About

An introduction to the Malcolm Fraser Collection at the University of Melbourne, including how to access the collection.

About the collection

Malcolm Fraser during his time at Oxford
Malcolm Fraser during his time at Oxford, c. 1951. University of Melbourne Archives 2007.0053 OSBA/648

The Malcolm Fraser Collection at the University of Melbourne currently consists of around two hundred metres of family and personal records relating to the former Prime Minister of Australia, the Rt Hon. Malcolm Fraser. Mr Fraser designated the University of Melbourne as the official custodian of his personal papers in 2004. In time, Mr Fraser’s library will also be transferred to the University of Melbourne and be housed at Melbourne Law School . The collection consists of all Mr Fraser’s personal papers from both his pre-ministerial and post-ministerial activities.

The collection spans Mr Fraser's life and interests, and includes material relating to:

  • Political life and party politics
  • Immigration and multiculturalism
  • Rural economy
  • Human rights and racial equality
  • The rule of law
  • Reconciliation and relations with Aboriginal Australia
  • The environment
  • Economic policy
  • Mr Fraser's recreational interests: photography, cars and fishing.

Commonwealth records generated by Mr Fraser as a Minister of the Crown will remain at the National Archives of Australia.

Highlights in the Malcolm Fraser Collection, aside from the material noted above, include:

  • Photographs. These include photographs taken by Malcolm Fraser’s father, Neville Fraser, and photographs of official overseas and domestic visits by Mr Fraser while Prime Minister of Australia. There are also photographs taken by Mr Fraser himself while on these visits.
  • Speeches dating from Mr Fraser’s 1956 preselection speech until the present day.
  • Some papers associated with Sir Simon Fraser, Mr Fraser’s grandfather. Simon Fraser was a member of the Victorian Upper House (the Legislative Council) and a participant in most of the Federation conferences which preceded Australian Federation. He was a foundation Senator for Victoria until 1913.
  • Papers of Mr Fraser’s father, Neville Fraser and his mother, Una Fraser.
  • Correspondence from individuals or interest groups associated with his constituency, the electorate of Wannon in Victoria’s Western District. The series covers Mr Fraser’s entire twenty-eight years in federal politics (1955–83).
  • Records relating to Mr Fraser’s role as a founding member of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group reporting on apartheid in South Africa. Press releases, cuttings, board papers and other records from CARE Australia, Australia's largest non-political and non-religious overseas aid organisation. Documents from the InterAction Council, of which Fraser was Co-chairman 1998-2005 and Honorary Chairman 2006-2014.
  • Interviews conducted by Dr Margaret Simons whilst researching for the book Malcolm Fraser: The political memoirs.

Accessing the collection

The Malcolm Fraser Collection is managed by the University of Melbourne Archives. You can browse the collection via the University of Melbourne Archives collection database.

Records available for research may be used in the Cultural Collections Reading Room on the 3rd floor of the Baillieu Library. For up to date information about collection access, see the Reading Room website.

For further information about the collection, or to discuss you research needs please contact the reference service at archives@archives.unimelb.edu.au.

Malcolm Fraser's speech

The formal announcement of the presentation of the Malcolm Fraser Collection to the University of Melbourne took place on 5 May 2005. Mr Fraser's speech at the event outlines his association with the University and his aspirations for the collection:

The lack of public outrage [at the anti-terror provisions] makes me feel Australia has travelled many leagues in the wrong direction since a former Chancellor of this University and some-time politician, founded the Liberal Party and in doing so emphasized, above all, maintenance of the Rule of Law, of due process under the law and equal access to the law. To have these papers in a place which has a firm, unshakable commitment to the Rule of Law and to Due Process, underlines a fundamental point of Australian life and a fundamental belief of my own. Speech by Malcolm Fraser

Reference group

The reference group for the Malcolm Fraser Collection provides expert advice on the care and development of the collection, as well as direction for research and development opportunities. The members are:

  • Mrs Tamara Fraser OA
  • Dr Margaret Simons (chair)
  • Angela Marshall
  • Sam Marshall
  • Ian Renard
  • Petro Georgiou
  • Hon. Dr David Kemp
  • Professor Anne Twomey
  • Hon Matt Kean