It’s been 50 years since then-Governor-General John Kerr invoked constitutional authority to remove a sitting prime minister from office.

While such an event feels like a relic of the past, there’s a slim possibility it could recur in today’s political landscape.

Professor John Juriansz, director of the Whitlam Institute, explained to nine.com.au that “The dismissal revitalized the ancient and often overlooked reserve powers of the Crown, which many thought were obsolete but remain embedded in the Constitution.”

“The fundamental structure of our government has not changed since those tumultuous days,” he added.

The governor-general’s ability to dismiss a prime minister who no longer holds the confidence of the House of Representatives stems from the authority of the monarchy, as demonstrated by the Queen’s role in 1975.

Juriansz said this week’s milestone brings the dismissal back under the political microscope and challenges the image of modern Australian democracy.

He explained that although a repeat of November 11, 1975, is unlikely, the significant scope of a governor-general’s reserve powers remains the same.

“No Constitutional amendment has arisen in the intervening years to restrict or remove these reserve powers – nor reform to enliven new powers to proclaim our national independence,” Juriansz added.

“This anniversary compels us to revisit not only the constitutional questions but also the social and political forces that shaped Australia in 1975.

“As Australians grapple with renewed questions about trust in government, constitutional accountability and media freedom, the 50th anniversary of the dismissal offers a timely opportunity to reflect on the events that tested the nation’s democratic institutions”

Historian and Palace Letters author Jenny Hocking also believes the anniversary should reignite an important debate around the quiet power of the Crown.

Hocking agrees that, though historically unique, the very same political events could unfold during Anthony Albanese’s term.

“It could happen again if the same circumstances arose,” Hocking explained.

“What I see is the need for a conversation, a national conversation, about how we might establish Australia as a fully independent nation, separate from what Gough Whitlam called the relics of colonialism that still exist in these sort of unexpected ways.”

However, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – who announced the government will commission a new statue of Whitlam to mark 50 years since the dismissal – does not appear to agree the dismissal was a symptom of a greater constitutional issue.

He gave a scathing appraisal of former governor-general Kerr in a speech on the day of the anniversary.

“Make no mistake: November 11th, 1975, was not a ‘constitutional crisis’ – it was a partisan political ambush,” Albanese said.

“There was no real precedent – and no legitimate pretext.”