Public Figure Profiles

Malcolm Fraser

John Malcolm Fraser (21 May 1930 – 20 March 2015) was an Australian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Australia, in office from 1975 to 1983 as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia.

Fraser was raised on his father's sheep stations, and after studying at Magdalen College, Oxford, returned to Australia to take over the family property in the Western District of Victoria. After an initial defeat in 1954, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives at the 1955 federal election, as a member of parliament (MP) for the division of Wannon. He was 25 at the time, making him one of the youngest people ever elected to parliament. When Harold Holt became prime minister in 1966, Fraser was appointed Minister for the Army. After Holt's disappearance and replacement by John Gorton, Fraser became Minister for Education and Science (1968–1969) and then Minister for Defence (1969–1971). In 1971, Fraser resigned from cabinet and denounced Gorton as "unfit to hold the great office of prime minister"; this precipitated the replacement of Gorton with William McMahon. He subsequently returned to his old education and science portfolio.

After the Liberal-National Coalition was defeated at the 1972 election, Fraser unsuccessfully stood for the Liberal leadership, losing to Billy Snedden. When the party lost the 1974 election, he began to move against Snedden, eventually mounting a successful challenge in March 1975. As Leader of the Opposition, Fraser used the Coalition's control of the Australian Senate to block supply to the Whitlam Government, precipitating the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis. This culminated with Gough Whitlam being dismissed as prime minister by the governor-general, Sir John Kerr, a unique occurrence in Australian history. The correctness of Fraser's actions in the crisis and the exact nature of his involvement in Kerr's decision have since been a topic of debate. Fraser remains the only Australian prime minister to ascend to the position upon the dismissal of his predecessor.

After Whitlam's dismissal, Fraser was sworn in as prime minister on an initial caretaker basis. The Coalition won a landslide victory at the 1975 election, and was re-elected in 1977 and 1980. Fraser took a keen interest in foreign affairs as prime minister, and was more active in the international sphere than many of his predecessors. He was a strong supporter of multiculturalism, and during his term in office Australia admitted significant numbers of non-white immigrants (including Vietnamese boat people) for the first time, effectively ending the White Australia policy. His government also established the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). Particularly in his final years in office, Fraser came into conflict with the economic rationalist and fiscal conservative faction of his party. His government made few major changes to economic policy.

After losing the 1983 election, Fraser retired from politics. In his post-political career, he held advisory positions with the United Nations (UN) and the Commonwealth of Nations, and was president of the aid agency CARE from 1990 to 1995. He resigned his membership of the Liberal Party in 2010, having been a critic of its policy direction for a number of years. Evaluations of Fraser's prime ministership have been mixed. He is generally credited with restoring stability to the country after a series of short-term leaders, but some have seen his government as a lost opportunity for economic reform. His seven and a half-year tenure as prime minister is the fourth longest in Australian history, only surpassed by Bob Hawke, John Howard and Robert Menzies.

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Some of their strengths

Malcolm Fraser has many admirable traits.

Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Artistic, Intuitive, Imaginative, Ambitious, Honest, Creative, and Kind.

Strong and Diligent

According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Malcolm Fraser is someone who is a strong, diligent, and trustworthy person who approaches life with honesty and perseverance, but who is also physical, sensual, and artistic. A person who is known for being fun and creative.

Charming and Sophisticated

Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Malcolm Fraser well know them as someone who can be classy, glamorous, and worldly, like jewelry.

Optimistic and Frank

According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Malcolm Fraser as someone who is optimistic, principled, adventurous, and direct.

A person who isn't shy about expressing their opinions, loves competition, loves learning things themself, who is known for being inventive and original, and who loves being surrounded by friends and loved ones.

Perceptive and Visionary

Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Malcolm Fraser is someone who has a natural awareness about what is going on in the surrounding environment and the world at large, and a refined vision of how to navigate it.

They are also someone who is charismatic, compassionate, and understanding, and who is interested in expressing themselves through writing, public speaking, or teaching.

Patient and Compassionate

According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Malcolm Fraser tends to be someone who approaches life with grace and compassion, and who has a powerful and commanding personality. Who can be analytical, patient, and deliberate, avoiding risks and seeking out stability instead.

Some of Malcolm Fraser's challenges

While Malcolm Fraser has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.

For example, Malcolm Fraser can be Unrealistic, Stubborn, Idle, Indecisive, Suspicious, Pushy, and Restless.

Stubborn and Idle

One of Malcolm Fraser's key challenges is that they are someone who can be seen as stubborn and, at times, lazy.

Malcolm Fraser must also exercise caution as they can have a hard time reconciling wants and needs.

Pushy and Restless

Malcolm Fraser is someone who can be arrogant and bossy, who can have difficulty concentrating and focusing, be unable to separate emotions from business decisions, and who can engage in excessive spending in support of an expensive lifestyle and habits.

Materialistic and Aggressive

Finally, Malcolm Fraser also can be materialistic, emotional, aggressive, stubborn, inconsistent, and be prone to big temper outbursts.

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