CIA control of Australia?

www.whitlam.org/.../1972/1972_12_01_Anzac.html

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In 1975, Sir John Kerr, Governor-General of Australia, dismissed the Labor government of Gough Whitlam.

Kerr had been a member of the executive board of the CIA front organisation, the Australian Association for Cultural Freedom.

Reportedly the CIA wanted Whitlam removed from office because:

1. he wanted to close Pine Gap, the United States military base in Australia, used as a satellite tracking station and CIA base.

2. he withdrew Australian troops from Vietnam and opposed the US bombing of Vietnam

3. he made diplomatic overtures to China, as President Nixon had previously done.

4. he did not want the Australian secret services to continue working with the CIA in Chile; he opposed the idea of Australian spies helping in the overthrow of Allende in Chile.

5. he did not support Australian intelligence efforts to aid Indonesia's invasion of East Timor.

6. he believed that the CIA was using dirty tricks within Australia, to undermine the government.

Reportedly, the Nugan Hand Bank (linked to the CIA) was used by the CIA to topple Whitlam.

"The bank helped finance a clever variety of bugging and forgery operations.

"Nugan Hand transferred $24 million to the Australian Liberal Party through one of its many associated companies.

"It tried to blackmail a cabinet minister investigating organized crime by opening up a Swiss bank account in his name and threatening to leak the information.

"Twice during 1975 the Whitlam government was damaged through sensational scandals broken open by mysterious leaks to the press, forcing resignations of Cabinet ministers...

"One of the scandals, involving negotiations for an Arab loan, was based on documents later exposed as forgeries. This 'loan affair' was seized upon by the opposition Liberal Party as the excuse to have the elected Senate hold up passage of the government's budget in order to provoke an election through financial crises. Prime Minister Whitlam charged in a public statement that the CIA was interfering with the domestic politics of his country." PMag v04n5p15 -- The Secret Team, Part VI: Who Did in the Prime ...

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