Malcolm Fraser

Malcolm Fraser in 1977

John Malcolm Fraser, AC, CH (21 May 1930 – 20 March 2015), Australian politician and 22nd Prime Minister of Australia, came to power in the circumstances of the dismissal of the Whitlam government. After three election victories and many legislative achievements, he was defeated by Bob Hawke in 1983, and ended his career alienated from his own party.

Quotes

• "Life wasn't meant to be easy."
  • Fraser's best known phrase, generally taken as a gloomy explanation of life's difficulties, but for him rather it was a reason to take on difficult tasks. Not widely recognised as being in fact a paraphrase of a line from George Bernard Shaw's play Back to Methuselah: "Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage: it can be delightful." Well known from his Alfred Deakin lecture speech (20 July 1971), he'd actually used it or known the sentiment for many years prior; according to an interview for the Australian Biography project (1994).)
• "The prime minister, 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. I do not believe he is fit to hold the great office of prime minister, and I cannot serve in his government."
  • Fraser resigning from cabinet on 8 March 1971 and denouncing John Gorton's leadership [1]
• "We used to have a view that to really be a good Australian, to love Australia, you almost had to cut your links with the country of origin. But I don’t think that was right and it never was right." Malcolm Fraser, at the opening of the Special Broadcasting Service in Oct. 1980. [2]

Quotes about Fraser

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External links

• [3] - Australia's Prime Ministers / National Archives of Australia
• http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/03/20/malcolm-fraser-life-wasnt-meant-be-easy