Caretaker to boss

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34026, 15 December 1975, Page 17

Caretaker to boss

(N.Z. Press Association) CANBERRA, December 14. The “caretaker” became the boss with the Liberal-National Country Party coalition’s election triumph in Australia yesterday.

Mr John Malcolm Fraser, aged 45, was appointed Prime Minister of a “caretaker” Government amid a nationwide row last month after the dismissal of the Labour Government of Mr Gough Whitlam by the GovernorGeneral (Sir John Kerr). Mr Fraser denied angry Labour charges that his appointment was unconstitutional, and observers say that he sees the election result as the people’s endorsement of his stand and his criticism of Labour’s handling of the economy.

Mr Fraser decided in October to try to force an election by using the coalition’s slender majority in the Senate to block the Government’s Budget appropriations bills, thus denying it ■ the money to run the country.

Attempts by Mr Whitlam to circumvent an election ended when Sir John Kerr i stepped in on November 11, dismissed the Prime Minister and appointed Mr Fraser in his place, pending an election for both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Wealthy fanner Mr Fraser, a wealthy farmer in the western districts of Victoria, was the youngest member of the Federal Parliament when he first won the seat of Wannon in 1955. He was born 25 years earlier in the exclusive Melbourne suburb of Toorak and was educated at Melbourne Grammar School and at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he graduated with a thirdclass degree in political philosophy and economics. He retained a close interest in the Fraser family’s 3340

hectare cattle and sheep property while entering Liberal politics. His first attempt to win Wannon failed by 17 votes, but a year later, in 1955, he overthrew the sitting Labour member and was returned with a 5000 majority. Wannon is now rated a safe Liberal seat. The ambitious Mr Fraser cooled his heels for 10 years on the back benches under the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, but his patience was rewarded in 1966 when Sir Robert’s successor, Mr Harold Holt, appointed him Minister for the Army. Mr Fraser, 6ft 4|in and 15 stone, was an impressive figure physically on the front benches, and he soon made his presence felt in other ways. In the in-fighting for the leadership after Mr Holt’s death late in 1967, he put his weight behind Senator John Gorton in his successful bid, and was rewarded with the portfolio of Education and Science. In 1969, he was switched to defence.

Policy row Within two years, Mr Fraser had a spectacular row over policy with Mr Gorton, which culminated in his resignation from defence and Mr Gorton’s replacement by Mr William McMahon. The Defence Minister told Parliament that Mr Gorton, “because of his unreasoned drive to get his own way, his obstinacy, impetuous and emotional reactions, has imposed strains upon the Liberal Party, the Government and the Public Service.”

Mr Gorton, who later left the Liberals and contested yesterday’s Senate election as an independent, never forgave his antagonist.

Mr Fraser was restored to the Education Ministry late in 1971. After the coalition’s 1972 election defeat after. 23 years in office, he made his first bid for the party leadership, but was beaten by Mr Billy Snedden. Before long, a group of Fraser supporters on the

Opposition back benches, dissatisfied with Mr Snedden’s performance, began moves to promote their man towards a new leadership bid. March, 1975 In March this year, 10 months after Labour retained power in a snap election for both Houses, they succeeded. Mr Fraser became Liberal and Opposition leader, Mr Snedden joining Mr McMahon and Mr Gorton on the back benches. Mr Fraser said that only' “reprehensible circumstances” would lead him to use the coalition’s Senate majority to block passage of the Budget bill. In October, citing the nation’s rocketing inflation and • unemployment and Labour’s “mishandling” of huge overseas loan negotiations, he deemed the circumstances existed. After weeks of Constitutional crisis, Sir John Kerr sacked Mr Whitlam and Mr Fraser was Prime Minister without facing the electorate and without a majority in the House of Representatives. Yesterday’s vote gave him the mandate he desired. Mr Fraser has been described as imperious, arrogant, abrasive and ruthless — words that have also been applied to Mr Whitlam. As their leader in eight years, the Liberals are looking to him to provide stability in the party as well as in Government.

Sporting image Outside Parliament, Mr Fraser maintains a sporting image. He lists his favourite pastimes as fishing and riding Spanish motor-cycles. He also likes restoring old cars. He is married to the former Tamara Beggs, daughter of another well-to-do Victorian farmer. They have two sons and two daughters, three of them in the teens, The family’s motto is “I am ready.” Mr Fraser now has the chance to live up to it.