John Kerr Archives

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Insights and analysis

The Queen takes with her an Australian model long let go

Federal

As the Queen’s funeral is live streamed to us from London, Australia is reminded how its sense of nationhood has evolved.

Australian dignitaries head to London as Hurley signposts call with King Charles

By Anna Macdonald and Melissa Coade

Culture

Prime minister Anthony Albanese and the governor-general travel to London today to attend the Queen’s funeral on Monday.

King, country and constitutional monarchy – recollecting the impact of 1975 on Australia’s political psyche

By Melissa Coade

Community & Social

The political neutrality of a sovereign head of state in a constitutional monarchy also goes to the core of the Westminster system that operates in Australia.

Queen Elizabeth II, a model servant of the public

By Adam Fennessy

Editors' Picks

Queen Elizabeth II showed that the way we serve is as important as the laws, institutions and conventions we uphold on behalf of our communities.

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Columnists

Sir John Kerr no stranger to public service gossip

By Verona Burgess

Editors' Picks

Long before the idea of dismissing Gough Whitlam was a twinkle in his eye, Sir John Kerr was briefing the Queen’s then private secretary, Sir Martin Charteris, on detailed goings-on in the Australian Public Service. He was quite the dobber, writes Verona Burgess.

Editorial: let’s fix what needs fixing

By Chris Johnson

Editors' Picks

The most obvious thing we can take from these letters is, again, something we already know and have known for a long time. That is that the monarchy should have no place in Australian politics.

Palace letters: ‘it was better for Her Majesty not to know’ about Whitlam dismissal

By Shannon Jenkins

Federal

The correspondence contained the letter of dismissal issued to Whitlam, a legal opinion from high court chief justice Garfield Barwick, and a letter addressed to Kerr from the opposition leader, Malcolm Fraser.

John Kerr