Fraser@person : Main Article
(1930 - )
The young Fraser (known as Malcolm) received his education at Melbourne Grammar School and at Magdalen College Oxford, England, where he graduated in politics, economics and philosophy. He became interested in politics during his time in Oxford. He returned to his father's estate in Victoria, and during the 1940s won Liberal preselection for Wannon.
He was narrowly defeated in the 1954 elections, but the following year was successful in his attempts to be elected to the federal parliament, a feat he was to achieve for the next 11 consecutive elections. He was, at 25 years of age, the youngest member of the House of Representatives, and he spent a decade on the back benches of the Australian Liberal Party.
At 35 he was appointed minister of the army (1966-68), then education and science (1968-69) before securing the defence portfolio in 1969. he was noted for his defence of Australia's participation in the Vietnam War, and was a staunch supporter of John Gorton as successor to Harold Holt in 1967. However, a row between the two prompted Fraser's resignation, and accelerated the replacement of Gorton by William McMahon in 1971.
Fraser then served a second term as minister for science and education in 1971-72, and he realised his leadership aspirations when he overthrew Billy Snedden as Liberal party leader in 1975. That same year Fraser led the opposition to call a general election, and despite many objections the then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was removed by the governor general, and Fraser became caretaker prime minister in November 1975. He retained leadership of the country when he led his party to two successive election victories in 1977 and 1980.
Fraser had been the second longest serving prime minister until the 1983 general election, when the opposition led by Bob Hawke won control of the parliament. Fraser retired from politics until 1985, when the Hawke government nominated him to be Australia's representative on an international committee on apartheid in South Africa.
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