Everlasting controversy

The US is not the only nation to experience bizarre and dangerous political times.
 
45 years ago today, on Remembrance Day, a most extraordinary event took place in Australia. Sir John Kerr, the then Governor-General, dismissed the democratically elected Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam. If ever Australia was close to civil war it was that day.

This is a photo of the House of Representatives in Australia’s old Parliament House. After being dismissed Gough Whitlam came out onto the steps of old Parliament House and uttered the now immortal words “Well may we say God save the Queen because nothing will save the Governor-General”.
 
Multitudinous books, television series and podcasts have been devoted to ‘The Dismissal’. Two recent books have been published to mark the 45th anniversary. They dissect the recently released correspondence between the Governor-General and Buckingham Palace during the period leading up to the dismissal. I suspect Sir John Kerr will never ever be forgiven.
 
The extra shows a duplicate of the Mace which was a gift in 1951 from the House of Commons in Great Britain to the House of Representatives to mark the 50th anniversary of Australia’s federation. It was made by Garrard & Co Ltd, jewellers to the Royal Family. The actual Mace is now used in the House of Representatives in the current Parliament House which was opened in 1988.
 
Old Parliament House is now the site of the fascinating Museum of Australian Democracy, which we love to visit.