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Clip description
Malcolm Fraser reflects on perceptions of him as a right-wing conservative.
Curator’s notes
This segment shows the great change in public perception of Malcolm Fraser. The politician whose career was overshadowed by a single line he spoke in 1971 – a quote from George Bernard Shaw’s Back to Methuselah (1921) – is contrasted with the humanitarian work he has been involved with since retiring from politics. Fraser also points to several policies adopted by his government that run counter to suggestions of him as a right-wing conservative. He believes his views have remained consistent, but shifts in politics have made it appear as if he has changed. Note the archival footage of Fraser and his wife, Tammie, strolling in the garden. It’s inconceivable now to imagine any politician in Australia or just about anywhere else being filmed while smoking.
