Matters for Judgment: An Autobiography

This book gives an account of certain happenings in Australia between 1974 and 1978, of decisions of mine taken then as Governor-General and of the reasons for them. Although partly autobiographical in character it is not an intimate personal narrative but teIls so much of my story as bears upon my Governor-Generalship, and something ofthe man who occupied the vice-regal office at a time of great constitutional and political significance in Australian history. My book is, in part, a defence which I am entitled to make

now, in bare justice to mys elf, against an extreme and bitter attack upon me and my actions. More importantly, the book should be published now because in the public interest the facts of my role in the happenings of 1975 should be known-in the interests of truth and of maintaining freedom of discussion and the development of knowledge on matters of great public importance. In relation to these matters there is a gap due to the silence I have maintained until now. That gap is being filled by gossip, rumour, error, bogus history, falsehood and invention. The longer the delay the greater the difficulty in displacing and correcting all of this. Two elections have been held since November 1975 and the time has come to allow the public interest in knowledge of constitutional matters of vital significance to prevail. Apart from all other considerations, constitutional amendments are under discussion and the public is entitled in our democracy to be fully informed about the happenings of 1975 so that the peopie can properly play their role under the Constitution by determining whether any amendment is needed because of those happenings.