In this second episode of Pearlcast from John Menadue’s Pearls and Irritations, we return to the dramatic events of 11 November 1975 – the day the Governor-General dismissed the Whitlam Labor government.

Presenter and Pearls and Irritations Editor Catriona Jackson is joined again by two guests at the heart of the story:

• Professor Jenny Hocking, historian and author of The Palace Letters

• John Menadue, former head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Whitlam, and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Pearls and Irritations

Together they examine the final hours and the immediate aftermath of the crisis – the shock, secrecy and constitutional impropriety that led to what John Menadue describes as a “revolt of the establishment.”

They explore the actions of Governor-General Sir John Kerr, who secretly sought advice from High Court Justice Sir Anthony Mason, while ignoring the Government’s own Solicitor‑General. They reveal how conventions were broken, Parliament was silenced, and a democratic government was removed when the crisis was on the brink of peaceful resolution.

This episode asks a confronting question: What happens when those entrusted to protect democracy decide to override it?

In this episode:

Why Whitlam and his staff never believed a dismissal was possible

Anthony Mason’s secret role – drafting dismissal instructions

Why the budget supply crisis was hours away from being resolved

How Kerr’s refusal to receive the Speaker amounted to a second dismissal – of the Parliament itself

The enduring consequences for trust in political and legal institutions

Key quotes

“I became less trusting of people with power… it hardened my views politically over the last 50 years.” John Menadue

“There’s a moral dimension to this that I find really troubling – that people behaved in such appallingly deceptive ways.” Jenny Hocking

“He paused and said: I owe history nothing.” Jenny Hocking on Sir Anthony Mason

Join us next week for Episode 3, where we examine the role of the CIA in the Dismissal.

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Presented by Catriona Jackson

Produced by Martyn Pearce

Episode 1: Prof Jenny Hocking & John Menadue

In this first episode of Pearlcast from Pearls and Irritations, we begin a powerful three-part series on one of the most consequential events in Australia’s political history: the dismissal of the Whitlam government in 1975.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Gough Whitlam’s dismissal, Editor Catriona Jackson is joined by two guests who bring unparalleled insight and lived experience to the conversation: Professor Jenny Hocking, respected historian and author of The Palace Letters, and John Menadue, former head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Whitlam and Founder and Editor in Chief of Pearls and Irritations.

Together, they explore the political and constitutional crisis that culminated in the dismissal, tracing its origins to the moment Whitlam was elected. The episode reveals how conservative forces – both within and beyond Parliament – worked to undermine the legitimacy of a democratically elected Labor government.

The panellists discuss the Coalition's struggle to accept being in opposition, how media mogul Rupert Murdoch influenced the crisis, and the personal ambitions, insecurities, and manipulation that happened behind the scenes of the greatest constitutional crisis in Australian history.

“Any democratic system depends on the willingness of an opposition to accept defeat.” – John Menadue

“What was done in ’74 forms a model for what Kerr should have done in ’75.” – Jenny Hocking

“Rupert Murdoch played an extraordinarily destructive role… I haven’t spoken to him for 50 years.” – John Menadue

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Hosted by Catriona Jackson

Produced by Martyn Pearce

Pearls and Irritations Editor Catriona Jackson previews Pearlcast - The Dismissal - a new three part series looking at the dismissal of the Whitlam Government.