Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser dies aged 84

[webfact]

Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser dies aged 84

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Malcolm Fraser, a former Australian prime minister has died. He was 84 years old.

Fraser's office said in a statement Fraser died in the early hours of Friday after a short illness.

Fraser's conservative Liberal Party came to power in a constitutional crisis in 1975 and he remained the nation's leader until a center-left Labor Party government was elected in 1983.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-03-20

[Scott]

My condolences.

[chooka]

Prayuth could lean a lot from this man. Fraser had the Queen dismiss the Whitlam Government and took power but didn't muck about when calling an election. He and Gough didn't hold a grudge against each and actually became good and close friends after politics. He will be remembered as a statesman and a decent down to earth guy.

I hope he had his pants on.

[ezzra]

The man was a great politician and a statesman in his hay days, he was a supporter of Israel

cause all his premiership years according to the Australian long standing of supporting Israel,

but this support has gone about face in his later years whereby he become a more of the

supporter of the Palestinians cause accusing Israel of all sorts of nonsenses accusations,

what happened to hip opinions now one knows, maybe he went feeble minded in his twilight

years...

[eggers]

Malcolm Fraser was a Statesman, who after politics devoted his life to seeking to improve the lives & welfare of people around the world.

Vale Malcolm Fraser.

[tezzainthailand]

Not one of my favourite Aus Prime Ministers, the dismissal not his best moment, but opposing apartheid and allowing Vietnamese refugees into Australia showed his good side. And post politics you could only admire the man more. He recognised indigenous Australia and championed their rights, stood up to the cruel asylum seeker policies of both major parties and had belief in his own country to be independent and have its own head of state. He was everything the current Australian government is not, and happily both he and Gough Whitlam mended fences and became good mates for many years. I never ever thought I'd feel sad about the passing of a Liberal politician but this bloke like Gough was special.

[Lopchan]

RIP to a man who stood by his principles regardless of the hatred directed towards him. As mentioned by others, post politics Mr Fraser was a great humanitarian.

[neverdie]

Mr Malcolm Fraser - RIP Sir, you were a gentleman and a scholar. It's a pity modern day Australian politicians can't take a leaf out of your book. A sad day.

[Cats4ever]

My initial impression was of a leading member of the squattocracy, with a born to rule attitude. I still have not forgiven the dismissal; anti democratic. However he was always good on race issues and dragged along the liberal party on opposition to apartheid. He was generous to vietnamese refugees. He always sounded a little shy, but he could express ideas in print really well.

[Songhua]

[harrry]

A pollie who did act as he thought best for his party even though some of his acts were not in line with my views. A man human enough to lose his trousers in a foreign country and have to walk through the foyer of his hotel without them. A man who in later life did much for the benefit of underdeveloped countries. One of the last of the true Politicians.

[Scott]

An inflammatory post and reply removed.

[Mosha]

Not wishing to speak ill of the dead. However, he thought multiculturalism was his greatest achievement, H'mmm that could come back to bite his bum.

[Rancid]

The dismissal was his lowest moment, despite labors incompetence always seemed there was more to what really went on there.

Later became quite a humanitarian and was also vocal that Australia should have an independent foreign policy and not act like America's poodle joining all their wars of aggression screaming "me too".

Sadly both parties are now pro war where ever they can find it, makes you wonder whether a lesson was taught to Labor with Whitlam. Likewise the no pants event.