08-04-2013, 10:51 AM
An interesting one following the Whitlam dismissal, recording the comments of future PM Paul Keating.
https://www.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1...354_b.html
AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL CRISIS
1. SUMMARY: RECENTLY APPOINTED MINISTER NORTHERN TERRITORIES(IN WHITLAM GOVT) PAUL KEATING, AN ALP MEMBER PARLIAMENT FROMSYDNEY, CONFIRMED IN MOST BITTER TERMS EMBASSY CANBERRA'SJUDGMENT IN PARA ONE REFTEL THAT NATURE OF PARLIAMENTARYDEMOCRACY BEING ALTERED AND THE FUTURE IS ONE OF INSTABILITY.HE MADE SEVERAL POINTS:
2. GOVERNOR GENERAL KERR'S ACTION IS PROOF OF "ESTABLISHMENT'S DETERMINATION TO GET RID OF LABOR GOVERNMENT AT ANYCOST". IT WILL DEEPEN HOSTILITY TO ESTABLISHMENT, "STRENGTHENTHE REDS AND PUT MODERATES AT MERCY OF EXTREMISTS". KEATINGCHARGED GOVERNOR GENERAL CONSPIRED SECRETLY WITH FRASER.HAD KERR FRANKLY GIVEN WHITLAM A CHOICE BETWEEN RESIGNATIONOR CALLING DOUBLE DISSOLUTION (IN ORDER TO BREAK DEADLOCK)WHITLAM WOULD HAVE CALLED ELECTION AND WON IT FROM THEADVANTAGEOUS POSITION OF BEING IN POWER. IN FACT, KERR DID NOT OFFER THIS CLEAR-CUT CHOICE BUT REACHED HIS OWN CONCLUSION (WHICH FRASER KNEW IN ADVANCE) AND EXECUTED IT ONTHE SPOT BY WITHDRAWING WHITLAM'S COMMISSION.
3. AS RESULT KERR GAVE FRASER THE IMMENSE ADVANTAGE OF WAGINGCAMPAIGN FROM POSITION OF POWER. RESULTS ALREADY EVIDENTSAYS KEATING. FRASER PUBLICLY INDICATED INTENTION TO USEABC WHILE OWNERS OF PRO-FRASER PRESS ARE GIVING HIM UNFAIRADVANTAGE BY HAVING MANAGEMENT INTERFERE IN THE NEWS COVERAGEAND MAKE-UP REPORTAGE. HE MENTIONED PAGE ONE OF TODAY'SAUSTRALIAN AND PAGE TWO OF YESTERDAY'S MIRROR AS EXAMPLES.SOME ELEMENTS IN ALP CONSIDERING WHETHER TO STRIKE BACK,"CLOSING DOWN THE PRESS BY CALLING OUT THE PRINTERS ANDDELIVERY UNIONS ON STRIKE". THESE ELEMENTS WOULD IGNORE ACTUPRESIDENT HAWKE'S ADMONITION AGAINST INDUSTRIAL ACTION. HOW-EVER, KEATING ADDED DECISION NOT YET MADE AND WILL DEPEND ONJUDGMENT WHETHER STRIKE WOULD BENEFIT PARTY OR BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.
4. KEATING ACKNOWLEDGED CRISIS REVEALS DEEP SCHIZOIDTENDENCY IN AUSTRALIAN CONSTITUTION WHICH INCORPORATES INCOMPATIBLE CHUNKS OF BRITISH WESTMINSTER AND AMERICANFEDERAL SYSTEMS. CANNOT BE CORRECTED BY AMENDMENT IN FORESEEABLE FUTURE BECAUSE OF OPPOSITION FROM STATES, L/CP ANDCONSERVATIVE POPULACE IN COUNTRYSIDE. KNOWING THIS, ANDCONVINCED THE "ESTABLISHMENT" WOULD FORCE LABOR GOVERNMENTOUT ASAP BY ANY AVAILABLE MEANS, WHITLAM DECIDED AT OUTSETHIS ADMINISTRATION IN DECEMBER 1972 TO RAM THROUGH AS MUCHNEW SOCIAL REFORM AS POSSIBLE, SAYING, "THEY'LL GET US OUT.LET'S DO WHAT WE CAN WHILE WE ARE HERE". AS KEATING SEES ITPRIMIN'S PROPHECY HAS COME TRUE AND IF ALP LOSES THIS ELECTION"CAN THE LABOR PARTY WHICH HAS HELD THE REDS AT BAY ALL THESEYEARS, DO SO ANY LONGER?"
5. COMMENT: WHILE KEATING (A MODERATE) IS PARTLY ANIMATEDBY IMMEDIATE SENSE OF RAGE, HIS REMARKS ARE CONSISTENT WITHHIS LINE TWO MONTHS AGO AT A MUCH CALMER TIME. INDEED EVENTHEN HE FORESAW POSSIBLE STRIKES TO CLOSE DOWN THE PRESS ANDEVEN USE OF POLICE AND ARMY IF STRIKE BREAKERS WERE BROUGHTIN (SEE MEMCON SEPTEMBER 16).
HANNAH
CONFIDENTIAL
https://www.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1...354_b.html
AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL CRISIS
1. SUMMARY: RECENTLY APPOINTED MINISTER NORTHERN TERRITORIES(IN WHITLAM GOVT) PAUL KEATING, AN ALP MEMBER PARLIAMENT FROMSYDNEY, CONFIRMED IN MOST BITTER TERMS EMBASSY CANBERRA'SJUDGMENT IN PARA ONE REFTEL THAT NATURE OF PARLIAMENTARYDEMOCRACY BEING ALTERED AND THE FUTURE IS ONE OF INSTABILITY.HE MADE SEVERAL POINTS:
2. GOVERNOR GENERAL KERR'S ACTION IS PROOF OF "ESTABLISHMENT'S DETERMINATION TO GET RID OF LABOR GOVERNMENT AT ANYCOST". IT WILL DEEPEN HOSTILITY TO ESTABLISHMENT, "STRENGTHENTHE REDS AND PUT MODERATES AT MERCY OF EXTREMISTS". KEATINGCHARGED GOVERNOR GENERAL CONSPIRED SECRETLY WITH FRASER.HAD KERR FRANKLY GIVEN WHITLAM A CHOICE BETWEEN RESIGNATIONOR CALLING DOUBLE DISSOLUTION (IN ORDER TO BREAK DEADLOCK)WHITLAM WOULD HAVE CALLED ELECTION AND WON IT FROM THEADVANTAGEOUS POSITION OF BEING IN POWER. IN FACT, KERR DID NOT OFFER THIS CLEAR-CUT CHOICE BUT REACHED HIS OWN CONCLUSION (WHICH FRASER KNEW IN ADVANCE) AND EXECUTED IT ONTHE SPOT BY WITHDRAWING WHITLAM'S COMMISSION.
3. AS RESULT KERR GAVE FRASER THE IMMENSE ADVANTAGE OF WAGINGCAMPAIGN FROM POSITION OF POWER. RESULTS ALREADY EVIDENTSAYS KEATING. FRASER PUBLICLY INDICATED INTENTION TO USEABC WHILE OWNERS OF PRO-FRASER PRESS ARE GIVING HIM UNFAIRADVANTAGE BY HAVING MANAGEMENT INTERFERE IN THE NEWS COVERAGEAND MAKE-UP REPORTAGE. HE MENTIONED PAGE ONE OF TODAY'SAUSTRALIAN AND PAGE TWO OF YESTERDAY'S MIRROR AS EXAMPLES.SOME ELEMENTS IN ALP CONSIDERING WHETHER TO STRIKE BACK,"CLOSING DOWN THE PRESS BY CALLING OUT THE PRINTERS ANDDELIVERY UNIONS ON STRIKE". THESE ELEMENTS WOULD IGNORE ACTUPRESIDENT HAWKE'S ADMONITION AGAINST INDUSTRIAL ACTION. HOW-EVER, KEATING ADDED DECISION NOT YET MADE AND WILL DEPEND ONJUDGMENT WHETHER STRIKE WOULD BENEFIT PARTY OR BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.
4. KEATING ACKNOWLEDGED CRISIS REVEALS DEEP SCHIZOIDTENDENCY IN AUSTRALIAN CONSTITUTION WHICH INCORPORATES INCOMPATIBLE CHUNKS OF BRITISH WESTMINSTER AND AMERICANFEDERAL SYSTEMS. CANNOT BE CORRECTED BY AMENDMENT IN FORESEEABLE FUTURE BECAUSE OF OPPOSITION FROM STATES, L/CP ANDCONSERVATIVE POPULACE IN COUNTRYSIDE. KNOWING THIS, ANDCONVINCED THE "ESTABLISHMENT" WOULD FORCE LABOR GOVERNMENTOUT ASAP BY ANY AVAILABLE MEANS, WHITLAM DECIDED AT OUTSETHIS ADMINISTRATION IN DECEMBER 1972 TO RAM THROUGH AS MUCHNEW SOCIAL REFORM AS POSSIBLE, SAYING, "THEY'LL GET US OUT.LET'S DO WHAT WE CAN WHILE WE ARE HERE". AS KEATING SEES ITPRIMIN'S PROPHECY HAS COME TRUE AND IF ALP LOSES THIS ELECTION"CAN THE LABOR PARTY WHICH HAS HELD THE REDS AT BAY ALL THESEYEARS, DO SO ANY LONGER?"
5. COMMENT: WHILE KEATING (A MODERATE) IS PARTLY ANIMATEDBY IMMEDIATE SENSE OF RAGE, HIS REMARKS ARE CONSISTENT WITHHIS LINE TWO MONTHS AGO AT A MUCH CALMER TIME. INDEED EVENTHEN HE FORESAW POSSIBLE STRIKES TO CLOSE DOWN THE PRESS ANDEVEN USE OF POLICE AND ARMY IF STRIKE BREAKERS WERE BROUGHTIN (SEE MEMCON SEPTEMBER 16).
HANNAH
CONFIDENTIAL