FRASER, MALCOLM
Fraser, Malcolm (1930– ) prime minister of Australia John Malcolm Fraser was born in Melbourne, Australia, on May 31, 1930, the son of a wealthy grazier (sheep rancher). He was educated locally before attending Oxford University in England, from which he received a master’s degree in 1952. Two years later he was prompted by friends to run for a seat in the House of Representatives as part of the Liberal (actually conservative) Party. Defeated, he tenaciously sought out the seat in 1955 and won, becoming the government’s youngest representative. Before long Fraser acquired a reputation as an able politician, though one beset by a snarling, uncompromising disposition. He continued climbing through the party ranks by holding a variety of portfolios throughout the 1960s, including army, defense, and education and science. In all these capacities Fraser handled himself well and ferociously silenced criticism with well-aimed invective of his own. As army minister he incurred a degree of national controversy by strongly supporting Australian involvement in the American-led Vietnam War. Furthermore, his decision to resign from the government of Prime Minister JOHN GORTON caused the downfall of that leader and his replacement by William McMahon. But Fraser’s dogged, outspoken nature convinced many in the Liberal Party that he could lead them to victory, so in March 1975 he replaced Bill Snedden as party head. Fraser then orchestrated a carefully scripted political coup that landed him in the prime minister’s office. Because the Liberals controlled the upper house or Senate, Fraser could block Labor prime minister GOUGH WHITLAM from passing budgetary legislation. This precipitated an immediate constitutional crisis. But rather than allow the impasse to continue, Governor General Sir John Kerr dismissed Whitlam as prime minister. He then appointed Fraser to lead an interim government while new elections were pending. Fraser obliged, and to everybody’s surprise the Liberals swept the election and gave the new government a mandate. It was an unorthodox manner of achieving high office, but it confirmed Fraser’s leadership credentials as a fearless risk taker. Fraser assumed power in the middle of the biggest economic recession in recent Australian history, compounded by high inflation and unemployment. Previously he had campaigned against Labor for enacting big-spending social programs that were at the root of
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the problem, and was determined to roll them back. Accordingly Fraser, a disciple of neoliberal economics, embarked on a major program of fiscal retrenchment. Numerous government programs were either scaled back or eliminated outright, to reduce the national debt and ease inflation. He then stimulated the private sector through tax cuts, while eliminating governmental departments, imposing staff ceilings, and reducing public service tenure. He was bitterly assailed by Labor for imposing undue hardships on Australia’s working class but acidly countered that “life was not meant to be easy.” Fraser’s hard-bitten tactics went over well with the Australian public, for in 1977 and 1980 they returned the Liberals to power. Fraser’s success at reducing the size of government inspired British prime minister MARGARET THATCHER to attempt the same. He also railed against the activities of the Soviet Union in the Indian Ocean and boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In light of his sterling conservative philosophy, he also emerged as a favored ally of American president RONALD REAGAN, and was invited several times to the White House. The Liberals finally ran out of steam in 1983 when their muchvaunted reforms only marginally improved the economic climate. Fraser called early elections that March, and Labor came roaring back to power under ROBERT HAWKE. Fraser lost control of the Liberals to Andrew Peacock, so he withdrew from politics altogether. Nonetheless his eight years in office mark him as the most successful Liberal politician since ROBERT GORDON MENZIES. Back in private life, the gruff-speaking Fraser continued on as a presence in national politics. In 1985 Hawke nominated him to represent Australia during Commonwealth talks on South African apartheid. Fraser outspokenly inveighed against the Australian practice of removing Aboriginal children from their families, which he considered genocidal. Finally, in July 2000, he defiantly came out against Australian participation in the proposed American missile defense program. “The needs and desires of the United States do not necessarily conform with what is necessary for the security and integrity of Australia,” Fraser insisted. Further Reading Ayers, Philip. Malcolm Fraser: A Biography. Richmond, Victoria: W. Heinemann, 1987.