When he assumed leadership of the Liberal Party in March 1975, Malcolm Fraser pledged that the Opposition would only use its Senate numbers to block supply in the ‘most extraordinary and reprehensible circumstances’. Fraser cited the ‘loans affair’ (see Fact Sheet 239 – The loans affair, 1974–75) as an example of these circumstances in his October announcement that the Opposition would defer voting on the Whitlam government’s appropriation bills.
Prime Minister Gough Whitlam announced that he would not be forced into calling an early election. The bills were reintroduced and deferred several times. Faced with dwindling funds, the government devised a plan to borrow money from banks so it could continue to pay public servants and creditors when supply ran out.
The Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, met with Fraser and Whitlam several times in an attempt to resolve the Senate deadlock. He also received advice from the Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General on the constitutional position. Controversy still surrounds the role of the Chief Justice of the High Court, Sir Garfield Barwick, who provided advice to the Governor-General before the dismissal.
On 11 November at Government House, Sir John advised Whitlam that he was terminating his commission as prime minister and swore in Malcolm Fraser as caretaker prime minister. On the afternoon of 11 November, the Senate passed the appropriation bills and the two houses were dissolved.
Despite demonstrations across the country, Fraser’s Liberal–National Party coalition won the 13 December elections with a devastating swing against the former government. The new Fraser ministry was sworn in on 22 December 1975.
The National Archives holds many records relating to the dismissal, including departmental and personal records. Some of these files are listed below. Commonwealth records become available when they are 30 years old.
To identify other records, use the RecordSearch database. Keyword searches for items using search terms such as ‘double dissolution’, ‘caretaker government’, ‘senate appropriation bills’, or ‘dismissal prime minister’ (with the date ‘1975’) should identify relevant records.
 | House of Representatives vote of confidence and censure motions against the government | 1975 | A463, 1975/4000 | ||
| Failure of supply – government employees –reactions to delay of appropriation bills | 1975 | A463, 1975/4276 | ||
| Fraser ministry 11 November 1975 – 13 December 1975 – caretaker and administrative arrangements | 1975 | A463, 1975/4375 | ||
| Addresses to the Governor-General | 1975 | A463, 1975/4400 | ||
| Powers of the Senate in relation to supply and constitutional conventions – policy papers | 1975 | A1209, 1975/1910 | ||
| The role of the Governor-General in the passage of Supply Bills | 1975–76 | A1209, 1975/1912 | ||
| Double dissolution of parliament – 11 November 1975 | 1975 | A1209, 1975/2448 | ||
| Specific complaints to the Governor-General, regarding the caretaker government – cases | 1975 | A1209, 1975/2964 | ||
| Possible rejection of Appropriation Bills by the Senate (4 files – parts 1 to 4) | 1975 | A1209, 1978/106 part 1 | ||
| Rejection of Budget – consequences (2 files – part1 and part2) | 1975 | A432, A1975/6378 [PART 1] | ||
| Rejection of Budget – consequences (2 files – part1 and part2) | 1975 | A432, A1975/6378 [PART 2] | ||
| Sir Colin Hannah – revocation of dormant commission | 1975 | A432, A1975/7356 | ||
| Governor-General and Prime Minister – whether the Governor-General has the power to dismiss a Prime Minister | 1975 | A432, A1975/7778 | ||
| Dismissal of Prime Minister by Governor-General | 1975 | A432, 1975/7853 [part 1] | ||
| Dismissal of Prime Minister by Governor-General | 1975 | A432, 1975/7853 [part 2] | ||
| Proposal for bank finance to pay public servants and suppliers | 1975 | A432, A1975/7866 PART 1 | ||
| Proposal for bank finance to pay public servants and suppliers | 1975 | A432, A1975/7866 PART 2 | ||
| Double dissolution 1975 | 1975 | A432, GCD1975/7906 | ||
| Supply pending Appropriation Act 1975–76 | 1975 | A432, PC1975/7958 | ||
You can use our PhotoSearch database to locate photographs relating to the dismissal. Use the search term ‘double dissolution’ to identify images of interest.
You can obtain more information about the record series listed above (and the items within the series) from RecordSearch, the Archives database. Follow the links in the series lists to go directly to information on that series. You can also use RecordSearch to find out about the agencies that created the records and to locate more records on your subject.
RecordSearch and PhotoSearch are available online or in all Archives reading rooms. Reference staff are available in the reading rooms to help you, or email ref@naa.gov.au.
