Radio Australia this morning saw this man an enigma for me interviewed on his life storys impending release.
I was there, much younger more militant and still feel that day 11/11 1975.
Still remember the indignity of this nations Governor general appearing to be very warnout and emotional[drunk] in public.
The Lord of Nareen has been very different men in his life ultra conservative.
Those wet checks as he cried on the election night in 1983 got me screaming in joy.
His lost trousers? giggling like a school girl.
But today I admire the man.
Yes true I in fact intend ASAP to read every word of it, some will be painful some make me angry.
At times I will have to confront facts the me of 1975 would never think of.
We bought it on our selves, it was wrong to stop money in the senate, to make my fathers home town Bowral a fortress, to divide this country for a time.
And yes Robert Hawk governed much better , did more for this country than the government that helped Fraser and a rampart biased press destroy it self partly by actions of some who knew no better
Big Mal? a man who has the respect of both sides of the house yet once did not.
Those who conclude Abbott is leading in t5he right direction should consider this mans words.

Mal mellowed as he aged, but what convinces you he would act differently if he held the reins of power again? At best he would be a paternalist conservative.

I believe that much of his criticism of the Liberal Party for not sticking to the fundamentals of 'liberalism' was not-so-veiled sledging and pay-back directed at his long-remembered enemies in the party. I would criticise him for bearing grudges against Howard and others.

Was the Liberal Party ever liberal? I don't think so, Menzies chose the label as a convenient cloak and for marketing.

Australia does need a party founded on liberal democratic principles, but it would be most unattractive to the financial supporters of the 'Liberal' Party for whom 'liberalism' is applied exclusively in an economic sense and means no guvvy regulation or taxes for them (ie I'm all right Jack).

Dear Belly,

It will be interesting to read Malcolm Fraser's
co-authored memoirs. I wonder how his version of
the 1975 events will go?

He lived through every moment of it - and I
wonder what he will have to say in retrospect,
especially now that he's approaching 80.

Much has changed since those times - especially
within the Party that he joined so many years ago
under Menzies. My personal feelings are that John
Howard did a tremendous amount of damage to the
Party. The Party - under his authoritarian control
became a much meaner machine.

As Fraser points out:

"The departures from the principles underlying that
Liberal Party (as founded by Menzies) are substantial
and serious. The Party has become a Party of fear and
reaction...it has not led in positive directions.
It has allowed and some would say promoted race and
religion to be part of today's agenda. I find it
unrecognisable ..."

Fraser has indeed mellowed - however that's due not
only to age - but his experiences with Human Rights
Organisations - and his global experiences - his
outlook has broadened. Were he to return to power today,
he would definitely be a different man, and certainly
different from the narrow, limited views of the current
Opposition Leader and his frontbench.

Perhaps they ought to read Fraser's Biography - they may
actually learn something. Tony Abbott certainly could do
better than to keep on following
his mentor's (Howard's) old policies in 2010.

Malcolm will always be to me a bigoted, paternalistic and ruthless scumbag who merely went senile and started to get a (Rather selective) heart bleed- more a man nearing his twilight years trying to clear his conscience to wriggle out of the afterlife he might felt he was fast heading towards- and somehow still failing to really redeem himself.

He seems to show little remorse for his role as Minister of Defense in the invasion of Vietnam, the introduction of Conscription or his vengeful social policies; still frequently shows his scorn and condescention for the views and democratic rights of the public (including his stance on the Republic), and to top it off, is INCREDIBLY gluttonous with his taxpayer-funded retirement benefits.

Needless to say, I will not be giving him any more of my money he is currently leeching off me.

Let me know if there are any Ted Mack autobiographies- not only is he an actually decent bloke, but his take on politics would, I imagine, be very interesting indeed!

I have often wondered how labor can choose such dreadful leaders. Then when I think of some of the liberal leaders, I realise labor don't have an exclusive on that trick.

Fraser, to my mind was a blood brother to Turmbull. Both so arrogant that they thought they knew it all, & too lazy, with that arrogance, to do the research to find the facts.

Although they probably have high IQ, this characteristics make them as stupid as any dill. Come to think of it, the libs must have been coaching labour on how to chose this type of leader.

Fraser had the opportunity do do some real good, & fluffed it, achieving nothing worthwhile. Fortunately, Turnbull was shown the door, before he had any chance to damage anything but the party. A lucky escape for us.

Any book by this sour old goat, with approaching senility, will be just an attempt at justification, of his time as PM.

I wonder, as a rich man who was born with a platinum spoon in his mouth and having enjoyed a privileged life thereafter, whether Mal has ever thought of donating his parliamentary pension to a good cause like a home for boys who were not as lucky as he.

What a wonderful gesture it would be to set up a fund for young boys who could live for a few months in the shearers' sheds on Nareen and help run the property, watched over by mentors with suitable skills and background.

Mal would get a lot out of it personally. In a way it would make up for the emotionally impoverished life some say Mal had as a child.

Dreams.