$1m spent to prevent palace letters release

The federal government spent more than $1m trying to stop the release of the palace letters.

The Queen with Sir John Kerr in 1977. Picture: Getty Images

The federal government spent more than $1m trying to stop the release of the palace letters.

National Archives of Australia director-general David Fricker revealed the costs in a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday.

The correspondence between Buckingham Palace and former governor-general John Kerr over the dismissal of Gough Whitlam was released in July after a High Court victory for historian Jenny Hocking, who had spent a decade pushing for the letters to be made public.

“As at the 30th of June, 2020, we have totalled up all of the legal fees and costs that we have incurred for the Hocking case, and it totals a bit over $1m. $1,036,707.15 to be precise,” Mr Fricker said in response to questioning from South Australian senator Rex Patrick.

Mr Fricker also conceded there would be further costs to the taxpayer to cover the legal expenses of Professor Hocking.

Senator Patrick said Professor Hocking found out the letters would be released via the media — despite the agency saying it sent an email notification to her before making a public statement.

“I put it to you that that is completely disrespectful of Professor Hocking,” he said.

“She fought for 10 years almost to get access to these documents and then you effectively go to the media.

“You held a media event, a big splash, to say here are these letters which you personally denied her access to. It is like the thief … conducting a press conference to say the stolen goods have been returned.”