Opposition Leader AlboMP says the dismissal of the democratically elected Whitlam government by the Governor-General in 1975 emphasises the need for an Australian head of state.
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Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese says the dismissal of the democratically elected Whitlam government by the Governor-General in 1975 emphasises the need for an Australian head of state. Private letters between Queen Elizabeth II and former governor-general Sir John Kerr have been released, revealing Sir John dismissed then-prime minister Gough Whitlam without first informing the Queen.
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Governor-General's intentions to dismiss Whitlam 'likely known to the palace' | Sky News AustraliaPolitical Consultant Jim Middleton says it is likely the Palace was aware Sir John Kerr wanted to dismiss Gough Whitlam.\n\nPrivate letters between Queen Elizabeth II and former Governor-General Sir John Kerr were released on Tuesday revealing Sir John dismissed then-prime minister Gough Whitlam without first informing the Queen. \n\nThe National Archives released more than 1,000 pages of documents from Mr Whitlam’s 1975 dismissal, including much sought-after correspondence between the Governor-General and Buckingham Palace. \n\n“I decided to take the step I took without informing the Palace in advance … it was better for Her Majesty NOT to know,' one of the letters penned by Sir John Kerr reads.\n\nMr Middleton said it was ‘unsurprising’ Sir John Kerr withheld his decision to act from the palace because the palace seemed to know such a dismissal was possible.\n\n“What we see in the palace papers so far … is that they were well aware it was on his mind and indeed there was communication between the palace and Sir John Kerr about this very matter,” he said.\n\n“The palace also knew that Sir John Kerr feared that Gogh Whitlam would sack him.”\n\nMr Middleton said the dismissal demonstrates an imbalance in the relationship between the governor-general, the Queen and the elected prime minister of Australia, and wonders whether the place should have given warning to Mr Whitlam. \n\n“On this occasion, the Queen chose to do and observe what her appointed representative wanted rather than what Australia’s elected Prime Minister desired,” he said. \n\n“Constitutionally, should the palace have informed Gogh Whitlam that their appointed representative the governor-general was worried about being sacked by the prime minister? \n\n“Should they have been informing him that dismissal was an option in some form or another?” \n
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'Momentous': Palace Letters tipped to set off new republic debateHistorian Jenny Hocking says the papers will highlight the 'problematic' claim the Palace had no part in the dismissal of the Whitlam government in 1975.
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Huawei is the ‘most unfairly maligned’ company in Australian history: Xenophon | Sky News AustraliaFormer Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says there is a double standard over the treatment of Huawei given Telstra’s equipment is provided by a Chinese state-owned electronics company.\n\nAustralia excluded Huawei from the rolling out of its 5G infrastructure, which has only recently been replicated in the UK after it initially moved to include the Chinese telco.\n\nTelstra is the only 5G provider in Australia at the moment, and is getting its equipment – which is made in China - from a joint venutr arrangement with Erikson and Panda Electronics.\n\nAccording to the US Department of Defence, Panda Electronics is run by the People’s Liberation Army.\n\nMr Xenophon said the process leading to the decision to ban Huawei from Australia’s 5G rollout was unfair and lacked due process, which are all rights “you should afford a company operating in Australia”.\n\n“Huawei has been one of the most unfairly maligned companies in Australian history,” he told Sky News.\n\nMr Xenophon is now a partner at Xenaphon Davis, a law firm which also represents Huawei.\n\n
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'Palace letters' to show what Queen knew about Whitlam dismissalThe &x27;Palace letters&x27; - correspondence between the Queen and Australian governor-general Sir John Kerr in the lead-up to the Whitlam government&x27;s dismissal - will be released to the public later today.
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Trump pressures states to reopen schools | Sky News AustraliaUS President Donald Trump has criticised California's decision to delay the re-opening of schools as the state grapples with increasing coronavirus cases. \n\nPresident Trump preasured state governors to re-open facilities in August, threatening to withdraw their funding if they refused. \n\nCalifornia announced students would not return to school until a robust testing and contact tracing system was in place. \n\nThe President said states needed to stop politicising the pandemic.
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Australian Defence Force arrives at South Australian-Victorian border to support policeAustralian Defence Force personnel arrived in South Australia's south-east today, ready to assist SA Police with bolstering the state's hard border with Victoria.
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