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[h=2]Former Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser, who served as the nation's leader from 1975 until 1983, died on Friday after a short illness at the age of 84, his office said.[/h]
File photo of former Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser (R) during the launch of his first political memoirs at the University of Melbourne's Law School on Mar 4, 2010. (AFP/William WEST)
SYDNEY: Former Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser, who served as the nation's leader from 1975 until 1983, died on Friday (Mar 20) after a short illness at the age of 84, his office said.
"It is with deep sadness that we inform you that after a brief illness John Malcolm Fraser died peacefully in the early hours of the morning of 20 Mar 2015," a statement said. "We appreciate that this will be a shock to all who knew and loved him, but ask that the family be left in peace at this difficult time."
Fraser, a Liberal, began his term as the country's 22nd leader after the representative of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Sir John Kerr, dismissed Gough Whitlam in November 1975 in a constitutional crisis. Whitlam died last October, aged 98.
During his tenure, Fraser pursued goals of reducing spending and responsible fiscal management, and was a strong supporter of human rights. He was succeeded by Labor's Bob Hawke in 1983. In recent years, he had become an outspoken critic of the Liberal Party, while being a prolific user of Twitter to share his opinions.
Before becoming prime minister, he spent 10 years as a backbencher in the government of Robert Menzies. He became Minister for the Army in 1966 under Harold Holt, and was also a minister in the governments of John Gorton and William McMahon.
SYDNEY: Former Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser, who served as the nation's leader from 1975 until 1983, died on Friday (Mar 20) after a short illness at the age of 84, his office said.
"It is with deep sadness that we inform you that after a brief illness John Malcolm Fraser died peacefully in the early hours of the morning of 20 Mar 2015," a statement said. "We appreciate that this will be a shock to all who knew and loved him, but ask that the family be left in peace at this difficult time."
Fraser, a Liberal, began his term as the country's 22nd leader after the representative of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Sir John Kerr, dismissed Gough Whitlam in November 1975 in a constitutional crisis. Whitlam died last October, aged 98.
During his tenure, Fraser pursued goals of reducing spending and responsible fiscal management, and was a strong supporter of human rights. He was succeeded by Labor's Bob Hawke in 1983. In recent years, he had become an outspoken critic of the Liberal Party, while being a prolific user of Twitter to share his opinions.
Before becoming prime minister, he spent 10 years as a backbencher in the government of Robert Menzies. He became Minister for the Army in 1966 under Harold Holt, and was also a minister in the governments of John Gorton and William McMahon.
