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Whitlam Dismissal: Gough Whitlam on the steps of Parliament House
Title:
Whitlam Dismissal: Gough Whitlam on the steps of Parliament House
NFSA ID
554993
Year
1975
Courtesy
Seven Network
Camera operator Bob Wilesmith was working for Channel 7 in the Parliament House bureau in Canberra on 11 November 1975, the day Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and his government from office.
While 11 November 1975 began quietly, Wilesmith noticed signs around Parliament House that something momentous might be about to happen. After learning in the press gallery that Governor-General Kerr had sacked Whitlam, he grabbed his camera and headed for the front steps. This excerpt from Wilesmith's original camera footage captures the arrival of Whitlam as he warms up the crowd, moments before giving his famous 'Kerr's cur' speech.
Read more in The 1975 Whitlam Dismissal: News Footage
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