The Right Honourable Malcolm Fraser, AC, CH, who died in Melbourne on 20 March, was the last surviving prime minister of Australia to have been sworn of H.M. Privy Council (in 1976)—hence the “Right Honourable”. Many years ago a veteran Commonwealth public servant told me that, of all the prime ministers he had served—and he had served half a dozen—in his view Malcolm Fraser was the one most likely to say about a situation, an issue, or a problem, whatever it was, “This is plain wrong, we absolutely must act to set it right,” and duly exercised his executive function with despatch, often without regard to immediate or adverse political consequences. The death of a former prime minister is always a moment for national reflection; it necessarily forms a milestone, and with the passing of Malcolm Fraser the dramatic events of November 11, 1975, now retreat farther from the realm of living memory into that of history and chronicle. Malcolm Fraser was Prime Minister of the Commonwealth Australia from 1975 to 1983.
