Gough Whitlam should have arrested the governor-general who sacked him, former prime minister Paul Keating says, as another past leader lifts the lid on the "ruthless" politics preceding the dismissal.

Months of parliamentary deadlock, which risked the government running out of money to pay public servants and run programs, culminated in Mr Whitlam's dismissal as prime minister on 11 November, 1975.

Mr Whitlam was summoned to the residence of governor-general Sir John Kerr, who told him he'd been sacked as prime minister and opposition leader Malcolm Fraser would be installed in the job instead.

Mr Keating said the saga was "destructive" and revealed he urged the prime minister to go directly to Queen Elizabeth II to have Sir John sacked.

"In the event that Kerr resisted, I said to Gou

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