Collection SummaryThe Malcolm Fraser Collection at the University of Melbourne comprises documents, photographs, books and other material relating to the life, family and career of the Rt Hon. Malcolm Fraser, Prime Minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983.Related Agents
Fraser, John MalcolmHistory(John) Malcolm Fraser was born on 21 May 1930 in Melbourne. The Fraser family lived in NSW before moving to 'Nareen', a sheep station in western Victoria, in 1943. Malcolm Fraser attended Tudor House School in NSW (1940-1943) and Melbourne Grammar (1944-1948). In 1949 he was admitted to the University of Oxford to study 'Modern Greats' (politics, philosophy and economics). Malcolm Fraser was elected Liberal member for Wannon in Western Victoria in 1955. He gained his first Cabinet post as Minister for the Army in 1966 and later became Minister for Education and Science (1968-1969 and 1971-1972) and Minister for Defence (1969-1971). He became leader of the Liberal Party in March 1975, and in November was appointed caretaker Prime Minister following the dismissal of the Whitlam government. He served as Prime Minister until 1983. Following his political career, Malcolm Fraser has maintained a role in world affairs, as Co-Chair of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group on South Africa (1985-1986) and Chair of the UN Secretary-General's Expert Group on African Commodity Issues (1989-1990). In 1987 he founded CARE Australia, the country's largest non-political, non-religious overseas aid organisation. In 1997 he led a Commonwealth Observer Mission to Pakistan to monitor the national elections. Malcolm Fraser remained actively interested in issues such as human rights and the rule of law until his death on 20 March 2015.Date1930-2015
Description
The Malcolm Fraser Collection at the University of Melbourne currently consists of around two hundred metres of family, personal and political records relating to the former Prime Minister of Australia, the Rt Hon. Malcolm Fraser.
A range of research guides have been developed to help researchers navigate the collection.
Malcolm Fraser and Commonwealth Secretary General Shridath Ramphal at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting in Sydney. (13 February 1978-16 February 1978), [UMA-ITE-2005010400060]. University of Melbourne Archives, https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/nodes/view/302119