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Today’s Electoral Anniversaries: Hughes And Fraser

Dec 13, 2012

Today, December 13, is the anniversary of two federal elections, the first in 1919, the second in 1975.

On December 13, 1919, Prime Minister William Morris Hughes was re-elected, defeating the ALP led by Frank Tudor. Hughes had been prime minister since 1915, first for the Labor Party and then as leader of the Nationalist Party that was formed from the Liberals and Labor defectors after the ALP split over conscription.

The election is historic for a couple of reasons. It was the first general election to use preferential voting, instead of first-past-the-post. And it was the first general election contested by the newly-formed Country Party. Not yet a national party, it consisted of different organisations in the states, but it won 11 seats, eating into Hughes’s majority.

On December 13, 1975, Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser led the Liberal-Country party coalition to the biggest ever win in Australian federal history, before or since. The coalition parties won 91 seats in the 127-seat House of Representatives. The ALP won 36 seats, a loss of 30.

Fraser had been prime minister for one month and two days, having been appointed caretaker prime minister on November 11, following Governor-General Sir John Kerr’s dismissal of Gough Whitlam.

Filed Under: 1975 Federal Election, A.L.P., Election Dates, Fraser, Liberal Party, Political History, The Nationals, Whitlam Dismissal Tagged With: , , , ,

More Anniversaries: Three Elections, A Floating Dollar And The Redfern Speech

Dec 09, 2012

Twenty-nine-years ago today, the Hawke government floated the dollar.

It was a move little understood at the time but now regarded as timely and crucial to Australia’s economic development. Whilst former prime ministers Hawke and Keating still differ over who had most influence on the decision, no-one questions its significance.

The decision was announced late on Friday December 9. On the following Monday, the lead article in the Sydney Morning Herald accurately pinpointed the introduction of foreign banks as another important decision in the pipeline:

SMH

Some other anniversaries:
  • December 9, 1961: The Menzies government faced its sixth election since taking office in 1949 and came within an ace of losing. It survived by one seat and led to a marvellous fib from the Liberal member for Moreton, Jim Killen. He claimed that when victory in his seat secured Menzies’s re-election, the Prime Minister told him, “Killen, you’re magnificent”. It wasn’t true. In his memoirs, Killen relates the more prosaic truth:
    Killen
  • December 10, 1949: The Menzies coalition government swept to power, defeating Ben Chifley’s Labor government. It was the beginning of 23 years of continuous coalition government.
  • December 10, 1955: Menzies secured his fourth straight election victory, defeating Dr. H.V. Evatt’s ALP in an early election called to capitalise on the split in the ALP over communist influence in the trade unions. This was the election that saw the birth of the Democratic Labor Party as an important third force in policis.
  • December 10, 1977: Malcolm Fraser’s coalition government was returned to office for a second term in a massive landslide only marginally smaller than its historic 1975 Dismissal victory. Fraser’s election made December 10 the single most popular date for general elections at the federal level.
  • December 10, 1992: Prime Minister Paul Keating delivered his famous Redfern speech on indigenous issues. Watch, listen and read Keating’s speech here.
Filed Under: 1977 Federal Election, A.L.P., Fraser, Hawke, Keating, Liberal Party, Political History Tagged With: , , , ,

Malcolm Fraser’s Whitlam Oration

Jun 06, 2012

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser has delivered the 2012 Whitlam Oration to the Whitlam Institute in Sydney.

Malcolm Fraser

Nearly thirty-seven years after the Fraser-led coalition parties blocked the Budget and Sir John Kerr dismissed the Whitlam government, Fraser remarked that in the 1970s “few people would have believed that Malcolm Fraser would be delivering a Gough Whitlam oration”.

Fraser, 82, spoke mainly about foreign policy and international politics, and issues concerning race, immigration and refugees.

Gough Whitlam was not in attendance but a video message from him was shown:

  • Listen to Malcolm Fraser’s speech (51m)

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  • Listen to Gough Whitlam on Fraser and multiculturalism

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  • Listen to Senator John Faulkner comment on Whitlam and Fraser

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Text of The Whitlam Oration given by Malcolm Fraser.

“Politics, Independence and the National Interest: the legacy of power and how to achieve a peaceful Western Pacific”

I am honoured to be asked to make this speech. During the turbulent years of the 1970′s, few people would have believed that Malcolm Fraser would be delivering a Gough Whitlam Oration. Politics is a hard business. The opposition of one party to another can become toxic. We have had this demonstrated to us all too often in recent years. But it does not always have to be this way.

By any standards Gough Whitlam is a formidable, political warrior. He has inspired an undying loyalty amongst his supporters. He is an historic figure who has made a significant impact on the life of Australia. He had grand ideas, many of which left their mark on Australia. A number of which were embraced by the following government. Others have survived despite the opposition from the other side of politics.

He was the first Australian Prime Minister to recognise China. As Australian Prime Minister he had the confidence and knowledge to recognise the distinct national interests of our country. He established ground breaking enquiries into Land Rights for Aboriginal Australians and also over a number of environmental issues, where reports were later implemented by my government.

As political antagonists we had substantial differences, but as Australians we had shared interests and concerns. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Audio, Audio2012, Foreign Policy - Aust, Fraser, Video, Whitlam Tagged With: , , ,

Cabinet Papers From 1982-1983 Released

Jan 01, 2012

Cabinet papers from 1982, the final full year of the Fraser coalition government, and 1983, the first year of the Hawke Labor government, have been released.

The papers were formerly released under the thirty-year rule, but this has been reduced to twenty years. Until 2020, two years of Cabinet documents will be released each year.

  • National Archives of Australia – Index to 1982 and 1983 Cabinet Papers
  • 1982-1983: The historical context and issues of interest – Dr. Jim Stokes
  • Listen to Dr. Stokes (22m)

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  • Listen to Bob Hawke discuss the events of 1983 (5m)

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  • Listen to Bob Hawke answer media questions about his government in 1983 (26m)

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Filed Under: Audio, Audio2012, Cabinet Papers, Fraser, Hawke Tagged With: , ,

Sir Zelman Cowen Eulogised By Josh Frydenberg

Dec 13, 2011

The former Governor-General, Sir Zelman Cowen, was remembered today at a funeral service in Melbourne.

The service was attended by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former prime minister Malcolm Fraser, who appointed Cowen in December 1977. Former PMs Bob Hawke and John Howard also attended, as did Cowen’s successor as Governor-General, Sir Ninian Stephen.

A moving eulogy to Cowen was delivered by the Josh Frydenberg, the Liberal member for Kooyong.

Josh Frydenberg

  • Listen to Josh Frydenberg’s eulogy:

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Filed Under: Audio, Governor-General Tagged With: , , ,

Saturday Trivia: December 10 Most Popular Day for Elections

Dec 10, 2011

Today is the anniversary of three Australian federal elections held in 1949, 1955 and 1977.

Robert MenziesDecember 10 is the single most popular day for federal elections, whilst December has been the most popular month. Twelve of the forty-three elections since Federation have been held in December: 1903, 1906, 1919, 1922, 1931, 1949, 1955, 1961, 1972, 1975, 1977 and 1984.

On December 10, 1949, Robert Menzies took the Liberal Party to its first election victory, in coalition with the Country Party. The election ushered in 23 years of continuous coalition rule, not broken until Gough Whitlam and the Labor Party won in 1972.

Menzies also won the second election to be held on December 10. In 1955, he called an early election to capitalise on the split in the ALP and won an easy victory. He was nearly defeated six years later when he held an election on December 9, 1961, but remained in office until he voluntarily retired in 1966, after 16 continuous years as prime minister.

The other December 10 election was held in 1977. Malcolm Fraser’s coalition government was resoundingly re-elected, just two years after its landslide victory in 1975.

Two days before Fraser’s re-election, Sir Zelman Cowen was sworn in as Australia’s 19th Governor-General, replacing Sir John Kerr. Sir Zelman died last Thursday night, 34 years to the day after taking up the vice-regal position.

Filed Under: Elections Tagged With: , ,

Sir Zelman Cowen, Governor-General After Kerr, Dies, 92

Dec 09, 2011

Sir Zelman Cowen, 1919-2011Sir Zelman Cowen, Australia’s 19th Governor-General, appointed by Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser in 1977, has died, aged 92.

Sir Zelman died last night, on the 34th anniversary of his swearing-in as Governor-General.

He held the position from 1977 until July, 1982.

Appointed to succeed Sir John Kerr, the man who dismissed the Whitlam government in 1975, Sir Zelman is credited with restoring confidence in the position of Governor-General. “Confidence in the office needed to be restored,” said Malcolm Fraser.

Fraser was the only prime minister during Sir Zelman’s time as Governor-General.

A TRIBUTE TO SIR ZELMAN FROM FORMER PRIME MINISTER MALCOLM FRASER

Zelman Cowen contributed to Australia as a lawyer, an academic, administrator and governor-general.

He accepted the role of governor-general at a difficult time. Confidence in the office needed to be restored. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fraser, Governor-General, Whitlam Dismissal Tagged With: ,
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