Whitlam switches attack to Fraser

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34000, 14 November 1975, Page 13

Whitlam switches attack to Fraser

thew Zealand Press Association—Copyright)

CANBERRA. November 13.

The former Prime Minister, Mr Gough Whitlam, today switched the major thrust of his attack from the Governor-General to the Prime Minister, Mr Malcolm Fraser. Making it clear that he still did not condone the GovernorGeneral. Sir John Kerr, for his conduct “in keeping the Speaker of the House of Representatives waiting for one and a half hours, Mr Whitlam told a press conference in Canberra it was not so much Sir John’s conduct but Mr Fraser’s which was in question.

He described his successor’s conduct as “utterly unconstitutional. improper, and unprecedented.”

Pressed for more comments I on Sir John’s action, he said: < "Sir John Kerr isn’t a candi- 1 date at the election, and Mr < Fraser is. “I don’t want to distract 1 the attention from the con- ' duct of the person upon whom the people will be cast- 1 ing their v >tes,” said Mr 1 Whitla-u. • Sincere disagreement Meanwhile, Mr Fraser said in a statement released by his office in Parliament House that he recognised there were people who sincerely disagreed with the actions of the Senate. “We have witnessed the distasteful spectacle of a Prime Minister trying to remain in office unconstitutionally by refusing to recognise the decision of the Parliament and by refusing to face the judgment of the people. “In the end democracy and the Constitution have triumphed. The GovernorGeneral — himself appointed by the Labour Party — has made his decision, as he was bound to do under the Constitution. Three years The next three years would be difficult for the Australian people, said Mr Fraser. “There is no easy way back to propriety. Commonsense and responsibility on the part of all sections of the community will be needed.” In another statement issued in Canberra, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Doug Anthony, said that Mr Whitlam had placed the Governor-General in a situation which allowed no alternative to the course Sir John took.

“Mr Whitlam refused to accept the inescapable end of the improper and unconstitutional course he took when he set out to govern without Parliamentary approval of expenditure. “And when he told Sir John he would never resign, Mr Whitlam virtually invited the Governor-General — his

own appointee — to dismiss j him,” said Mr Anthony. 1 Much of Mr Whitlam’s press conference was taken ' up with questions relating to 1 his dismissal by Sir John. He ; said that Sir John should i have asked Mr Fraser on his second visit to Government House if he could form a Government in the House of Representatives and did he have a majority of members who would support him. “We don’t know if that question was asked but we can be sure that Mr Fraser never told Sir John that he would have a majority in the House of Representatives supporting him.” New cabinet A Cabinet of 15 Ministers was announced by Mr Fraser, . and will act as caretaker of Government business until , the Federal Election on December 13. The Cabinet was sworn in by the Governor-General, Sir ' John Kerr, in a ceremony at ' Government House. ' The Leader of the National ’ Country Party, Mr Doug Anthony, has become Deputy 1 Prime Minister, and also holds : the Overseas, Trade and . Minerals and Energy port--1 folios.

The former Deputy Opposition Leader, Mr Phillip Lynch, is Treasurer, while the Deputy Leader of the N.C.P., Mr lan Sinclair, has been appointed Minister for

Agriculture and Minister for Northern Australia. Senator Reg Withers, previously Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, has been appointed Vice-President of the Executive Council and Minister for the Media, Tourism and Recreation, the Capital Territory and special Minister of State. Other members of the new ministry are: Senator Ivor John Greenwood, AttorneyGeneral and Minister for, Police and Customs; Senator Robert Carrington Cotton, Minister for Manufacturing Industry and Minister for Science and Consumer Affairs; Mr Peter James Nixon, Minister for Transport and Postmaster-General; Mr Andrew Sharp Peacock, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for the Environment; Mr Donald Leslie Chipp, Minister for Social Security, Minister for Health and Minister for Repatriation and Compensation; Mr Denis James Killen, Minister for Defence; Senator Thomas Charles Drake-Brockman, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister for Administrative Services; S lator John Leslie Carrick, Minister for Housing and Construction and Minister for Urban and Regional Development; Mr Anthony Austin Street, Minister for Labour and Immigration; and Senator Margaret Georgina Constance Guilfoyle, Minister for Education.