Malcolm Fraser RIP

IFocus · 21 March 2015

Given Malcolm was an Australian PM thought he at least deserved a thread

In power I didn't warm to him, he was at the time as I remember one of the most ruthless politicians I could ever remember even comparing him to Abbott / Rudd etc.

But I always thought the country was in a safe pair of hands and remember well his stopping of sand mining on Fraser island.

I also remember his treasurer at the time undermining him at every opportunity (Howard) and wonder if the lack of economic reform (later taken up by Keating) was due to a under performing Howard.

Listening to Fred Chaney on ABC radio talk about how Fraser over time didn't move his political views rather politics has lurched to the far right similar unfortunately to the US.

For some one raised from a wealthy privileged back ground with the accent to boot he certainly had what simply doesn't exist today in the Australian Liberal Party and only just in the Labor Party was a social conscience and moral compass.

BTW Chaney is no longer a member of the Liberal party today as well.

Malcolm Fraser, a leader who believed there is a moral compass in our nation’s life
Fred Chaney

The essence of Malcolm Fraser’s politics seemed to come from a fundamental belief in the dignity and worth of the individual. If he had a Team Australia, it was a team we were all entitled to be part of

It has often been said in more recent years that Malcolm changed after he left the prime ministership, that he moved to the left. It would be surprising if in the 40 years after he left parliament, none of his views had changed. He himself has recorded his shift in the area of foreign policy. But in that 40 years, as the whole political system shifted to the right, it would have been surprising if he had been in sympathy with many of the new policies of both sides of politics.

My wife Angela, who I enrolled in the University Liberal Club on her first day at the University of Western Australia, has observed that the party I joined no longer exists. And of course you could say the same thing about the Labor party of that era and the Labor party today. But on the issues which led me to become a firm supporter of Malcolm he was extraordinarily consistent.

http://www.theguardian.com/commenti...-there-is-a-moral-compass-in-our-nations-life

basilio · 21 March 2015

Very sad to hear of Malcolms death.

Certainly for the last 25 years he has offered a principled and humane approach to political issues that has often been absent from both major political parties. He went way too soon.

It was interesting to hear that he was planning to establish a new political party this year based on ending the Australian American alliance and instead developing an independent foreign policy platform.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/fed...l-party-before-his-death-20150320-1m46kd.html

Mr Fraser, who died aged 84, would not have led the party but would have driven its policy agenda. Fairfax Media understands Mr Fraser had developed a written draft policy platform for the party that included:

ending Australia's close military alliance with the United States

a closer relationship with South-East Asian nations

ending the offshore processing of asylum seekers

stronger anti-corruption and transparency laws

tighter regulation of the sale of arable land

Mr Fraser discussed the party with confidants late last year.

In his last book, Dangerous Allies, published last year, Mr Fraser argued that Australia should become a "strategically independent country" and that the ANZUS Treaty with the United States was possibly the biggest threat to Australia's security.

Logique · 21 March 2015

I remember The Dismissal in 1975.

If the Left could have gotten their hands on him, they'd have torn Malcolm limb from limb.

SirRumpole · 21 March 2015

Logique said:
I remember The Dismissal in 1975.

If the Left could have gotten their hands on him, they'd have torn Malcolm limb from limb.

I don't think so, the anger was turned against John Kerr instead.

Everyone expected that the Libs would take the political opportunity when they could, just as Labor would, but Kerr being a Whitlam appointee was regarded as "of the Left", and his perceived treachery was a heinous crime in the eyes of Labor supporters.

IFocus · 21 March 2015

I liked Keatings quote

Former prime minister Paul Keating said it was a great loss.

"I always thought Malcolm would be around a lot longer. I must say, I wished he had been," he said.

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-...e-to-malcolm-fraser.html#sthash.vCP5SSEC.dpuf

basilio · 21 March 2015

Logique said:
I remember The Dismissal in 1975.

If the Left could have gotten their hands on him, they'd have torn Malcolm limb from limb.

And ironically its "The Left" that would give Malcolm most kudos for his approach to asylum seekers, the American alliance and good governance.

Logique · 21 March 2015

SirRumpole said:
I don't think so, the anger was turned against John Kerr instead...

I suppose that's why a letter bomb was sent to Fraser before the election in 1975. Or why Whitlam himself, to the applause of the Left, called Fraser 'Kerr's Cur'.

SirRumpole · 21 March 2015

Logique said:
I suppose that's why a letter bomb was sent to Fraser before the election in 1975. Or why Whitlam himself, to the applause of the Left, called Fraser 'Kerr's Cur'.

Or why Whitlam and Fraser eventually became good friends ?

sptrawler · 23 March 2015

From a 'blue collar' worker's perspective, I have little to add other than "life wasn't meant to be easy", that just about sums him up.IMO

Logique · 23 March 2015

SirRumpole said:
Or why Whitlam and Fraser eventually became good friends ?

Whitlam and Fraser, two great Australians, protagonists in a former life, but friends at the end. Men of conviction and principle.

Now departed within 5 months of each other, a final twist of history.

Tisme · 24 March 2015

sptrawler said:
From a 'blue collar' worker's perspective, I have little to add other than "life wasn't meant to be easy", that just about sums him up.IMO

Back in the day, he could have had a role in a Skippy episode with the squattocracy received accent he like to parade. He epitomised the trenchant view of the working class that the Liberals thought themselves born to rule and backed that up by ousting an elected govt; .....beginning of the end for the true Liberal Party, to be replaced by imposters who have an insoluble hate for organised labour and anything that is not part of their hubristic tribe and core beliefs (whatever they are?).

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