Malcolm Fraser’s mistake

Press, 7 March 1983, Page 8

Malcolm Fraser’s mistake

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TOM BRIDGMAN

Sydney Malcolm Fraser's defeat in the Federal election on Saturday marked the end of an era in Australian politics. Ironically he chose the timing of his own downfall. On March 5 Mr Fraser had planned to be in Washington meeting President Ronald Reagan. But on February 3. with Labour engaged in yet another round of infighting, he called a snap poll nine months early. Initially it appeared that the calculated gamble would pay off. but the Australian Labour Party still went ahead with the ascension of Bob Hawke as leader, the party swung into effective

action behind him and the rest was history. For old-time Labour men it was revenge for the humiliation Malcolm Fraser had inflicted on their party in 1975. when he was Leader of the Opposition by blocking supply in the Senate with the result that the GovernorGeneral. Sir John Kerr, eventually sacked the Labour Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, on November 11. It was an event that polarised Australia but in the ensuing election, 18 months early, Mr Fraser swept to a landslide victory.

In the seven years since he has won two other elections, both comfortably, but time and events were catching up with him. In the Labour Party. Bill Havden. the final Whitlam

Treasurer and who succeeded him as party leader, last year fought off a challenge from the ambitious Bob Hawke, who had only taken his seat at the 1980 election. Mr Fraser successfully held off a challenge from Andrew Peacock.

Across Australia people were turning back to Labour. First John Cain took Victoria. then the youthful John Bannon South Australia, and last month Brian Burke surprisingly gained Western Australia. leaving only Queensland and the Northern Territory on mainland Australia out of the Labour camp.

Only Tasmania, where in 1975 the Bass by-election signalled the opening of the floodgate for Mr Fraser's run

for Government. went against the national trend, and staved that way on Saturday, recording a swing for the Liberal-Country Partv coalition primarily because the Fraser Government would not intervene to stop the Franklin River dam. Thursday. February 3, proved to be Mr Fraser's downfall. The word was that Bill Hayden had lost his party support and was bowing out in favour of Mr Hawke.

Mr Fraser said later that he knew it was on but still he went to the GovernorGeneral. Sir Ninian Stephen, to seek the snap election. Jovially he told reporters that it would be the only time he was able to knock "two Labour leaders off in one go."