This is the the Sydney Morning Herald’s editorial on the morning after the dismissal of the Whitlam government.
Unlike The Age in Melbourne, the Herald supported Kerr’s decision.
The editorial appeared on page one of the newspaper. An image and the full text is shown below.
Text of editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald, November 12, 1975.
Cutting the knot
It is for the people now to decide the issue which the two leaders have failed to settle – The Governor-General.
Decades on, the editorial in The Age newspaper on November 12, 1975, remains one of the clearest statements of the arguments against Sir John Kerr’s actions the previous day.
Editorial, The Age, November 12, 1975.
Sir John was wrong
Yesterday was the most extraordinary in the political life of this nation. It was also one of the most regrettable. The decision of the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, to dismiss the Whitlam Government was, we believe, a triumph of narrow legalism over common sense and popular feeling. We do not deny that Sir John had been placed in an appallingly difficult position by two stubborn men. We accept that he had a legal power to do as he did, and that he acted in good faith. But we believe he was wrong. We are not convinced the decision he took was the only one open to him, or that it was necessary to take it now. He has certainly not explained himself adequately.
In a front page editorial, on December 1, 1972, The Australian newspaper, endorsed the election of Gough Whitlam and the ALP.
It was the second front-page editorial in a week that advocated a change of government.
Titled The party for the times, the paper said Whitlam offered a “coherent programme of action over a wide range of areas which the present Government has either neglected or only belatedly taken an interest”.
Comparing Whitlam with Liberal Prime Minister William McMahon, the paper said: “Certainly there must be an element of risk in voting the Labor Party into power after 23 years. But in view of his performance over the past 20 months, surely there would be more risk returning Mr McMahon.
Full text of the first of two editorials by The Australian endorsing a change of government and the election of Gough Whitlam and the ALP.
