The dismissal of the Whitlam Government by the then governor-general Sir John Kerr occurred nearly fifty years ago on 11th November 1975. The dismissal is considered the most significant political, democratic and constitutional crisis in Australian history.
At our October event, (8th October 2025) two of Australia’s eminent historians, Emeritus Professor Jennifer Hocking AM and Professor Frank Bongiorno AM will discuss the dismissal. Professor Hocking will focus on the context and mechanics of the dismissal — how it was done, by whom, and why — and implications for parliamentary democracy. Professor Bongiorno will discuss the social context of the dismissal and reactions from Australians.
Emeritus Professor Jenny Hocking AM FASSA, is the inaugural Distinguished Whitlam Fellow at the Whitlam Institute, Western Sydney University. She is author of the biography of Gough Whitlam, and The Palace Letters: The Queen, the Governor-General, and the Plot to Dismiss Gough Whitlam.
Professor Frank Bongiorno AM is Professor of History at ANU. He is the immediate past President of the Australian Historical Association and President of the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, the Australian Academy of the Humanities and a Whitlam Institute Distinguished Fellow at Western Sydney University. His latest book is Dreamers and Schemers: A Political History of Australia.
The dismissal did not occur in a vacuum but was the culmination of some years of discussion and action by conservative politicians and legal experts, railing against attempts at modernising Australia. Much of this context has until recently been unknown to the people of Australia.
Whitlam’s legacies are significant, even today. His government’s attempts to modernise Australia resulted in community health care, better access to education, multiculturalism and a focus on equality as some of the better-known reforms. But his commitment to open government and engaged citizenry are important but less-well known reform legacies, and particularly relevant to our understanding of the dismissal.
Event Details:
WHEN: Wednesday October 8th, 2025, 6.00pm – 7.30pm
WHERE: Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club
ENTRY: Complimentary for members. A $10 donation is requested from casual attendees.
The event will also be live-streamed on the Newcastle Institute Facebook page. A copy of the livestream will be available soon after the event on our website link as below
Please register online as a member or guest. Link below.
Contact: Robyn Considine 0409834023