The role of the crown in Hung parliaments

The article deals with the role of the Queen's representative when no one party or stable alliance has a majority in the lower house of parliament Two types of questions are likely to arise: one set of problems relates to the choice of government and the role of the ministry in office when an election produces a hung parliament; the second concerns the situations where a head of government who has suffered (or fears) defeat in the lower house requests a dissolution and new elections. The author examines precedents that have occurred since Evatt and Forsey wrote on the subject and proposes some guidelines for the exercise of the governor's reserve powers.