The Dismissal of Gough Whitlam.

The events that took place during the time the Whitlam Government was in office (1972-1975) were some of the most constitutionally challenging and controversial that Australian Politics had ever seen before, or since. After 23 years of Liberal Government, the people voted Labor and saw a massive change in policy, which was almost immediate. The Whitlam Government suffered a block in supply in 1974 and was re-elected after the resulting double dissolution. The Opposition then blocked supply …

…did not want this; and as such, the Governor-General should not have dismissed the Government and the Opposition should not have blocked supply. So, in answer to the question posed at the beginning of this essay - was the dismissal of the Whitlam Government the will of the people - I firmly believe it was not. It was a political powerplay by Malcolm Fraser - nothing more, nothing less. Its impact is still felt today.