Editing Malcolm Fraser (section)

==Prime Minister (1975–1983)==
{{Main|Fraser government}}

=== 1975 and 1977 federal elections ===
[[File:Fraser Malcolm BANNER.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Fraser in 1975]]
At the [[1975 Australian federal election|1975 election]], Fraser led the [[Coalition (Australia)|Liberal-Country Party Coalition]] to a landslide victory. The Coalition won 91 seats of a possible 127 in the election to gain a 55-seat majority,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-20/malcolm-frasers-political-career/6336174 |title=Timeline: Malcolm Fraser's political career |website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=20 March 2015 |access-date=21 March 2019 |archive-date=21 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321172806/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-20/malcolm-frasers-political-career/6336174 |url-status=live }}</ref> which remains to date the largest in Australian history. Fraser subsequently led the Coalition to a second victory in [[1977 Australian federal election|1977]], with only a very small decrease in their vote. The Liberals actually won a majority in their own right in both of these elections, something that Menzies and Holt had never achieved. Although Fraser thus had no need for the support of the (National) Country Party to govern, he retained the formal Coalition between the two parties. This is likely because the Liberals needed the Country Party's support to pass bills in the Senate, since they came up just short of majorities in their own right in both 1975 and 1977.

=== Fiscal policy ===
[[File:Fraser - Ford - Peck.jpg|thumb|right|Fraser at a [[White House]] state dinner in 1976, being introduced to actor [[Gregory Peck]] by President [[Gerald Ford]]. Actress [[Shirley Temple]] can also be seen behind Ford.]]
Fraser quickly dismantled some of the programs of the Whitlam government, such as the Ministry of the Media, and made major changes to the universal health insurance system [[Medibank]]. He initially maintained Whitlam's levels of tax and spending, but real per-person tax and spending soon began to increase. He did manage to rein in inflation, which had soared after the [[1973 oil crisis]], when [[OPEC]] nations refused to sell oil to nations that supported Israel in the [[Yom Kippur War]]. His so-called "Razor Gang" implemented stringent budget cuts across many areas of the Commonwealth Public Sector, including the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] (ABC).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1820146.htm |title=The 7:30 Report |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=25 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511192303/http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1820146.htm|archive-date=11 May 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Fraser practised [[Keynesian]] economics during his time as prime minister,<ref name="guides.naa.gov.au">{{cite web |url=http://guides.naa.gov.au/malcolm-fraser/chapter1/1.6.aspx |title=Prime Minister – Malcolm Fraser: Guide to Archives of Australia's Prime Ministers – National Archives of Australia |publisher=guides.naa.gov.au |access-date=14 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324022530/http://guides.naa.gov.au/malcolm-fraser/chapter1/1.6.aspx |archive-date=24 March 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> in part demonstrated by running budget deficits throughout his term as prime minister.<ref name="news">{{cite web |url=http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2014/05/09/1226912/404693-327c265a-d683-11e3-8f0f-96eb1c5166a3.jpg |title=Federal government deficit and debt since federation: The Australian 10 May 2014 |publisher=resources1.news.com.au |access-date=14 June 2015 |archive-date=3 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203134430/http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2014/05/09/1226912/404693-327c265a-d683-11e3-8f0f-96eb1c5166a3.jpg |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was the Liberal Party's last Keynesian Prime Minister. Though he had long been identified with the Liberal Party's right wing, he did not carry out the radically conservative program that his political enemies had predicted, and that some of his followers wanted. Fraser's relatively moderate policies particularly disappointed the [[Treasurer of Australia|Treasurer]], [[John Howard]], as well as other ministers who were strong adherents of [[fiscal conservatism]] and [[economic liberalism]],<ref name="guides.naa.gov.au" /> and therefore detractors of Keynesian economics. The government's economic record was marred by rising double-digit unemployment and double-digit inflation, creating "[[stagflation]]", caused in part by the ongoing effects of the [[1973 oil crisis]].

=== Foreign policy ===
[[File:John Fraser Prime Minister of Australia and Jimmy Carter during a state visit arrival ceremony. - NARA - 175240.tif|left|upright|thumb|Fraser and US president [[Jimmy Carter]] in June 1977]]
Fraser was particularly active in foreign policy as prime minister. He supported the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] in campaigning to abolish [[South Africa under apartheid|apartheid]] in South Africa and refused permission for the aircraft carrying the [[South Africa National Rugby Union team|Springbok]] rugby team to refuel on Australian territory en route to their controversial [[1981 South Africa rugby union tour of New Zealand|1981 tour of New Zealand]].<ref name="SMH_cricket">{{cite web |title=When talk of racism is just not cricket |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=16 December 2005 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/when-talk-of-racism-is-just-not-cricket/2005/1215/1134500961607.html |access-date=19 August 2007 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> However, an earlier tour by the South African ski boat angling team was allowed to pass through Australia on the way to New Zealand in 1977 and the transit records were suppressed by Cabinet order.<ref name=Transit_suppressed>{{cite web |title=Australia let apartheid-era team pass through to NZ |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=2 January 2008 |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10484995}}</ref>

Fraser also strongly opposed white minority rule in [[Rhodesia]]. During the 1979 Commonwealth Conference, Fraser, together with his Nigerian counterpart, convinced the newly elected British prime minister, [[Margaret Thatcher]], to withhold recognition of the internal settlement [[Zimbabwe Rhodesia]] government; Thatcher had earlier promised to recognise it. Subsequently, the [[Lancaster House Agreement]] was signed and [[Robert Mugabe]] was elected leader of an independent [[Zimbabwe]] at the inaugural [[1980 Zimbabwean parliamentary election|1980 election]]. Duncan Campbell, a former deputy secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has stated that Fraser was "the principal architect" in the ending of white minority rule.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/you-got-him-in-so-help-kick-him-out/story-e6frg7ef-1111116070981 |title=You got him in, so help kick him out |last=Colebatch |first=Hal G. P. |author-link=Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch |work=[[The Australian]] |publisher=[[News Corp Australia]] |date=16 April 2008 |access-date=20 March 2015 |archive-date=31 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531184922/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/you-got-him-in-so-help-kick-him-out/story-e6frg7ef-1111116070981 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[President of Tanzania]], [[Julius Nyerere]], said that he considered Fraser's role "crucial in many parts" and the [[President of Zambia]], [[Kenneth Kaunda]], called his contribution "vital".<ref name=Colebatch>{{cite web |first=Hal G.P. |last=Colebatch |title=You got him in, so help kick him out |work=Australian |publisher=News |date=16 April 2008 |access-date=14 December 2012 |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23545662-7583,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418071306/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23545662-7583,00.html | archive-date=18 April 2009 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

Under Fraser, Australia recognised [[Indonesia]]'s [[Indonesian occupation of East Timor|annexation]] of [[East Timor]], although many East Timorese refugees were granted [[asylum in Australia]].

Fraser was also a strong supporter of the United States and supported the boycott of the [[1980 Summer Olympics]] in Moscow. However, although he persuaded some sporting bodies not to compete, Fraser did not try to prevent the [[Australian Olympic Committee]] sending a team to the Moscow Games.

=== Other policy ===

Fraser also surprised his critics over immigration policy; according to 1977 Cabinet documents, the Fraser government adopted a formal policy for "a humanitarian commitment to admit refugees for resettlement".<ref name="Australian_Snub">{{cite web |first=Mike |last=Steketee |title=Howard in war refugee snub: Fraser |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22993100-601,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102231837/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0%2C25197%2C22993100-601%2C00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 January 2008 |work=Australian |publisher=News |date=1 January 2008 |access-date=6 January 2008}}</ref> Fraser's aim was to expand immigration from Asian countries and allow more refugees to enter Australia. He was a firm supporter of [[multiculturalism]] and established a government-funded multilingual radio and television network, the [[Special Broadcasting Service]] (SBS), building on their first radio stations which had been established under the Whitlam government.<ref>[http://www20.sbs.com.au/sbscorporate/index.php?id=1201 A brief history of SBS], SBS web site {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507071917/http://www20.sbs.com.au/sbscorporate/index.php?id=1201 |date=7 May 2010 }}</ref>

Despite Fraser's support for SBS, his government imposed stringent budget cuts on the national broadcaster, the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]], which came under repeated attack from the Coalition for alleged "left-wing bias" and "unfair" coverage on their TV programs, including ''[[This Day Tonight]]'' and ''[[Four Corners (Australian TV program)|Four Corners]]'', and on the ABC's new youth-oriented radio station [[Triple J|Double Jay]]. One result of the cuts was a plan to establish a national youth radio network, of which Double Jay was the first station. The network was delayed for many years and did not come to fruition until the 1990s.

Fraser also legislated to give [[Indigenous Australians]] control of their traditional lands in the [[Northern Territory]], but resisted imposing land rights laws on conservative state governments.

=== 1980 federal election ===
[[File:President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan with Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and Tamara Fraser.jpg|right|thumb|The Frasers with [[Ronald Reagan|Ronald]] and [[Nancy Reagan]] at the [[White House]] in 1982]]
At the [[1980 Australian federal election|1980 election]], Fraser saw his majority more than halved, from 48 seats to 21. The Coalition also lost control of the Senate. Despite this, Fraser remained ahead of Labor leader [[Bill Hayden]] in opinion polls. However, the economy was hit by the [[early 1980s recession]], and a protracted scandal over tax-avoidance schemes run by some high-profile Liberals also began to hurt the government.

=== Disputes within the Liberal Party ===

In April 1981, the [[Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations|Minister for Industrial Relations]], [[Andrew Peacock]], resigned from the Cabinet, accusing Fraser of "constant interference in his portfolio". Fraser, however, had accused former prime minister [[John Gorton]] of the same thing a decade earlier. Peacock subsequently challenged Fraser for the leadership; although Fraser defeated Peacock, these events left him politically weakened.

=== Labor Party and 1983 federal election ===
[[File:MalcolmFraser1982.JPEG|left|upright|thumb|Fraser in 1982, towards the end of his tenure in office]]
By early 1982, the popular former [[Australian Council of Trade Unions|ACTU President]], [[Bob Hawke]], who had entered Parliament in 1980, was polling well ahead of both Fraser and the Labor Leader, [[Bill Hayden]], on the question of who voters would rather see as prime minister. Fraser was well aware of the infighting this caused between Hayden and Hawke and had planned to call a snap election in autumn 1982, preventing the Labor Party changing leaders. These plans were derailed when Fraser suffered a severe back injury. Shortly after recovering from his injury, the Liberal Party narrowly won a [[1982 Flinders by-election|by-election]] in the marginal seat of [[Division of Flinders|Flinders]] in December 1982. The failure of the Labor Party to win the seat convinced Fraser that he would be able to win an election against Hayden.

As leadership tensions began to grow in the Labor Party throughout January, Fraser subsequently resolved to call a [[double dissolution]] [[1983 Australian federal election|election]] at the earliest opportunity, hoping to capitalise on Labor's disunity. He knew that if the writs were issued soon enough, Labor would essentially be frozen into going into the subsequent election with Hayden as leader.

On 3 February 1983, Fraser arranged to visit the [[Governor-General of Australia]], [[Ninian Stephen|Sir Ninian Stephen]], intending to ask for a surprise election. However, Fraser made his run too late. Without any knowledge of Fraser's plans, Hayden resigned as Labor leader just two hours before Fraser travelled to [[Government House, Canberra|Government House]]. This meant that the considerably more popular Hawke was able to replace him at almost exactly the same time that the writs were issued for the election. Although Fraser reacted to the move by saying he looked forward to "knock[ing] two Labor Leaders off in one go" at the forthcoming election, Labor immediately surged in the opinion polls.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/50th-birthday-news/wrong-call-ushered-in-era-of-great-reform/story-fnmx97ei-1226947684807 |title=Wrong call ushered in era of great reform |last=Bramston |first=Troy |work=[[The Australian]] |publisher=[[News Corp Australia]] |date=9 June 2014 |access-date=20 March 2015 |archive-date=25 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625101708/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/50th-birthday-news/wrong-call-ushered-in-era-of-great-reform/story-fnmx97ei-1226947684807 |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the election on 5 March the Coalition was heavily defeated, suffering a 24-seat swing, the worst defeat of a non-Labor government since Federation. Fraser immediately announced his resignation as Liberal leader and formally resigned as prime minister on 11 March 1983; he retired from Parliament two months later. To date, he is the last non-interim prime minister from a rural seat.