John Malcolm Fraser

Fraser, John Malcolm (1930– ), Australian prime minister (1975–83). First elected to Parliament in 1955, he served in various posts in Liberal Party governments, 1966–71. In 1975 he became Liberal leader and later prime minister. His party easily won reelection in 1977. He pursued a policy of cutbacks in public expenditures in order to halve the inflation rate; however, a high unemployment rate continued in the country.