Editing Malcolm Fraser (section)

===Role in the Dismissal===
{{main|1975 Australian constitutional crisis}}
Following a series of ministerial scandals engulfing the [[Gough Whitlam|Whitlam government]] later that year, Fraser began to instruct Coalition senators to delay the government's budget bills, with the objective of forcing an early election that he believed he would win. After several months of political deadlock, during which time the government secretly explored methods of obtaining supply funding outside the Parliament, the [[Governor-General of Australia|Governor-General]], [[John Kerr (Governor-General)|Sir John Kerr]], controversially dismissed Whitlam as prime minister on 11 November 1975.<ref>In ''Matters for Judgment'', Sir John Kerr recounted having to reject (on the ground that it was unsigned) government advice to that end proffered by the attorney-general, [[Kep Enderby]].</ref>

Fraser was immediately sworn in as [[Acting (law)|caretaker]] prime minister on the condition that he end the political deadlock and call an immediate [[double dissolution]] election.

On 19 November 1975, shortly after the election had been called, a letter bomb was sent to Fraser, but it was intercepted and defused before it reached him. Similar devices were sent to the governor-general and the [[Premier of Queensland]], [[Joh Bjelke-Petersen]].<ref>{{cite news |last=O'Malley |first=Brendan |date=8 October 2009 |title=Letter bomb spells an explosive end to innocence |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/features/letter-bomb-spells-an-explosive-end-to-innocence/story-e6freoro-1225784782981 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130627215843/http://www.couriermail.com.au/archive/news/letter-bomb-spells-an-explosive-end-to-innocence/story-e6freoro-1225784782981 |archive-date=27 June 2013 |access-date=22 April 2013 |work=[[The Courier-Mail]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1975-11-20 |title=Letter bombs: two injured |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102186625 |access-date=2025-03-14 |work=[[The Canberra Times]]}}</ref>