Bid to unlock dismissal secrets

HOW much Queen Elizabeth knew about the dismissal of former prime minister Gough Whitlam has remained secret for more than 40 years.

Now dozens of secret letters between Buckingham Palace and then governorgeneral Sir John Kerr in the months before the 1975 dismissal could hold the key, according to award-winning historian Jenny Hocking.

Her bid to have the socalled “palace letters” released by the National Archives of Australia is scheduled to be heard in the Federal Court in Sydney today.

“It’s the nature of these, the timing of them and the fact that they appear to be prolific at the time of the dismissal that makes them significant,” Prof Hocking said.

“It will give us a real insight into what Kerr was thinking, what he was considering as his options in the lead-up to the dismissal.

“And I think more significantly, how much the palace knew about that aspect of Kerr’s entire thinking.”

The National Archives is refusing to release the letters because they have been deemed “personal” communications rather than official Commonwealth records.

“It’s perverse to see them as personal letters, given who they’re portraying,” Prof Hocking said.

It’s possible the public may never see them.

There’s an embargo until at least 2027 but the Queen holds a final veto over their release.

But Prof Hacking says they’re crucial historic records and Australians should know the full story.

“The dismissal is unusual because it’s been cast in so much secrecy at the time and since,” she said.

Other archival material that revealed Sir John consulted with High Court judge Sir Anthony Mason before sacking Mr Whitlam “totally changed the way we looked at the dismissal,” she said. AAP