Australian Politician. Fraser was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia and the Leader of the Liberal Party from 1975 to 1983. Born John Malcolm Fraser into a wealthy pastoral family, he first entered Parliament in 1955 as its youngest member and spent nearly 20 years as a backbencher and in the ministry until 1975, when he became opposition leader facing off against Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Fraser became the unelected leader of the nation in 1975 when the then Governor-General John Kerr took the unprecedented step of dismissing the government of Whitlam. A month after taking power, Fraser's conservative coalition won a clear victory over Whitlam's Labor Party. As Prime Minister, he oversaw the formation of the Australian Federal Police force, and the creation of the first Freedom of Information Act. He supported Aboriginal rights, the abolition of apartheid in South Africa, the establishment of an independent Zimbabwe, and the rise of multiculturalism in Australia. His government rejuvenated the nation’s immigration program, accepting hundreds of thousands of migrants during its eight years in power, including more than 50,000 Vietnamese asylum seekers. Fraser would go on to win two more three-year terms. After leaving office, he championed social justice causes and established the Australian arm of the CARE network, a humanitarian organization, serving as president of CARE International from 1990 to 1995. Fraser died after a brief illness.
Australian Politician. Fraser was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia and the Leader of the Liberal Party from 1975 to 1983. Born John Malcolm Fraser into a wealthy pastoral family, he first entered Parliament in 1955 as its youngest member and spent nearly 20 years as a backbencher and in the ministry until 1975, when he became opposition leader facing off against Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Fraser became the unelected leader of the nation in 1975 when the then Governor-General John Kerr took the unprecedented step of dismissing the government of Whitlam. A month after taking power, Fraser's conservative coalition won a clear victory over Whitlam's Labor Party. As Prime Minister, he oversaw the formation of the Australian Federal Police force, and the creation of the first Freedom of Information Act. He supported Aboriginal rights, the abolition of apartheid in South Africa, the establishment of an independent Zimbabwe, and the rise of multiculturalism in Australia. His government rejuvenated the nation’s immigration program, accepting hundreds of thousands of migrants during its eight years in power, including more than 50,000 Vietnamese asylum seekers. Fraser would go on to win two more three-year terms. After leaving office, he championed social justice causes and established the Australian arm of the CARE network, a humanitarian organization, serving as president of CARE International from 1990 to 1995. Fraser died after a brief illness.
Bio by: Louis du Mort
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