CANBERRA, ACT. — In an unprecedented move, the Senate deferred voting on bills that appropriated funds for government expenditure, attempting to force the Prime Minister to dissolve the House of Representatives and call an election.
The Whitlam government ignored the warnings and sought alternative means of appropriating the funds it needed to repay huge debts. With Whitlam unable to secure the necessary funds, the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, dismissed Whitlam as Prime Minister on November 11, 1975, and appointed Liberal opposition leader Malcolm Fraser as caretaker Prime Minister.
This was done on the condition that Fraser would seek a dissolution of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, thus precipitating a general election.
The Whitlam government embarked on a massive legislative social reform program which was forward-thinking and progressive in many ways. Whilst initially popular, the fast pace of reform engendered caution amongst the electorate, and the economy was beset by high inflation combined with economic stagnation.
These conditions were the catalyst for the Australian constitutional crisis of 1975.
Edward Gough Whitlam, born on July 11, 1916, became the 21st Prime Minister of Australia on December 2, 1972. It was the first ALP electoral victory since 1946.
