The political landscape of Australia was dramatically altered in July 1975 when a series of phone calls revealed alleged attempts to undermine the government led by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. At the heart of this narrative is Winsome Nash, a Brisbane telephonist, who was drawn into a web of political intrigue during her afternoon shift at the central telephone exchange.
Nash, a mother of five, unknowingly became a critical witness to conversations that would suggest intervention from the United States in Australian politics. The backdrop of her experience was the fallout from the Loans Affair, which had already forced the sacking of Treasurer Jim Cairns on July 2 for misleading Parliament. The death of Queensland Labor senator Bert Milliner on June 30 added to the urgency of political maneuvers, as his replacement would significantly influence Labor’s control in the Senate.
While not a political activist, Nash had a keen awareness of the dynamics at play. The implications of Milliner’s death were profound, with the potential for the opposition to gain an advantage if a non-Labor senator filled the vacancy. The choice lay with Joh Bjelke-Petersen, the fiercely anti-Labor Queensland Premier, who had little regard for Whitlam, having previously referred to him in derogatory terms.
On the afternoon of July 3, 1975, Nash received a call from Marshall Green, the American ambassador to Australia, intended for Bjelke-Petersen. Her familiarity with Green’s name piqued her interest, prompting her to monitor the conversation—a decision that would haunt her for years. Although operators were expected to cease monitoring after connecting calls, Nash felt secure in her actions, given her rapport with her shift supervisor.
The content of the call was startling. According to her children, Barry and Helen Nash, their mother returned home visibly shaken. “Mum recounted the details of the telephone call she had put through from Marshall Green to Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Green wanted to ensure that Bjelke-Petersen understood the importance of selecting a ‘favourable’ replacement for the Senate vacancy,” Barry recalled. Green urged Bjelke-Petersen to be judicious, hinting at a desired candidate who would oppose Whitlam.
The family, steeped in Labor traditions, grappled with the implications of what Nash had overheard. Their father, Joe Nash, a union organizer, was concerned that the U.S. aimed to remove Whitlam from power due to his independent foreign policy stance and the potential non-renewal of the Pine Gap spy station lease. “We must warn Whitlam,” he insisted, recognizing the gravity of the situation.
Helen Nash described her mother’s fear of potential repercussions if the information ever became public: “Mum wanted to do the right thing, but if the Americans could trace it back to her eavesdropping on the call, then she’d go to prison.” The family decided to keep the information secret, aware that revealing it could endanger their lives and reputations.
In the following days, Winsome Nash reported overhearing additional phone calls from Green to Bjelke-Petersen, suggesting that Green was keen to ensure Bjelke-Petersen would continue his role in undermining the Whitlam government. Compounding the family’s fears was another call they believed involved Wiley Fancher, a right-wing American financier in Queensland, discussing the political climate in Australia.
Nash’s experiences coincided with significant political developments. On September 9, 1975, Bjelke-Petersen appointed Albert Field, a former Labor senator opposed to Whitlam’s agenda, to fill Milliner’s vacancy. This strategic move further weakened Labor’s hold on the Senate, contributing to the government’s eventual collapse.
By October 15, 1975, the Loans Affair culminated in a budget impasse, leading to the unprecedented dismissal of the Whitlam government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr on November 11. The fallout from these events was monumental, reshaping Australian politics and fueling speculation about U.S. involvement in Whitlam’s sacking.
The Nash family’s revelations have resurfaced as significant historical evidence of foreign interference in Australian politics. While Marshall Green denied any CIA involvement at the time, declassified documents indicate a longstanding concern within the U.S. regarding the Whitlam government’s policies. This context is underscored by historian Professor James Curran, who noted that U.S. officials anticipated the government’s downfall as early as 1974.
Recent discussions among historians and political analysts have reignited interest in this period, with retired academic Stephen Stockwell stating that the Nash family’s account adds compelling evidence of U.S. overreach in Australian democracy.
In the wake of the tumultuous events of 1975, Nash continued her career, retiring from Telecom in 1990, but she remained haunted by the weight of what she had overheard. Her story is a poignant reminder of the complex interplay between domestic politics and international interests, and the enduring legacy of a critical moment in Australian history.
