The Crowned Republic - Frequently Asked Questions - How do monarchists justify the continuation of the undemocratic stain that exists where an elected goverment can be dismissed by some woman on the other side of the planet?

How do monarchists justify the continuation of the undemocratic stain that exists where an elected goverment can be dismissed by some woman on the other side of the planet?

Author:: David Flint
Date added:: Friday, 12 September 2008

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Answer

The Queen has no power to dismiss a government. In fact when the Speaker asked Her Majesty to reverse the decision by Sir John Kerr to withdraw Mr. Whitlam’s commission, Buckingham Palace pointed to the fact that under the Australian Constitution this power is vested in the Governor-General and that it would be constitutionally improper for Her Majesty to reverse or review that decision. ( The Cane Toad Republic, 1999, page 93)

The Governor-General acted properly.

Mr Whitlam was attempting to govern without a grant of supply, something which last happened under King Charles I.
In fact, Mr. Whitlam and Senator Murphy had previously argued at length from opposition that if the Senate withheld supply a government must resign.