Malcolm Fraser

John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC (21 May 1930 – 20 March 2015) was an Australian politician. He served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia from 11 November 1975 through 11 November 1983. He was also leader of the Liberal Party from 1975 to 1983.

Before being prime minister, Fraser was a member of the Australian Parliament from 1955 through 1983. He served as Minister of Defence from 1966 to 1968 and again from 1969 to 1971 and Minister for Education and Science from 1968 to 1969 and again from 1971 to 1972.

Early life
Fraser was born in Toorak, Victoria. He studied at Magdalen College, Oxford. He married Tamie Beggs in 1956.

Prime Minister (1975-1983)
As leader of the Liberal Party, he became Prime Minister in November, 1975 when Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, dismissed Gough Whitlam. At this point he was only temporary Prime Minister. He won the election held in December, 1975. He won two more elections in 1977 and 1980 before losing to Bob Hawke in 1983. Fraser married Tamara (Tamie) Beggs in 1956 and the couple have remained married ever since.

His government stopped some of the changes made by the Whitlam government. They also reduced government spending to stop money becoming less valuable. He also supported efforts to abolish racism in South Africa, the boycott of the Moscow Olympics and more immigration from Asian countries.

He has criticised the prime ministership of John Howard who had been his Treasurer from 1977 to 1983.

Death
On 20 March 2015, his office announced that Fraser had died in the early hours of the morning, noting that he had suffered a brief illness in Melbourne, Victoria, aged 84.

More reading
 Ayres, Philip (1987), Malcolm Fraser, a Biography, Heinemann, Richmond, Victoria. 
 Kelly, Paul (2000), Malcolm Fraser, in Michelle Grattan (ed.), Australian Prime Ministers, New Holland, Sydney, New South Wales. 
 Kerr, John (1978), Matters for Judgment. An Autobiography, Macmillan, South Melbourne, Victoria.  
 Lopez, Mark (2000),The Origins of Multiculturalism in Australian Politics 1945–1975, Melbourne University Press, Carlton South, Victoria. 

References

Other websites

Malcolm Fraser – Australia's Prime Ministers / National Archives of Australia
Australian Biography– Malcolm Fraser  An extensive 1994 interview with Fraser

The Malcolm Fraser Collection at the University of Melbourne Archives
  Malcolm Fraser at the National Film and Sound Archive 

Category:Calvinists
Category:Companions of Honour
Category:Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun
Category:Government ministers of Australia
Category:Leaders of the Opposition (Australia)
Category:Liberal Party of Australia politicians
Category:Politicians from Melbourne
Category:Prime ministers of Australia
Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Category:Republicans
Category:1930 births
Category:2015 deaths
Category:Companions of the Order of Australia