Fraser Government
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The Right Honourable Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC |
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Fraser in 1982
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22nd Prime Minister of Australia Elections: 1975, 1977, 1980, 1983 |
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In office 11 November 1975 – 11 March 1983 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor-General |
John Kerr Zelman Cowen Ninian Stephen |
| Deputy | Doug Anthony (1975–1983) |
| Preceded by | Gough Whitlam |
| Succeeded by | Bob Hawke |
The Fraser Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. It was made up of members of a Liberal Party of Australia-Country Party of Australia coalition in the Australian Parliament from November 1975 to March 1983. Initially appointed as a "caretaker" government following the Dismissal of the Whitlam Government, Fraser won in a landslide at the resulting 1975 Australian Federal Election, and won substantial majorities at the subsequent 1977 and 1980 elections, before losing to the Bob Hawke led Australian Labor Party in the 1983 election.
Billy Snedden led the Liberal-National Coalition in the 1974 Australian Federal Election which saw Whitlam Labor Government re-elected with a decreased majority in the House of Representatives. Malcolm Fraser unsuccessfully challenged for the leadership of the Liberal Party in November 1974, then on 21 March 1975, defeated Snedden, with Phillip Lynch remaining Deputy Leader.
Following the 1974–75 Loans Affair in which Whitlam Government had operated outside the Loan Council and authorised Minerals and Energy Minister Rex Connor to conduct secret discussions with a loan broker from Pakistan to secure a $US4 billion loan, and the Treasurer, Jim Cairns, had misled parliament over the issue, Fraser told Parliament that the government was incompetent and the opposition Liberal-Country Party Coalition delayed passage of the government's money bills in the Senate, with the intention of forcing the government to an election. Prime Minister Whitlam refused to call an election. The deadlock came to an end when Whitlam was dismissed by the Governor General, John Kerr on 11 November 1975 and Fraser was installed as caretaker Prime Minister, pending an election. At elections held in December 1975, Malcolm Fraser and the Coalition were elected in a landslide victory.
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