lj,, AUSTRALIA
PRIME MINISTER Pre-Statement No. 448
12 February 1975
SENATE VACANCY
The Prime Minister, Mr Whitlam, today released
the texts of two documents relating to the
question of the Senate vacancy.
CANBERRA. A. C. T.
Telex Sent to Sir Charles Court,
Premier Parliament House
Perth, W. A.
IN JANUARY 1952 SIR ROSS MCLARTY WROTE TO ALL PREMIERS ON
THE OCCURRENCE OF THE FIRST CASUAL VACANCY IN THE SENATE
AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
SYSTEM OF ELECTION. IN THIS LETTER HE PROPOSED THE ADOPTION
OF A CONVENTION FOR THE EXERCISE BY STATE PARLIAMENTS OF
THEIR POWERS UNDER SECTION 15 OF THE AUSTRALIAN CONSTITUTION.
THE PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA HAS INDICATED THE AGREEMENT
OF SIR THOMAS PLAYFORD WITH THE PROPOSAL OF SIR ROSS MCLARTY
TO ESTABLISH THE CONVENTION WHICH HAS BEEN ADHERED TO SINCE
THAT TIME. I BELIEVE ONLY THE FILES HELD BY YOUR DEPARTMENT
WOULD CONTAIN THE COMPLETE CORRESPONDENCE FROM ALL STATE PREMIERS.
IN ORDER TO CLARIFY THE STATUS OF THIS CONVENTION, I ASK YOU TO
PUBLICLY RELEASE THIS CORRESPONDENCE. E. G. WHITLAM
February 12, 1975