Malcolm Fraser and the road to The Dismissal

50th anniversary Dismissal It’s a good moment to look again Malcolm Fraser as the person who benefits most from it. Dr Lee Duffield remembers the character of the man at the center of the conflict over democratic principles.

(This is the first in a series of two articles.)

MALCOLM FRASER, the conservative hero of 1975 but also reviled throughout Australia, followed the Establishment practice of repairing and strengthening one’s reputation in order to at least die a respectable figure.

How respectable was his conduct and character?

What did he know on November 11, 1975?

His record shows that on 11 November 1975, Fraser was summoned to see Governor-General Sir. John KerrWho appointed him as Prime Minister.

Being in the middle of everything, he couldn’t avoid knowing how Kerr intended to run things, although he probably didn’t know exactly.

The day itself was very hot. We have heard for weeks that parliament has been in turmoil, the Leader of the National Country Party saying, Doug Anthonyhe suddenly lost character, leading to random shouting and abuse all around the room. After finishing the radio shift in the early morning hours, I left home to monitor events via radio, but was pleased to be immediately called back to deal with a series of news reports that had arrived overnight about the still-developing effects of the layoff.

As Opposition Leader, Malcolm Fraser had created the political crisis by blocking the passage of money bills in the Senate and denying funding to the Assembly. Gough Whitlam Labor Government. He used some rhetoric to justify it: The government was incompetent and if it took “reprehensible” actions he would eventually shut it down.

It is especially known thanks to it. research It was by Professor Jennifer Hocking that Kerr discussed with Prince his powers to act against Whitlam. CharlesSpeeches now spoken to the King, probably the then monarch, Elizabeth II. Kerr was keen to be a staunch royalist and the Government had republican sentiments.

The American intelligence community had become hostile to Whitlam because of his independent foreign policy and his apparent intention to remove or gain greater control over sensitive US bases in Australia. More needs to be said about how many conversations took place between the Americans, Kerr, some barristers or barristers, and Fraser (the long-standing front-line Liberal, former Defense Minister and kingmaker who will have to agree to take over if the Labor Government is dismissed).

“Kerr’s curr?” – Taking the bait on November 11, 1975

There is a problem.

Fraser was criticized as “Kerr’s Curr”, as Whitlam put it, for taking the bait.

He joined Kerr in completely abandoning the democratic convention that the leader of the party with the majority in the House of Representatives should become Prime Minister.

It was a blow to democracy, where governments elected for one term and maintaining such a majority have the right to complete their terms.

The fact that an unelected representative of a foreign head of state could interrupt an elected and legitimized government was a blow to democracy.

As events showed, Fraser was shocked to realize that he had jumped from Patna.

Joseph Conradfamous character of Lord JimA ship’s officer with no particular faults made a mistake that would change his life: under pressure, he jumped from a sinking ship full of passengers. From then on, he bore and felt the taint of weakness and treachery that was specially despised by right-thinking people, including his own kind.

That day, Kerr had Fraser park his car at the rear of his official residence, while he received Whitlam at the front, fired him, and then appointed Fraser to the post. Kerr had secretly prorogued Parliament, officially closing it, anticipating and invalidating a motion of confidence in the Labor leader that would be passed later in the day.

Were you born to rule?

Unlike his Royal Deputy boss, Fraser was not fully equipped mentally for the role of thief, plunderer and opportunist.

It’s unlikely he actually spent any time preparing Kerr, a swinging alcoholic, getting him drunk and getting him used to it. He was fair and “entitled” enough in his outlook that you can’t ignore him, but more so by his background and character he wasn’t that hungry – he was more someone who let “good” things come to him as a matter of entitlement.

Malcolm Fraser was the stereotypical rich grazier from the slum democracy of the previous century, presented as the classic over-privileged douchebag who was institutionalized and intellectually incompetent to boot.

Fraser was sent to Oxford, where he graduated during the brief period of “repat” degrees; It was intended to be a pass for brave and brilliant returning service personnel to continue their careers, but it was not credible as a credential. To its credit, Oxford would rather give nothing than an ordinary Pass degree; young fraser Honors accepted, third class.

They put Fraser in the Wimmera country seat. In a newsreel on the property, he appeared arm in arm with his bride, Tammie, a wealthy young couple from the early 1950s: she in a protective shawl, he the local landowner in tweed, impassive, his pipe piped at a jaunty, confident angle.

In government, they found a place for him at the decision-making table and he, like his Country Party friend Doug Anthony, became one of the “old young men” or “young old men” who took over from Liberal Party founder Sir. Robert Menzies.

Above all, they hoped to emulate the “great man,” which meant staying in power, leading a wave of prosperity, and deploying reforms chosen to please or appease voters.

“The Man from Easter Island”

Fraser had developed his distinctive style: cold, condescending and aloof, as distant from others as Easter Island; Cartoonists liked to place his stone-faced image among the statues there.

He was one of those who hated the interregnum of the Larrikin Liberal Prime Minister. John Gorton (1968-71). With a habit of working in the background for years, he would undermine “Jolly John” by attacking Gorton without consulting him as Secretary of Defense when he withdrew the civilian aid operation from Vietnam. In a party room Leadership struggle, Gorton was replaced by Sir William McMahon and later by Fraser himself.

Also, in his experience, he could present a friendly or “human” face as long as he was in charge, at the top, and comfortable with his feet under the table.

As a television reporter, I had the job of following Prime Ministers (Whitlam, then Fraser) around Sydney at weekends because they didn’t like the media and didn’t want to do any serious media or government work. Whitlam attended community meetings, spoke little, evaded. At least Fraser can turn to face you and answer the question: “We’ll take it to the cabinet on Tuesday”, a note to work on for the weekend’s news on a potentially new issue.

Fraser liked to be generous when he attended and opened with his wife. 1977 FESPIK GamesPioneer of the Asian Para Games. (The last encounter took place in Frankfurt in 1990; the former Prime Minister attended an international panel formed by ANZ Bank; the distant figure returned; not even a crooked smile, no time for journalists, nothing to share.)

Well-prepared for office thanks to his upbringing and background, it came suddenly as an “inevitable”, unexpected jolt that ensured a steady and inevitable ascent. All of this might have had to wait if Fraser had some ideas for loosening up and adapting to change.

This is the first article in a two-part series; the second will focus on Fraser’s management after his Dismissal.

In addition to Dr Lee Duffield’s extensive journalistic experience, he served as the ABC’s European correspondent. He is also a respected academic and is a member of the editorial advisory board of Pacific Journalism Review and an elected member of the University of Queensland Senate.

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