▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁his ▁finding ▁out ▁about ▁Hugh es ' ▁illegal ▁contributions ▁to ▁the ▁N ixon ▁campaign ▁was ▁too ▁much ▁of ▁a ▁danger ▁for ▁N ixon ▁to ▁ignore . ▁ ▁James ▁F . ▁Ne al , ▁who ▁pro sec uted ▁the ▁Water gate ▁ 7 , ▁did ▁not ▁believe ▁N ixon ▁had ▁ordered ▁the ▁break - in ▁because ▁of ▁N ixon ' s ▁surprised ▁reaction ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁told ▁about ▁it . ▁ ▁Re actions ▁ ▁Australia ▁Australian ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁G ough ▁Whit lam ▁referred ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁presiden cy ' s ▁" par l ous ▁position " ▁without ▁the ▁direct ▁word ing ▁of ▁the ▁Water gate ▁sc andal ▁during ▁Question ▁Time ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁The ▁following ▁day ▁respond ing ▁to ▁a ▁question ▁upon ▁" the ▁vital ▁importance ▁of ▁future ▁United ▁States - Austral ia ▁relations ," ▁Whit lam ▁par ried ▁that ▁the ▁usage ▁of ▁the ▁word ▁' W ater gate ' ▁was ▁not ▁his . ▁United ▁States - Austral ia ▁relations ▁have ▁been ▁considered ▁to ▁have ▁figured ▁as ▁influ ential ▁when , ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁Australia ▁experienced ▁its ▁own ▁constitution al ▁crisis ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁dismiss al ▁of ▁the ▁Whit lam ▁Government ▁by ▁Sir ▁John ▁K err , ▁the ▁Australian ▁Governor - General . ▁Max ▁Su ich ▁has ▁suggested ▁that ▁the ▁US ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁ending ▁the ▁Whit lam ▁government . ▁ ▁China ▁Chinese ▁then - P rem ier ▁Z hou ▁En la i ▁said ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 7