Tiberius with a Telephone

by Patrick Mullins

  Woolcott, 2003, pp. 106–07. See also Waller, 1990, pp. 46–47.

  ‘Mr McMahon’s first year’, Aus., 16 December 1970, p. 12.

  Waller, 1990, p. 44.

  Cooper to McIntyre, 11 March 1969, in Doran and Lee (eds), 2002, pp. 297–99.

  McIntyre to Cooper, 12 June 1969, ibid., pp. 300–01.

  Anderson to Waller, 2 October 1970, Plimsoll to Waller, 15 October 1970, and Dunn to Waller, 23 October 1970, ibid., pp. 316–18, 321–25, 327–30.

  Renouf to Waller, 15 October 1970, ibid., p. 326.

  Waller to Renouf, 23 October 1970, ibid., pp. 330–31.

  Waller, 1990, p. 43.

  A.J. Forbes to McMahon, 14 October 1970, NAA: M4252/1, 4.

  McMahon, CPD HoR, vol. 70, 14 October 1970, p. 2087. See also Whitlam and McEwen, and Whitlam and Swartz, CPD HoR, vol. 70, 30 September 1970, pp. 1856, 1861.

  Eastman to McMahon, 28 October 1970, and McMahon’s annotations, in Doran and Lee (eds), 2002, pp. 331–36.

  Savingram to Canberra, 1 December 1970, ibid., pp. 338–41; David Solomon, ‘China and UN: Australia’s policy, re-appraised’, CT, 8 December 1970, p. 2.

  Holdich to Anderson and Policy Planning Paper LP No. 2, 10 December 1970, in Doran and Lee (eds), 2002, pp. 346–56.

  McMahon to Shann, 17 December 1970, ibid., pp. 356–57.

  Author’s interview with C.R. ‘Kim’ Jones, 2 June 2017.

  Keith Waller interviewed by J.D.B. Miller, NLA Oral History, TRC 314, p. 29.

  Gorton to McMahon, with McMahon’s annotations, 5 January 1971, NAA: M4251, 44.

  Reid, 1971, p. 401. Kim Jones believed that far from feeling humiliated, McMahon was probably relieved not to have to share a plane with Gorton.

  Howson, 1984, pp. 687–91.

  ibid., p. 691.

  Ian Wood interviewed by Ron Hurst, 1984, NLA Oral History, TRC 4900/84; see also Reid, 1971, pp. 405–11; Hancock, 2002, p. 308.

  Chapter 32: A Transient Phantom?

  Bolton, in Tyley, Robbins and March (eds), 2014, p. 44. The line is drawn from Disraeli’s Endymion.

  Sir James Plimsoll interviewed by Clyde Cameron, NLA Oral History, TRC 1967, pp. 5, 41. Plimsoll stated on two occasions that McMahon was the weakest, but added later that, on consideration, Les Bury was the weakest, mostly owing to his health problems.

  Laurence ‘Jim’ McIntyre interviewed by Mel Pratt, NLA Oral History, TRC 121/67.

  Flood, 2011, pp. 68–69.

  Submission no. 250, ‘Development of Japanese Foreign Policies’, 27 April 1970, NAA: A5869, 250; Cabinet minute no. 300, 30 April 1970, NAA: A5873, 300; Cotton, in Tyler, Robbins, and March (eds), 2014, pp. 109–50.

  These comments are drawn from Hearder, 2015, p. 209.

  Keith Waller interviewed by J.D.B. Miller, NLA Oral History, TRC 314, pp. 26–28.

  That McMahon went, too, was a point in his favour, as The Age argued at the time. See ‘Partner in Asia’, Age, 29 April 1970, p. 2.

  Credit for the reorganisation remained a touchy point for Waller. When Nigel Bowen noted that McMahon had reorganised the department, Waller leaped out of his chair: ‘Nothing of the sort! What utter rubbish!’ See Keith Waller interviewed by J.D.B. Miller, NLA Oral History, TRC 314, p. 27.

  Author’s interview and correspondence with C.R. ‘Kim’ Jones, 2 and 3 June 2017.

  Juddery, 1974, pp. 104–05.

  ‘It was McMahon’s voice rather than that of either of his two foreign ministers who seemed to speak for Australia in 1971 and 1972,’ wrote Geoffrey Bolton later. See Bolton, in Tyler, Robbins, and March (eds), 2014, p. 47.

  Renouf, 1979, p. 24.

  The official historian of Australia’s involvement in Vietnam made this point. See Edwards, 1997, pp. 346–47.

  Bowman notes, undated, in the author’s possession.

  Chapter 33: A Natural Development

  McEwen noted this point himself: ‘With my retirement,’ he wrote, ‘a particular political age was just about over.’ See McEwen, 1983, p. 81.

  Author’s correspondence with Doug Anthony, 25 July 2016.

  ‘Premiers empty-handed’, CT, 5 February 1971, pp. 1, 13.

  ‘Election climax’, SMH, 8 February 1971, p. 6.

  Howson, 1984, p. 693.

  ibid., p. 694.

  McMahon to Gorton, 4 February 1971, in Doran and Lee (eds), 2002, pp. 369–75.

  Submission to cabinet, 9 February 1971, ibid., pp. 375–91.

  Waller commented later that, in driving this reconsideration of Australian policy, he was suggesting ‘a different strategy in the [UN] General Assembly and not immediate recognition of Communist China’. Though — as he says — it was ‘strange’ that McMahon took a long time to grasp this, his comment makes clear that the department was only recommending incremental change in Australia’s policy. See Waller, 1990, p. 44.

  ‘Attitude on China reaffirmed’, CT, 18 February 1971, p. 10.

  Only as recently as November, McEwen had declared that he did not believe recognising the PRC would have ‘any impact’ on its trade relationship with Australia. Moreover, McEwen said, ‘I will not contribute to anything that will set us apart from the United States, and the United States won’t recognise China.’ See McEwen, interviewed on This Week, HSV-7, 11 November 1970.

  Cabinet minute no. 902, 23 February 1971, NAA: A5869, 678.

  Incentive, no. 282, 23 February 1971, p. 1.

  Whitlam, CPD HoR, vol. 71, 18 February 1971, pp. 274–82.

  McMahon, ibid., pp. 282–88.

  Maxwell Newton, ‘Economic report: McMahon treads softly’, Incentive, no. 282, 23 February 1971, p. 5.

  Paul Hasluck, ‘Gorton’s reconstruction of Cabinet in February, 1971’, NAA: M1767, 3.

  Howard, 2014, p. 541.

  Howson, 1984, p. 693.

  ibid., p. 696.

  Author’s interview with C.R. ‘Kim’ Jones, 2 June 2017.

  Author’s interview with Tom Hughes, 16 August 2016.

  Brown, 1993, p. 58.

  Fraser, in ‘It’s alright, Boss’, The Liberals, 1994, TV programme.

  Submission no. 259, ‘Aid to South Vietnam’, 1 May 1970, NAA: A5869, 259; Cabinet minute no. 391, 27 May 1970, NAA: A5873, 391.

  See McMahon to Gorton, 3 September 1970, NAA: M62, 28.

  ‘Military civic action plan 1971/72’, 3 February 1971, in Fraser and Simons, 2009, p. 751.

  Ayres, 1987, p. 177.

  ibid.

  David Solomon, ‘Army “sabotage” on Vietnam’, CT, 22 February 1971, p. 1.

  See Barnard, Fraser, Morrison, Lucock, Bryant, Killen, CPD HoR, vol. 71, 24 February 1971, pp. 564–78.

  Reid, 1971, p. 417.

  ibid., p. 419.

  Daly, ‘It’s alright, Boss’, The Liberals, 1994, TV programme.

  Fraser and Simons, 2009, p. 215.

  Reid, 1971, p. 420.

  Tony Eggleton, ‘It’s alright, Boss’, The Liberals, 1994, TV programme.

  Killen, 1985, pp. 165–66.

  Peter Samuel, ‘The Australian army’s “revolt” in Vietnam’, Bulletin, 6 March 1971, pp. 11–12.

  Author’s interview with Alan Ramsey, 31 January 2018.

  Alan Ramsey, ‘General says Fraser is disloyal to service’, Aus., 4 March 1971, p. 1.

  Ramsey, ‘It’s alright, Boss’, The Liberals, 1994, TV programme.

  Howson, 1984, p. 697.

  Daly, in ‘It’s alright, Boss’, The Liberals, 1994, TV programme.

  Hancock, 2002, p. 318.

  In his memoirs, Fraser claimed that Menzies did not give him advice about his resignation. This is highly suspect, at best. Contemporaneous notes made by Hasluck tell of Fraser’s emphasis that he ‘had b
een given advice that there was no other proper thing to do. This was a very experienced person who had gone over the matter carefully with him — one whose judgement and advice I [Hasluck], too, would respect.’ Fraser then told Hasluck he had spoken at least twice with Menzies about it. See Hasluck, ‘Gorton’s crisis in March, 1971’, NAA: M1767, 3.

  McNicoll, 1978, p. 241.

  Howson, 1984, p. 698.

  Hasluck, ‘Gorton’s crisis in March, 1971’, NAA: M1767, 3.

  David McNicoll, ‘Time for a change of leader’, DT, 7 March 1971, p. 2.

  Alan Reid, ‘Resign call to Fraser’, DT, 7 March 1971, p. 1.

  Howson, 1984, p. 699.

  Griffen-Foley, 2003, p. 165.

  Reid, 1971, p. 426.

  Ayres, 1987, p. 182.

  Hancock, 2002, p. 320.

  Fraser, in ‘It’s alright, Boss’, The Liberals, 1994, TV programme.

  Author’s correspondence with Tony Eggleton, 26 November 2016.

  After the Meet the Press broadcast, Ian Fitchett rang Peter Howson to ‘confirm’ Howson’s view that ‘something big is brewing for later this week.’ See Howson, 1984, p. 699.

  ‘Gorton’s crisis in March, 1971’, NAA: M1767, 3.

  Chipp and Larkin 1978, p. 97–98.

  Hasluck makes a point of noting that these were Fraser’s exact words: Hasluck took them down in shorthand as they spoke on the phone. There is no statement about an announcement of Fraser’s resignation in the letter. See ‘Gorton’s crisis in March, 1971’, NAA: M1767, 3.

  ibid.

  Howson, 1984, p. 700.

  Bert Kelly diary, 9 March 1971, NLA MS7424.

  ibid.

  Howson, 1984, p. 701.

  Fraser, CPD HoR, vol. 71, 9 March 1971, pp. 679–84.

  Gorton, ibid., pp. 684–89. Ramsey’s interjection is on p. 687.

  See Whitlam, Hayden, Mackay, Calwell, Turner, Cairns, Gorton, and Whitlam, ibid., pp. 689–92.

  Chipp, ‘It’s alright, Boss’, The Liberals, 1994, TV programme.

  Hearder, 2015, p. 230.

  Robert ‘Duke’ Bonnett interviewed by Peter Sekuless, 21 April –21 July 1983, NLA Oral History, TRC 1454.

  Author’s interview with C.R. ‘Kim’ Jones, 2 June 2017.

  David Fairbairn interviewed by Robert Linford, 4 June 1985–27 June 1985, NLA Oral History, TRC 4900/72.

  Howson, 1984, p. 701.

  ibid.

  Bert Kelly diary, 9 March 1971, NLA MS7424.

  Howson, 1984, pp. 701–02.

  Brown, 1993, p. 59.

  John Gorton interviewed by Clyde Cameron, NLA Oral History, TRC 1702.

  Howson, 1984, pp. 701–02.

  Ian Wood interviewed by Ron Hurst, NLA Oral History, TRC 4900/84.

  Killen, 1985, p. 173.

  Bert Kelly diary, 10 March 1971, NLA MS7424.

  Chipp and Larkin, 1978, pp. 98–99.

  Author’s interview with Tom Hughes, 16 August 2016.

  ibid.

  Chipp and Larkin, 1978, p. 99.

  Howson, 1984, p. 703.

  Bert Kelly diary, 10 March 1971, NLA MS7424.

  Brown, 1993, p. 60.

  Snedden and Schedvin, 1990, p. 92.

  John Gorton interviewed by Clyde Cameron, NLA Oral History, TRC 1702, vol. 2, p. 50; John Gorton interviewed by Mel Pratt, NLA Oral History, TRC 121/78.

  Author’s interview with Tom Hughes, 16 August 2016.

  Howson, 1984, p. 703.

  Author’s interview with Tom Hughes, 16 August 2016.

  Bert Kelly diary, 10 March 1971, NLA MS7424.

  Author’s correspondence with Tony Eggleton, 26 November 2016.

  Reid, 1971, p. 443.

  ‘New Prime Minister: press, radio and TV conference given by the leader of the Liberal party, Mr William McMahon’, 10 March 1971, APMC Transcripts.

  Clem Lloyd interviewed by Mel Pratt, 8 September 1975–14 July 1976, NLA Oral History, TRC 121/64.

  Freudenberg, 1987, p. 188.

  Paul Hasluck interviewed by Clyde Cameron, NLA Oral History, TRC 1966, p. 216.

  Author’s interview with C.R. ‘Kim’ Jones, 10 June 2017.

  Chapter 34: Activity and Responsibility

  See Griffen-Foley, 2001, pp. 499–513.

  Beazley, CPD HoR, vol. 71, 15 March 1971, pp. 839–43.

  Whitlam, CPD HoR, vol. 73, 17 August 1971, pp. 16–21.

  Beazley, CPD HoR, vol. 71, 15 March 1971, pp. 839–43.

  Mr Y, 1971, pp. 2–7. Historian Stephen Holt revealed Peter Samuel was Mr Y in 2010. Samuel had confessed to it in an interview with the National Library of Australia: ‘That article of mine is 90 per cent correct but there was another 10 per cent that was somewhat mischievous,’ Samuel said, ‘done out of a sense of fun as much as anything.’ See Peter Samuel interviewed by Mel Pratt, NLA Oral History, TRC 121/47, p. 73. Today, Samuel is uncertain whether he wrote it. ‘I do recall it appearing. I’m not definitely denying I wrote it. I just don’t remember.’ Author’s correspondence with Peter Samuel, 25 April 2017.

  Mr Y, 1971, pp. 2–7.

  Reid, 1971, p. 417.

  St John, 1971, pp. 115–25.

  Edwards, 1977, p. 66.

  Hancock, 2002, p. 332.

  Martin Reith, n.d., ‘Visit to Sydney and Queensland, 21/22 May 1970’, FCO 24/677, British National Archives, Kew, London.

  McMahon, ‘It’s alright, Boss’, The Liberals, 1994, TV programme.

  Oakes, 2008, p. 259.

  Ramsey, 2009, p. 38.

  Lenox Hewitt, ‘It’s alright, Boss’, The Liberals, 1994, TV program; author’s interview with Sir Lenox Hewitt, 2 February 2018.

  Reid, 1971, p. 444.

  Southey, ‘It’s alright, Boss’, The Liberals, 1994, TV programme.

  Howson, 1984, p. 712.

  Killen, 1985, p. 166.

  ibid., p. 173.

  For hints of Fraser’s suspicion, see Ayres, 1987, pp. 179–80 and Fraser and Simons, 2009, p. 212. His interview with Clyde Cameron was the most detailed articulation of his suspicions.

  Malcolm Fraser interviewed by Clyde Cameron, NLA Oral History, TRC 2162, p. 350.

  Chapter 35: The Crumbling Pillars (I)

  Author’s interview with Tony Eggleton, 26 November 2016.

  Author’s interview with Sir Lenox Hewitt, 2 February 2018.

  Howard, 2014, p. 516.

  Author’s correspondence with Tony Eggleton, 26 November 2016.

  Bunting to Garner, 26 June 1971, NAA: M321, 11.

  Author’s interview with Sir Lenox Hewitt, 2 February 2018.

  See McMahon’s comments in Hughes, 1976, ed. Wilson (audio).

  Author’s interview with Sir Peter Lawler, 22 November 2016.

  Author’s interview with C.R. ‘Kim’ Jones, 10 June 2017.

  Author’s correspondence with Tony Eggleton, 26 November 2016.

  McMahon hired MacDonald on 16 March for a three-month trial appointment. See Bunting, note for file, 30 March 1971, NAA: M319, 26.

  ‘Fairbairn offer: Foreign Affairs’, SMH, 12 March 1971, p. 1; Howson, 1984, p. 704.

  ibid.

  Jim Oram, ‘I couldn’t sleep a wink’, DM, 11 March 1971, p. 4.

  ‘A time to look forward’, DT, 11 March 1971, p. 2.

  ‘A tough role for a tough pro’, DM, 11 March 1971, p. 2.

  Edgar Holt interviewed by Mel Pratt, NLA Oral History, TRC 121/93.

  ‘Leadership crisis did great harm — Anthony’, SMH, 11 March 1971, p. 3.

  Stan Hutchinson, ‘Rebuke for Qld party head’, SMH, 10 March 1971, p. 8.

  John O’Hara, ‘Askin’s “wait and see” on McMahon’, SMH, 1
2 March 1971, p. 12.

  Edwards, 1977, p. 68.

  ‘Gorton gives reason for casting vote’, SMH, 12 March 1971, p. 12.

  Edwards, 1977, p. 68; Howson, 1984, pp. 704–05.

  ibid., p. 705.

  Hasluck, ‘The resignation of Mr Gorton’, NAA: M1767, 3.

  In the press release announcing the department’s creation, McMahon stated that the new department was completely separate and independent of the Executive Council itself: ‘New administrative arrangements’, 12 March 1971, PM no. 29/1971, APMC Transcripts.

  McMahon remained of the view that Hasluck was unduly worried. See Bunting, note for file, 13 March 1971, NAA: M319, 26.

  ibid. Kim Jones recalled later being asked by McMahon to retrieve the announcement going out: Author’s interview with C.R. ‘Kim’ Jones, 10 June 2017.

  ibid.

  Howson, 1984, p. 706.

  Whitlam, CPD HoR, vol. 71, 15 March 1971, pp. 827–33.

  McMahon, ibid., pp. 833–39.

  Cabinet meeting, 15 March 1971, ‘Sir John Bunting’, NAA: A11099, 1/117.

  Howson, 1984, p. 706.

  Clem Lloyd interviewed by Mel Pratt, 8 September 1975–14 July 1976, NLA Oral History, TRC 121/64.

  Bert Kelly diary, 16 March 1971, NLA MS7424.

  Ramsey, 2009, p. 265. Rankin subsequently claimed that McMahon had approached her about a foreign posting while serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs, and that she was ‘thrilled, absolutely thrilled’ by the renewed offer in 1971. See Annabelle Rankin interviewed by Pat Shaw, NLA Oral History, TRC 4900/15.

  Killen, 1985, pp. 174–76.

  Author’s interview with Tom Hughes, 16 August 2016.

  McMahon’s creation of assistant ministers was criticised on grounds that it represented an accrual of power to the executive. See, for example, Magnus Cormack, CPD Sen, vol. 48, 12 May 1971, pp. 1751–55; David Solomon and Peter Sekuless, ‘The Week’, CT, 15 May 1971, p. 2; ‘PM forced to allow debate on appointments’, CT, 21 August 1971, p. 11.

  Author’s interview with Tom Hughes, 16 August 2016. See also Hancock, 2016, pp. 188–89.

  Snedden and Schedvin, 1990, p. 113.

  ‘The resignation of Mr Gorton’, NAA: M1767, 3.