FRASER, JOHN MALCOLM (AUSTRALIA)

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06893593
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 26, 2021
• Case Number: F-2020-01826
• Publication Date: October 1, 1971

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AUSTRALIA John Malcolm FRASER
Minister for Education
and Science
On 19 August 1971 Prime
Minister William McMahon named
Malcolm Fraser to succeed David
Fairbairn as Minister for Edu-
cation and Science, a position
Fraser had previously held dur-
ing 1968-69. The highly intel-
ligent and capable Minister
subsequently served as Minister
for Defense until March 1971,
when he resigned from the Cabi-
net in protest over former
Prime Minister John Gorton's
leadership.
(1970)
Relations with Gorton
Formerly one of Gorton's strongest supporters
in the Liberal Party (LP), Fraser was instrumental
in bringing about his fall from and McMahon's rise
to the Prime Ministership. In March 1971 a news-
paper correspondent revealed that he had shown to
Gorton, prior to publication, a report alleging
that Defense Minister Fraser had used a civilian
organization to investigate the role of the Aus-
tralian Army in Vietnam because he did not trust
the information received from army sources. A
later press article reported a conversation be-
tween Gorton and the Chief of the General Staff,
Lt. Gen. Sir Thomas Daly, in which the latter had
been highly critical of Fraser. Gorton, who had
privately sided with Daly and who was keenly aware
of Fraser's apparent ambition to become Prime Min-
ister, did not refute these reports. Fraser then
resigned, charging Gorton with extreme disloyalty
to a Cabinet member. He declared that Gorton had
imposed strains on the LP, the government and the
public service because of his unreasoned drive to
get his own way and, therefore, was not fit to
hold public office.
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John Malcolm FRASER (cont.)
Federal parliamentary members of the LP held
an emergency meeting to hear Fraser's reasons for
resigning and Gorton's reply. Despite Gorton's
admission of his mistake in not refuting the press
reports, he failed to receive a vote of confidence.
The LP members then elected McMahon party leader
(and Prime Minister) and Gorton deputy leader;
Fraser returned to the backbenches of Parliament.
(Gorton, who was then named to succeed Fraser as
Defense Minister, was dismissed from the Cabinet
in August 1971. He is publishing his rebuttal to
an extremely critical book, The Gorton Experiment,
which covers his 38-month tenure as Prime Minis-
ter.)
Relations with McMahon
McMahon remained silent throughout the con-
frontation between Fraser and Gorton.
Following
McMahon's election as party leader, Fraser public-
ly approved of McMahon as Prime Minister and
pledged his continued support to the party and
the government.
Attitudes on International Issues
Fraser agrees with traditional party and
government foreign and defense policies. Strongly
anti-Communist, he has fully supported the US
efforts in South Vietnam and has clearly indicated
his desire to have a continued American presence
in Asia. A longtime advocate of having Australia
become more involved in Southeast Asian affairs
by contributing to regional military security, he
rejects any ideas of isolationism for his country.
Fraser approves of his government's attempts
to open a dialogue with the People's Republic of
China for possible future diplomatic recognition.
Personal Attributes
The Australian media endorsed Fraser's
reappointment to the Cabinet, pointing out that
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John Malcolm FRASER
(cont.)
rTh
his ability and intelligence
to the aovernment and to the country.
should not be lost
he has earned a reputation as a hard-working,
pragmatic Minister and a capable administrator.
He is an ambitious, aggressive and responsible
leader who must be regarded as a potential Prime
Minister.
Early Life and Career
John Malcolm Fraser was born on 21 May 1930
in Melbourne. He received a master's degree in
philosophy, political science and economics from
Oxford University in 1952. The following year
Fraser lost his first bid for a seat in the House
of Representatives, but he was successful in 1955.
He has served as a member of the Joint Parliamen-
tary Committee on Foreign Affairs (1962-66), as
chairman of the Government Members of Defense Com-
mittee and as a member of the Council of the Aus-
tralian National University.
In 1966 Fraser became Minister for the Army.
In late 1966 Fraser
drew criticism even from conservative newspapers
for using a security report to attack a private
citizen. He used the report to discredit the
motivations of a mother whose 15-year-old son had
refused to participate in a military training pro-
gram at a private school.
During his first term as Education and Science
Minister, Fraser demonstrated considerable knowl-
edge of problems within the Ministry. Even before
he assumed that post he had revealed an interest
in education. For instance, several years ago,
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John Malcolm FRASER (cont.)
in a paper on tertiary educational goals for
Australia, he advocated proposals that have since
been put into effect in the local universities--
creation of colleges for postgraduate studies and
increased government commitment to the universities.
While serving as Defense Minister during 1969-
71, Fraser actively participated in the formula-
tion of Australia's defense policy and the adminis-
tration of his Department. He acknowledged that
although Australia could not confront the Soviet
Union in the Indian Ocean, it must take account of
Soviet presence there. His plans to locate an
army task force in Western Australia to meet this
threat did not materialize, however; this caused
some observers to suggest that Fraser was probably
fulfilling political promises to Western Australian
LP members rather than meeting any real strategic
need. He was the first Defense Minister to take
an interest in the apparent deep-seated unrest
throughout the military services.
Travel
Fraser received a 60-day Foreign Leader Grant
to visit the United States in 1964. He subsequent-
ly made several trips to various countries in South-
east Asia to meet with senior officials. He
returned to the United States in 1970 to confer
with Secretary of State William Rogers and Secre-
tary of Defense Melvin Laird.
Personal Data
Fraser, who is over 6 feet tall, has strong
features and a powerful voice
His hobbies include
fishing and photography.
Fraser married Tamara Maraaret Beaas in 1956:
they have four children.
Fraser owns an 8,000-acre estate
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John Malcolm FRASER
(cont.)
at Nareen, Victoria. The property, a showpiece of
modern agricultural methods, supports a large num-
ber of sheep and prime cattle. The couple also
owns a large home in a fashionable district of
Canberra.
October 1971
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