Articles

La crise constitutionnelie australienne

Author
  • Philippe Lauvaux

Abstract

The crisis which arose in Australia in October-November 1975 led to the dismissal of the Labour Prime Minister Gough Whitlam by the Governor-General Sir John Kerr, the formation of a caretaker Government by the opposition leader Malcolm Fraser and the simultaneous dissolution of the Houses of the Federal Parliament.
The constitutional issues involved in that crisis are studied. The opinion is maintained that the rational coherence of the parliamentary system require an effective head of State with the responsibility of acting personally in unusual circumstances, rather than the strict law definitely lapsed and the issue even then ruled by the «constitutional conventions» of Cabinet government.

How to Cite:

Lauvaux, P., (1978) “La crise constitutionnelie australienne”, Res Publica 20(3), 473-489. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/rp.v20i3.20473

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Published on
29 Sep 1978
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