The ABC today commemorates the 50th anniversary of one of the most dramatic moments in Australian political history: the dismissal of Gough Whitlam's Labor Government by the Governor-General on 11 November 1975.
Special coverage includes live radio and television broadcasts, documentaries, podcasts and extensive digital content.
Content Highlights
Join Sally Sara and the Radio National Breakfast team for the 50th anniversary of the Dismissal right where it unfolded -- at Old Parliament House.
Peter Martin, Melissa Clarke and newsreader Luke Siddham Dundon deliver the news of the day and reflect on the anniversary with past and present politicians and press gallery veterans plus listeners' recollections of the day.
Two digital features by reporter Maani Truu delve into the legacy of the Dismissal. The first takes an in-depth look at the events leading up to it and explores how it unfolded.
The second is a visual story revisiting the iconic photos of Gough Whitlam's "Well may they say…" speech and features reflections from the people captured in those historic images.
We've also had first-person analysis from journalist Michelle Grattan, who was there on the day.
News Breakfast will have live crosses from Old Parliament House and all the news and reactions for the morning.
ABC political reporter Greg Jennett hosts Whitlam Dismissal: 50 Years a 30-minute special documentary available on the News Channel, ABC iview and YouTube.
On ABC iview, audiences will also find a special episode of I Was Actually There exploring the Dismissal and landmark documentary Whitlam: The Power And The Passion will also feature prominently on ABC iview.
For those unfamiliar with The Eleventh, the award-winning serialised podcast will take a prominent spot on the ABC listen App. You can listen to it here Eleventh podcast
Behind the News has a package for primary school kids on why the Dismissal matters and how it shaped Australia.
Radio National's content continues throughout the day.
The Radio National Hour features a panel discussion looking into the mythology and constitutional reality of the Dismissal with guests including historian Frank Borngiorno and constitutional monarchist Esther Anatolitis.
Whitlam's dismissal exposed and tested the architecture of Australia's constitution. The Law Report with Damien Carrick will feature a conversation with Constitutional Law Professor George Williams about what it tells us about our institutions.
Big Ideas explores why the Dismissal is still relevant today and key questions it raises about constitutional change and the robustness of Australia's current democracy. What are the lessons of the Dismissal and the double dissolution and could it happen again? Speakers include Anne Twomey, Professor Emerita of Constitutional Law at the University of Sydney Law School, Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, Australian National University and Dr Brendan Lim, barrister and author of Australia's Constitution after Whitlam.
Late Night Live speaks to Simon Smith, curator with the National Film and Sound Archive where the original film footage from the Dismissal is preserved. It's the most dramatic day in Australian political history but there is very little surviving news footage from 11 November 1975. News crews scrambled to capture the events playing out on the steps of (Old) Parliament House. But within 24-hours, both the ABC and Channel Nine had lost almost all their original film reels. About six minutes of footage was captured by a Channel Seven operator, including Whitlam's famous "God Save the Queen" speech. That original reel is now preserved in the National Film and Sound Archive and was also donated to other networks for free use in perpetuity. The whereabouts of the other original reels remains a mystery.
Also on Late Night Live, MP Julian Leeser will reflect on the Liberal Party's current views on the Dismissal and Whitlam biographer Troy Bramston will discuss what happened after 11 November 1975 and how Gough "got over" it.
