National Archives of Australia
1981 – Fraser government
The Fourth Fraser Ministry was sworn in after the re-election of the government in November 1980, and served until a ministerial reshuffle on 7 May 1982. This ministry served through the whole of 1981.
Contents
The 1981 Cabinet records
Public access provisions
Under changes to the public access provisions of the Archives Act 1983 approved by Parliament in May 2010 the open access period for most Australian Government records will commence after 20 years instead of the current 30 years. The change is being phased in over 10 years with the closed period reducing by a years on 1 January each year until 2020. For more detailed information about this change refer to Access to records under the Archives Act.
As a result of this change Cabinet records for 1981 became eligible for public access from 1 January 2010, along with the Cabinet records for 1980.
Cabinet records for 1981 from the four main series (submissions, memoranda, decisions and the Cabinet Office 'LC' files) are listed on the RecordSearch database. Applications for access to any records from 1981 may be made using RecordSearch.
Selected key 1981 Cabinet records will released throughout 2011.
Submissions
During 1981 the Fraser Cabinet received 759 submissions. Twenty-two submissions were withdrawn completely, and 11 were withdrawn and replaced by another submission.
Cabinet submissions considered by the Fourth Fraser Ministry are held in series A12909.
A copy of the decision is attached to the submission within series A12909. Related material may be held in the Cabinet Office file. Fourth Fraser Ministry Cabinet Office files are held in series A10756.
Memoranda
The Cabinet memoranda format was introduced in February 1979 following a review of Cabinet Office arrangements and replaced the earlier Cabinet papers series. Memoranda provided a means – other than a formal Cabinet submission – by which a minister could, with the prior consent of the Prime Minister, place a matter before Cabinet.
Cabinet memoranda for the Fraser Cabinet are held in series A12930.
During 1981 Cabinet considered 742 memoranda. Thirteen of these were withdrawn, eight were withdrawn and replaced by another memorandum, and one was withdrawn and replaced by a submission.
Decisions
Cabinet decisions made by the Fourth Fraser Ministry are held in series A13075. This series includes copies of all decisions, both those made on a submission and those made without submission.
During 1981, 4114 Cabinet decisions were made. Just over 332 per cent of decisions – some 1392 – were made without submission.
Cabinet Office 'LC' files
Cabinet Office 'LC' files (in series A10756) contain the originals of the submissions, briefing papers and related decisions. They also contain departmental advice and exchanges between officials and ministers not included in the formal Cabinet papers. There is a file in this series for most submissions.
'LC' files of interest can be identified through the National Archives' collection database, RecordSearch, and an application for access placed online. There will be some delay in making them available as they will require access examination.
Departmental records
The detailed background papers and earlier drafts of the Cabinet papers being released can be found on the files of the department that sponsored each Cabinet submission. These papers reveal the detailed deliberations of the Public Service on the topic and often include the opinions and guidance of the responsible minister.
Records can be identified through the National Archives' collection database, RecordSearch.
Collection references
| Series title | Date range | Series number | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Fraser ministries – Cabinet files, single number series with 'LC' prefix | 1975–83 | A10756 |
| Second, third, fourth and fifth ministries – Cabinet submissions (with decisions) | 1975–83 | A12909 |
| Second, third, fourth and fifth ministries – folders of Cabinet decisions | 1975–83 | A13075 |
| Fraser ministries – Cabinet memoranda | 1979–83 | A12930 |
Background to 1981
Members and committees
The Fourth Fraser Ministry was sworn in after the re-election of the government in November 1980, and served until a ministerial reshuffle on 7 May 1982. This ministry served through the whole of 1981.
The Fraser Cabinet in 1981
Members of the Fraser Cabinet in 1981 are listed below. The roles and titles ascribed to them are those they held in 1981.
As had been the case with earlier Fraser ministries, the Cabinet comprised some but not all members of the Ministry. This practice has been continued by all subsequent ministries.
| Minister | Portfolio |
|---|---|
| Fraser, The Rt Hon John Malcolm | Prime Minister |
| Anthony, The Rt Hon John Douglas | Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Trade and Resources |
| Lynch, The Hon Phillip Reginald | Minster for Industry and Commerce |
| Sinclair, The Hon Ian McCahon | Minister for Communications |
| Carrick, Senator the Hon John Leslie | Minister for National Development and Energy
Vice-President of the Executive Council |
| Street, The Hon Anthony Austin | Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| Nixon, The Hon Peter James | Minister for Primary Industry |
| Howard, The Hon John Winston | Treasurer |
| Peacock, The Hon. Andrew Sharp (in Cabinet to 16.4.1981) | Minister for Industrial Relations (to 16.4.1981) |
| Killen, The Hon Denis James | Minister for Defence |
| Guilfoyle, Senator the Hon Margaret Georgina Constance | Minister for Finance |
| Viner, The Hon Robert Ian | Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs (to 16.4.1981)
Minister for Industrial Relations (from 16.4.1981) Leader of the House |
| Durack, Senator the Hon Peter Drew QC | Attorney-General |
| Chaney, Senator the Hon Frederick Michael | Minister for Social Security |
| Fife, The Hon Wallace Clyde (in Cabinet from 16.4.1981) | Minister for Education |
Cabinet committees
Cabinet committees were first formally established in 1950 to help Cabinet make decisions more expeditiously and efficiently by:
- having a committee of ministers sift through the issues and facts and then present Cabinet with a clear recommendation for action; and
- relieving Cabinet of much business of lesser importance.
In 1981 the Fraser Cabinet had the following Cabinet committees:
| Cabinet committee | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Ad Hoc Committee | Ad Hoc |
| Co-ordination Committee | CC |
| Economic Committee | EC |
| Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee | FAD |
| General Administrative Committee | GA |
| General Policy Committee | GP |
| Industry Policy Committee | IP |
| Intelligence and Security Committee | IS |
| Legislation Committee | LEG |
| Machinery of Government Committee | MOG |
| Monetary Policy Committee | MP |
| Planning and Co-ordination Committee | PC |
| Public Information Committee | PIC |
| Social Welfare Policy Committee | SWP |
| Wages Policy Committee | WP |
It was usual for decisions made by an Ad Hoc committee to bear the suffix 'Ad Hoc'. One exception to this is the Ad Hoc Committee on Budget which was usually represented by a 'B' suffix (sometimes shown as 'AHB').
In November 1980 an Ad Hoc committee was formed to support Cabinet in matters relating to the Review of Commonwealth Functions. Decisions made by the committee, which was very active in the first half of 1981, bear the suffix 'RCF'.
Key figures of 1980 and 1981
The following table lists the key people in Government in 1980 and 1981 and other significant figures referred to in the selected Cabinet documents. Other figures from the period may be identified by consulting the Commonwealth Government Directory (Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra) for 1980 and 1981 and the Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia (21st edition, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1982).
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Adermann, The Hon Albert Evan | Minister for Veterans' Affairs (to 3.11.1980) |
| Anthony, The Rt Hon John Douglas | Deputy Prime Minister
|
| Barwick, Sir Garfield GCMG | Chief Justice, High Court of Australia |
| Baume, Senator the Hon Peter Erne | Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (from 3.11.1980) |
| Bowen, Sir Nigel | Chief Judge, Federal Court of Australia
Chair, Committee of Inquiry Concerning Public Duty and Private Interest |
| Brown, The Hon Neil Anthony | Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs (from 3.11.1980) |
| Carrick, Senator the Hon John Leslie | Minister for National Development and Energy
Vice-President of the Executive Council |
| Chaney, Senator the Hon Frederick Michael | Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (to 3.11.1980)
Minister for Social Security (from 3.11.1980) |
| Codd, Michael | Under Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |
| Cowen, His Excellency Sir Zelman, AK, GCMG, KStJ, QC | Governor-General of Australia |
| Crawford, Sir John | Chair, Study Group on Structural Adjustment |
| Durack, Senator the Hon Peter Drew QC | Attorney-General |
| Ellicott, The Hon Robert James QC | Minister for the Capital Territory (to 3.11.1980)
Minister for Home Affairs (to 3.11.1980) Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment (from 3.11.1980 to 17.2.1981) |
| Fife, The Hon Wallace Clyde | Minister for Education |
| Fraser, The Rt Hon John Malcolm | Prime Minister |
| Galbally, Francis QC | Chair, Review into Post-arrival Programs and Services for Migrants |
| Garland, The Hon Ransley Victor | Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs (to 3.11.1980) |
| Groom, The Hon Raymond John | Minister for Housing and Construction (to 3.11.1980) |
| Guilfoyle, Senator The Hon Margaret Georgina Constance | Minister for Social Security (to 3.11.1980)
Minister for Finance (from 3.11.1980) |
| Henderson, Peter | Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs |
| Hodgman, The Hon William Michael | Minister for the Capital Territory (from 3.11.1980) |
| Holcroft, Warwick | Chair, Independent Public Inquiry into Domestic Airfares |
| Howard, The Hon John Winston | Treasurer |
| Hunt, The Hon Ralph James Dunnet | Minister for Transport |
| Jamison, James Hardie OBE | Chair, Commission of Inquiry into the Efficiency and Administration of Hospitals |
| Killen, The Hon Denis James | Minister for Defence |
| Lynch, The Hon Phillip Reginald | Minister for Industry and Commerce |
| MacKellar, The Hon Michael John Randal | Minister for Health
Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment (from 17.2.1981 to 19.3.1981) |
| Macphee, The Hon Ian Malcolm | Minister for Productivity (to 8.12.1979)
Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs |
| McLeay, The Hon John Elden | Minister for Administrative Services (to 3.11.1980) |
| McVeigh, The Hon Daniel Thomas | Minister for Housing and Construction (from 3.11.1980) |
| Moore, The Hon John Colinton | Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs (from 3.11.1980) |
| Myers, Sir Rupert KBE, CBE | Vice-Chancellor, University of NSW
Chair, Committee of Inquiry into Technological Change in Australia |
| Neaves, Alan | Secretary, Attorney-General’s Department |
| Newman, The Hon Kevin Eugene | Minister for Productivity (to 3.11.1980)
Minister for Administrative Services (from 3.11.1980) |
| Nixon, The Hon Peter James | Minister for Primary Industry |
| Peacock, The Hon Andrew Sharp | Minister for Foreign Affairs (to 3.11.1980)
Minister for Industrial Relations (from 3.11.1980 to 16.4.1981) |
| Pritchett, William | Secretary, Department of Defence |
| Robinson, The Hon Eric Laidlaw | Minister for Finance (to 3.11.1980)
Died 7 January 1981 |
| Scott, Senator The Hon Donald Barr | Minister for Special Trade Representations (to 19.8.1980) |
| Sinclair, The Hon Ian McCahon | Minister for Special Trade Representations (from 19.8.1980 to 3.11.1980)
Minister for Communications (from 3.11.1980) |
| Staley, The Hon Anthony Allan | Minister for Post and Telecommunications (to 3.11.1980) |
| Steele Craik, Duncan | Auditor-General |
| Stone, John | Secretary, Department of the Treasury |
| Street, The Hon Anthony Austin | Minister for Industrial Relations (to 3.11.1980)
Minister for Foreign Affairs (from 3.11.1980) |
| Sweetland, Wilfred | Chair, Commission of Inquiry into the Viability of the Christmas Island Phosphate Industry |
| Thomson, The Hon David Scott | Minister for Science and the Environment (to 3.11.1980)
Minister for Science and Technology (from 3.11.1980) |
| Viner, The Hon Robert Ian | Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs (to 16.4.1981)
Minister for Industrial Relations (from 16.4.1981) Leader of the House |
| Williams, Bruce Rodda | Chair, Committee of Inquiry into Education and Training |
| Williams, The Hon Justice Edward Stratton | Commissioner, Royal Commission into Drugs
Judge, Queensland Supreme Court |
| Wilson, The Hon Ian Bonython Cameron | Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment (from 19.3.1981) |
| Woods, Sir Colin | Commissioner, Australian Federal Police |
| Yeend, Geoffrey | Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |
Selected documents
Collection references
Further information
Personal records
The National Archives holds an extensive collection of Malcolm Fraser's personal records. Details of these records can be found in RecordSearch. Choose the 'RecordSearch – Advanced search' tab, and select the 'Commonwealth persons' box. Enter Mr Fraser's Commonwealth Person number (CP 51) into the 'Person number' field to reach the person registration and select 'Series'.
The National Archives also holds personal records deposited by other members of the 1980 Cabinet. Details of these records can be found in RecordSearch. To search for these records Choose the 'RecordSearch – Advanced search' tab, and select the 'Commonwealth persons' box. Enter the Cabinet member's name (for example, Margaret Guilfoyle) into the 'Person name' field to reach the person registration and select 'Series'.
The Malcolm Fraser Collection at the University of Melbourne includes photographs and speeches relating to Malcolm Fraser's political career.
Other records
The National Archives holds many records documenting Malcolm Fraser's parliamentary career and prime ministership.
The Australia’s Prime Ministers website provides a wealth of information on Malcolm Fraser's life and career, with links to relevant records held by institutions around the world.
1980 Cabinet records release, 7 December 2010
| Speaker | Duration | Size | Download | Transcript |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Stokes – Background to the 1980 Cabinet records: The historical context and issues of interest | 20:57 minutes | 24.57mb |  |
Transcript |
| Paul Kelly – Remembering 1980 and 1981 | 23:09 minutes | 27.15mb | |
Transcript |
