Fraser omitted from Cabinet

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32561, 22 March 1971, Page 15

Fraser omitted from Cabinet

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, March 21. Australia’s new Prime Minister (Mr McMahon) dismissed two of Mr Gorton’s supporters and brought in three of his opponents in a Government reshuffle announced tonight.

But, in a list of Ministerial appointments harsh with political irony, he left the former Defence Minister, Mr Malcolm Fraser, on the back benches.

It was Mr Fraser’s resignation and bitter denunciation of Mr Gorton that led to the former Prime Minister’s downfall and Mr McMahon’s accession, only two weeks ago. Mr Gorton—as deputy leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party, the senior partner in the Government coalition —is confirmed as Mr Fraser’s successor as Defence Minister.

In another surprise, Mr Leslie Bury has been made Australia’s new Foreign Minister. Political observers see Mr McMahon’s decision to leave Mr Fraser out of the Government as an acknowledgement of the strong support Mr Gorton still enjoys in the Parliamentary Liberal Party. However, another Minister who resigned, in 1969, in protest at Mr Gorton’s leadership, the former National Development Minister, Mr David Fairbairn, returned to the Government, as Minister for Education.

The Attorney-General (Mr Tom Hughes), and the Minister for the Navy (Mr Jim Killen) both supporters of Mr Gorton have been deposed, as has the Housing Minister

(Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin); she has been already named as High Commissionei to New Zealand.

Into the Cabinet come Senator Ivor Greenwood, a Queen’s Counsel who takes the troubled Health portfolio, and two back-benchers who have openly sniped at Mr Gorton as party leader—Dr Malcolm Mackay (Navy) and Mr Kevin Cairns (Housing). The Labour Minister (Mr Billie Snedden), will take over the Treasury; he is being replaced by Mr Phillip Lynch, whose Immigration Ministry goes to the former Health Minister (Dr James Forbes. Mr Nigel Bowen, formerly the education Minister becomes the new Attorney-Gen-eral.