadue’s Pearls and Irritations, we return to the dramatic events of 11 November 1975 – the day the Governor-General dismissed the Whitlam Labor government.
Presenter and Pearls and Irritations Editor Catriona Jackson is joined again by two guests at the heart of the story:
• Professor Jenny Hocking, historian and author of The Palace Letters
• John Menadue, former head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Whitlam, and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Pearls and Irritations
Together they examine the final hours and the immediate aftermath of the crisis – the shock, secrecy and constitutional impropriety that led to what John Menadue describes as a “revolt of the establishment.”
They explore the actions of Governor-General Sir John Kerr, who secretly sought advice from High Court Justice Sir Anthony Mason, while ignoring the Government’s own Solicitor‑General. They reveal how conventions were broken, Parliament was silenced, and a democratic government was removed when the crisis was on the brink of peaceful resolution.
This episode asks a confronting question: What happens when those entrusted to protect democracy decide to override it?
In this episode:
Why Whitlam and his staff never believed a dismissal was possible
Anthony Mason’s secret role – drafting dismissal instructions
Why the budget supply crisis was hours away from being resolved
How Kerr’s refusal to receive the Speaker amounted to a second dismissal – of the Parliament itself
The enduring consequences for trust in political and legal institutions
Key quotes
“I became less trusting of people with power… it hardened my views politically over the last 50 years.” John Menadue
“There’s a moral dimension to this that I find really troubling – that people behaved in such appallingly deceptive ways.” Jenny Hocking
“He paused and said: I owe history nothing.” Jenny Hocking on Sir Anthony Mason
Join us next week for Episode 3, where we examine the role of the CIA in the Dismissal.
Stay informed: Subscribe to Pearls and Irritations
Presented by Catriona Jackson
Produced by Martyn Pearce
View all episodes
By Pearls and IrritationsIn this second episode of Pearlcast from John Menadue’s Pearls and Irritations, we return to the dramatic events of 11 November 1975 – the day the Governor-General dismissed the Whitlam Labor government.
Presenter and Pearls and Irritations Editor Catriona Jackson is joined again by two guests at the heart of the story:
• Professor Jenny Hocking, historian and author of The Palace Letters
• John Menadue, former head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Whitlam, and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Pearls and Irritations
Together they examine the final hours and the immediate aftermath of the crisis – the shock, secrecy and constitutional impropriety that led to what John Menadue describes as a “revolt of the establishment.”
They explore the actions of Governor-General Sir John Kerr, who secretly sought advice from High Court Justice Sir Anthony Mason, while ignoring the Government’s own Solicitor‑General. They reveal how conventions were broken, Parliament was silenced, and a democratic government was removed when the crisis was on the brink of peaceful resolution.
This episode asks a confronting question: What happens when those entrusted to protect democracy decide to override it?
In this episode:
Why Whitlam and his staff never believed a dismissal was possible
Anthony Mason’s secret role – drafting dismissal instructions
Why the budget supply crisis was hours away from being resolved
How Kerr’s refusal to receive the Speaker amounted to a second dismissal – of the Parliament itself
The enduring consequences for trust in political and legal institutions
Key quotes
“I became less trusting of people with power… it hardened my views politically over the last 50 years.” John Menadue
“There’s a moral dimension to this that I find really troubling – that people behaved in such appallingly deceptive ways.” Jenny Hocking
“He paused and said: I owe history nothing.” Jenny Hocking on Sir Anthony Mason
Join us next week for Episode 3, where we examine the role of the CIA in the Dismissal.
Stay informed: Subscribe to Pearls and Irritations
Presented by Catriona Jackson
Produced by Martyn Pearce