On the Bennelong byelection
Leon Knight writes: Re. “Volatile Bennelong could blow up in Coalition’s face” (Friday)
I am a bit disappointed that GetUp haven’t swung into action in Bennelong, after the government has flagged their intention to attack them directly. Add that to the dirty tricks website and the China bashing just to get Dastyari, and I reckon GetUp could easily campaign against Alexander without the AEC going after them.
Jenny Hocking writes: Re. “Volatile Bennelong could blow up in Coalition’s face” (Friday)
An excellent article. One important point, Malcolm Fraser did not “storm into office at the expense of Gough Whitlam in 1975 with a large swing”– Malcolm Fraser was already in office at the time of the 1975 election having been installed there by the Governor-General Sir John Kerr and was the incumbent Prime Minister. The swing was unprecedented as were the circumstances.
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Fraser was installed as the caretaker. He stormed into office all right as I well remember and I cheered Whitlam’s dismissal on the basis that his government was utterly dysfunctional except for Bill Hayden. The people thought so too. I have since realised the skullduggery behind it, but we really had to have an election I thought. This was also brought about by Gough’s overwhelming arrogance. Alas he was not quite the gift from God he thought himself to be. I voted for him in the double dissolution, being my first vote.