John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to express my sincere condolences to the family of Malcolm Fraser—especially to his widow, Tamie—and to recognise his contribution to our country.

Malcom Fraser's time in office is so often, and inevitably, compared with what came before. Any successor to the brashness and excited chaos of the Whitlam years would unavoidably seem quiet and considered in comparison, and a leader of Malcolm's style can seem to blend into the background. But this record of quiet and considered government marks a continuation of, rather than a break from, the preceding years of extreme social change.

Without grabbing the headlines in the way that his predecessor did, Malcolm set about creating a number of reforms, agencies and initiatives that were ground breaking for their time and remain with us today, 35 years on—an enduring legacy. These reforms have indisputably improved the condition of Australia, and have improved the lives of Australians and many people around the world. These reforms highlight the importance of Malcolm's time as Prime Minister and beyond.

Even with the knowledge that he was a quiet achiever, it took me aback to see the huge raft of reforms that he enacted. He banned mining on Fraser Island and was instrumental in the creation of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, safeguarding one of the nation's and the planet's great wonders. He was instrumental in designating it as a World Heritage Site in 1981, alongside Kakadu, Lord Howe Island and others. He also banned whaling in Australian waters.

He commissioned the Campbell report of 1981, which laid the foundations for the eventual deregulation of the financial system. He set up the automatic indexation of pensions, simplified the test to qualify for pensions and introduced a new housing scheme for pensioners.

In an area particularly close to my heart, he founded the AIS in response to our lacklustre outing at the Montreal Olympics. In doing so he created the framework to push our young athletes, to give them the opportunity to deliver the results that we expected then and which we enjoy to this day. He also established the sports development program, the National Athlete Award Scheme and the National Committee on Sport and Recreation for the Disabled—always a champion for the disadvantaged.

He oversaw the process of giving the Northern Territory self-government and he guided the nation's first land rights act through parliament. He also introduced income equalisation deposits as a self-help aid to primary producers, to assist in times of drought. His government introduced the family allowance, providing direct help for mothers and families, as well as the lone fathers benefit and the family income supplement.

He was responsible for the creation of a number of commissions and legal reforms, including the introduction of the Commonwealth Ombudsman, the National Companies and Securities Commission and the Australian Human Rights Commission, and he was also responsible for creating the freedom of information legislation.

Internationally, he set up the nuclear safeguards agreement negotiated with 10 nations and ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. He was famously a critic of apartheid and a vocal critic of global injustice. He introduced import parity oil pricing as a means of conserving existing supplies, and he encouraged exploration.

He stood up for the disadvantaged across all fronts, setting up the National Women's Advisory Council, the National Aboriginal Conference and the National Youth Advisory Group. And he established commercial FM radio.

But of all his reforms, it is those in the area of our acceptance of other cultures and immigrants that I believe have had the biggest impact on Australia today. They have certainly irreversibly improved my electorate of Bennelong. It was mentioned numerous times at the beginning of this debate on Monday how Malcolm was the first person to use the word 'multicultural' on the floor of this House. But his commitment to the concept extended far beyond words. Increasing our immigration intake and resettling Vietnamese asylum seekers is one thing, but Malcolm went to the next level of making them feel at home, and in doing so, changing the very fabric of Australian society.

The SBS is a concrete manifestation of Malcolm's ideals, and testament to the sincerity with which he welcomed others to our shores. It will be an everlasting memorial to Malcolm's vision for a better, multicultural Australia.

I met Malcolm on several occasions, most recently in January with his wife, Tamie. I reminded him of his days training under Stan Nichols at Stan's Melbourne gym. Stan had won great notoriety as Harry Hopman's fitness guru, training our greatest tennis players and other athletes. Stan had told me of his encounter with Malcolm. As Malcolm referred to recently, when asked if he had ever been a footballer he had said no, that the only role he could play would be as the goalpost. Stan said that Malcolm was not a gifted athlete, but he was most genuine in his efforts to get fit and he was meticulous in paying his fees!

When I told Tamie of my father's deep love and appreciation of her, Malcolm beamed with pride and associated himself with my dad. He was very funny and he was self-deprecating, but most of all he luxuriated in the complement of his Tamie. Malcolm sat with my partner over lunch, who was made to feel immediately comfortable. My partner has since bragged of her brush with this lovely couple. We share in a small way Tamie's sadness of loss.

Some people stir emotions with the power of their personalities and their charisma. When this is present in our actors, our singers or our sportsmen, it is cause for even greater celebration of their accomplishments. However, these qualities in a political leader can stir our emotions and harm our better judgement. Good government must be based on facts and be delivered in a practical way. During his term in public office we may not have fallen in love with Malcolm—fallen under his spell of charisma and personal charm. But when the facts of his time in office face the scrutiny of that perfect vision of hindsight, a most enduring set of accomplishments are plain to see. Long after the personalities have been forgotten and only the facts—the true legacy of his leadership of our country—remain, Malcolm Fraser's contribution will stand, as he did, very tall.

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