Was Malcolm Fraser a conservative warrior or a closet progressive?

Malcolm Fraser's legacy remains contested territory in Australian politics. Decades after he left office, we still can't quite figure him out. The Prime Minister who came to power in controversy, governed for seven years, then spent the rest of his life surprising everyone with his increasingly progressive views. Whether Fraser was cautious conservative, pragmatic reformer, or something more complex entirely, this discussion seeks to understand both the man and the government he led during a pivotal period in Australian history.

Presented at the Malcolm Fraser Symposium by the Trinity College, University of Melbourne.

Listen to Big Ideas - The Art of opposition

Speakers

Troy BramstonSenior writer and columnist with The AustralianAuthor of Gough Whitlam: The Vista of the New (2025)

Dr Scott PrasserFormer Senior Adviser to three Federal Cabinet Ministers, Academic and independent researcher

Georgina Downer (host)Chief Executive Officer of the Robert Menzies Institute