Now that the Palace Papers have clarified our past, they give us a better glimpse into our possible futures, writes Peter Hartcher
In fact, that's cause for concern. Because the system remains in place. The only thing holding another such crisis at bay is convention.
But the opposition did block supply. The Liberal leader, Malcolm Fraser, wanted to choke off the flow of money to the government in an effort to force an early election in the hope of winning power. This produced a deadlock. The Whitlam government was about to run out of money. The situation was urgent.
Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and Gough Whitlam in 1976. Fraser blocked supply in the Senate to cause a deadlock, leading to Whitlam's dismissal.There are questions about Kerr's judgment and tactics, and questions about how far he sought to involve Buckingham Palace in his decision. But these are details.
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