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The Editor
The Canberra Times
Sir,
Your editorial (4 July) softening
up for a gubernatorial coup feeds speculation about the present Governor-General
of Australia. Suspicions arise partly because of his past, partly because of
the unusual nature of his appointment, and partly because that appointment has
in no way lessened his longstanding special interest in political and
international events.
Sir
John Kerr’s political career started with his membership and eventual
leadership of the Civil Affairs Unit, Directorate of Research and Civil
Affairs, during the first Pacific war. In the early 1950s, he worked as counsel
for Industrial Group officials in the trade union movement. His role in
developing a ‘secure’ legal system for Papua-New Guinea is well documented.
His
appointment was puzzling. For the first time since 1920, Australia has a Governor-General
who is neither a has-been nor a remittance man. Why should a man in the
fullness of his powers accept such a titular position when he could serve his
class in so many other ways?
Finally,
the vice-regal notices in your columns replay scrutiny. For example, on 20
September 1974, Sir John Kerr entertained Gordon Jockell, Director of the Joint
Intelligence Organisation, W.B. Pritchett, Research Fellow in the Strategic
Studies Centre at the Australian National University; and Professor Beddie,
from the Political Science Department, Duntroon.
Any
judicial inquiry into recent political events will be incomplete if it assumes
that the career prospects of intelligence agents are in any way limited.
Humphrey McQueen
Griffith
17 July 1975
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