MELBOURNE, March 20 – Former Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser has died early Friday at the age of 84.
A statement released by his office said Fraser died after a brief illness.
“It is with deep sadness that we inform you that after a brief illness, John Malcolm Fraser died peacefully in the early hours today,” the statement said.
Fraser was Australia’s 22nd prime minister.He was born into a wealthy pastoral family in 1930 and entered parliament in 1955 as its youngest member of parliament.
Fraser spent nearly 20 years as a backbencher and in the ministry until he became opposition leader facing off against Gough Whitlam in 1975.
Whitlam’s dismissal by governor general John Kerr later that year led to persistent debate about the new government’s legitimacy and Fraser’s role.
Fraser went on to win the next three elections.He embraced multiculturalism and Aboriginal land rights, led the Commonwealth push to end apartheid in South Africa and argued for an independent Zimbabwe.Fraser was defeated by the Labor Party under Bab Hawke in 1983.
He leaves behind a wife and four children.
-BERNAMA
