Proclamation dissolving the parliament, 1975

The proclamation was read aloud on the front steps of Parliament House by the Governor-General's Official Secretary, Sir David Smith. A crowd had gathered, mostly supporters of Whitlam's Australian Labor Party, who jeered and booed as Smith read the document in front of cameras. Whitlam's replacement as prime minister, Malcolm Fraser, had countersigned the petition, leading Whitlam to dub him 'Kerr's cur'.  

The proclamation ends with 'God save the Queen' (a phrase Whitlam had removed from similar documents since his appointment). Whitlam, who was right behind Smith on the front steps, then retorted with his famous words, 'Well may we say, "God save the Queen", because nothing will save the Governor-General.' 

It is not known who placed the copies of the proclamation on the doors of the Chambers, but we do know who took them down. Donald Cameron, a Liberal politician, recognised the historic, unprecedented nature of the dismissal, and so took the documents to preserve them. Photocopies were then put up in their place. Cameron's explanation for taking them is handwritten at the bottom of the front page of the House of Representatives copy.  

The dismissal caught most parliamentarians by surprise, including Whitlam. Fraser likely knew what was about to happen at least since that morning, but Whitlam had no inkling, believing the mere prospect impossible. Fraser announced his appointment in the House at 2pm from the Opposition benches – the only time until that date that government members have sat on the Speaker's left. 

Fraser had been commissioned in a caretaker capacity on condition he pass the budget bills, which since October had been stalled in the Opposition-controlled Senate. Once commissioned as prime minister, Fraser told only his close advisers what had happened – most of his party room did not know.  

Following Fraser's announcement, the House passed a motion of no-confidence in his government and called for Whitlam's reinstatement. However, by the time this news was delivered to Kerr, parliament had already been dissolved.  

Proclamations are one way government business is conducted. They are a very old tradition, probably as old as government itself – there are examples of ancient kings and emperors making proclamations on various matters, with their decrees then issued in writing, or perhaps engraved in stone. In the Westminster tradition, which Australia inherited from the United Kingdom, proclamations are issued by the Crown, or the Crown's representative, and usually relate to dissolutions and summoning of new parliaments, awarding of honours, or declaring public holidays.