There was also the Dismissal in Australia, where Gough Whitlam’s Labor government lost it’s majority in the Senate due to a Whitlam ally dying in office and being deliberately replaced with a member of the Labor Party opposed to Whitlam (the Premiers of the Australian States fill senate vacancies; in this case, it was infamous National Premier and dictator of Queensland Joh Bjelke-Pieterson). This caused the Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Fraser to get the Liberal-National Coalition to block supply in the Senate (supply is the funding for the government to operate; without supply, the government falls and an election is called).
Fraser repeatedly urged the GG Sir John Kerr (a friend of Whitlam’s who Whitlam had appointed the year before the crisis) to call a fresh election for the House of Representatives. Whitlam sought advice from Kerr, and Kerr showed no indication that he would dismiss Whitlam, while Kerr worked out a deal with Fraser.
Then, when Whitlam came to meet the GG to request a half-Senate election, the GG instead dismissed Whitlam, forcing the government from power. He then appointed Fraser as PM, the Coalition passed supply, and a double dissolution election was called. The Coalition and Fraser then won the snap election with a massive majority.
The whole issue with the Dismissal was the fact that the GG wasn’t direct with Whitlam and basically blindsided him, and that the GG forced a sitting government out of office. It essentially forced Kerr to resigned a few years later and live out his years away from Australia.
PoeHeller3476 t1_itozqkh wrote
Reply to comment by CrappyTire69 in Penny Mordaunt pulls out of Tory leadership race, paving way for Rishi Sunak to become next PM | Politics News by FutureNytro
There was also the Dismissal in Australia, where Gough Whitlam’s Labor government lost it’s majority in the Senate due to a Whitlam ally dying in office and being deliberately replaced with a member of the Labor Party opposed to Whitlam (the Premiers of the Australian States fill senate vacancies; in this case, it was infamous National Premier and dictator of Queensland Joh Bjelke-Pieterson). This caused the Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Fraser to get the Liberal-National Coalition to block supply in the Senate (supply is the funding for the government to operate; without supply, the government falls and an election is called).
Fraser repeatedly urged the GG Sir John Kerr (a friend of Whitlam’s who Whitlam had appointed the year before the crisis) to call a fresh election for the House of Representatives. Whitlam sought advice from Kerr, and Kerr showed no indication that he would dismiss Whitlam, while Kerr worked out a deal with Fraser.
Then, when Whitlam came to meet the GG to request a half-Senate election, the GG instead dismissed Whitlam, forcing the government from power. He then appointed Fraser as PM, the Coalition passed supply, and a double dissolution election was called. The Coalition and Fraser then won the snap election with a massive majority.
The whole issue with the Dismissal was the fact that the GG wasn’t direct with Whitlam and basically blindsided him, and that the GG forced a sitting government out of office. It essentially forced Kerr to resigned a few years later and live out his years away from Australia.