The 1975 Australian constitutional crisis culminated on 11 November when Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed Gough Whitlam of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) as prime minister and appointed Malcolm Fraser, the opposition leader, as caretaker. The Whitlam government had been rocked by scandals and political miscalculations. In October, the Opposition blocked bills in the Senate financing the government, and urged Kerr to dismiss Whitlam unless he agreed to call an election for the House of Representatives. On 11 November, Whitlam intended to call a half-Senate election instead, but when he met with Kerr to seek his approval, Kerr dismissed him as prime minister. Before the ALP parliamentarians knew what had happened, Fraser and his allies secured passage of the appropriation bills and Kerr dissolved Parliament. Fraser and his government were returned with a large majority in the following month's election. Kerr resigned early as governor-general and lived much of his remaining life abroad.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Australian_constitutional_crisis> _______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries: 1920: In London, the Cenotaph was unveiled and the Unknown Warrior was buried in Westminster Abbey in remembrance of the First World War. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unknown_Warrior> 1940: Second World War: The Royal Navy launched the first all- aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history against the Italians in the Battle of Taranto. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Taranto> 1960: A coup attempt by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam against President Ngô Đình Diệm was crushed after he falsely promised reform, allowing loyalists to rescue him. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_South_Vietnamese_coup_attempt> 1965: Rhodesia, led by Prime Minister Ian Smith, unilaterally declared independence from the United Kingdom. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesia%27s_Unilateral_Declaration_of_Independence> _____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day: death penny: 1. (historical, usually in the plural) A coin placed on the eyelid of a deceased person to keep the eye closed. 2. (Greek mythology, Roman mythology) Synonym of Charon's obol (“a coin placed in or on the mouth of a deceased person as a bribe or payment for Charon, the ferryman of Hades”). 3. (UK, World War I, numismatics, informal) The memorial plaque, a circular bronze plaque presented to the next of kin of British Empire personnel killed in World War I. <https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/death_penny> ___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day: Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence. --Abigail Adams <https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Abigail_Adams> _______________________________________________ Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list. To unsubscribe write to: [email protected] Questions or comments? Contact [email protected]
