This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2015/mar/27/malcolm-fraser-farewelled-at-state-funeral

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Malcolm Fraser farewelled at state funeral – rolling coverage Malcolm Fraser farewelled at state funeral – rolling coverage
(35 minutes later)
11.57am AEST00:57
Russian pool and potent martinis
Peter Nixon – transport minister in the Fraser government – is delivering the eulogy.
We both entered the ministry under Harold Holt and from then on our lives were closer. From the start, it was apparent to me that Malcolm was sure to succeed. His contributions were always thoughtful. It was clear he was bound up in his work.
He never joined Doug Anthony, Billy Sneddon and others when we played Russian pool against Clyde Cameron, Fred Daly and Jim Cope from the Labor party late on Thursday night – although he and Tamie frequently entertained backbenchers at their home in Canberra.
Everyone who attended would remember the compulsory potent martinis Malcolm served on arrival, always with a big grin on his face.
11.51am AEST00:51
Son Mark reads from Luke, chapter ten. Grand daughter, Hester, is now playing the piano and singing a piece of her own composition.
The magnanimity of your ideas/Will never die/And that is why/We only say good-bye/Until we meet again ..
11.48am AEST00:48
A time for everything
Fraser’s daughter Angela shares the first reading.
Ecclesiastes chapter three, verses one to eight.
A time for everything.
For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted.
Time to kill and a time to heal. A time to break down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.
11.44am AEST00:44
The first hymn in the service is, ‘I Vow to Thee, My Country.’ I confess to a modest amount of humming.
11.43am AEST00:43
The service opens with a rousing rendition of the national anthem.
Rev. Douglas Robertson, Senior Minister, Scots’ Church.
We’ve gathered here today to give thanks to God for the life of the Right Honourable John Malcolm Fraser. And as we do so we offer our respects to the Wurinndyiri people and the elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of this land.
In our service today we will rejoice in good memories of a long life well lived, a life devoted to his wife Tamie, to their children and grandchildren. A life committed to both public and private service.
11.39am AEST00:39
Father of the House Philip Ruddock has been interviewed on his way into Scots’ Church. He’s repeated many of the observations he made in this week’s condolence debate about Fraser’s political legacy. Today, he’s paid tribute also to Fraser’s wife, Tamie.
My own wife - and she’s been with me 40 years in this journey - remarks particularly on the way in which Tamie made spouses feel welcome.
Everybody takes a different view about how you do it and they all try but I think Tamie was particularly generous in her time, her effort and her understanding and I think one needs to thank her as much as you do Malcolm.
11.35am AEST00:35
Just a quick report from Ollie Milman once again.
Moderate sized crowd outside Scot’s church in Melbourne for Malcolm Fraser’s funeral, many more inside the St Michaels church opposite to view coverage of the service. The Vietnamese community easily make up half of the people here, as journalists and men in suits with earpieces focus on the dignitaries arriving. One onlooker, who didn’t want to give her name, says she could never have ever imagined paying her respects until recently. “I certainly wasn’t a fan after the dismissal, God no. But he grew in stature. I don’t know who else there is like him anymore.”
11.30am AEST00:30
Australia's Vietnamese community have turned out to farewell their 'father' Malcolm Fraser. http://t.co/7wHUleJkHT pic.twitter.com/VZZEgQJVL7
11.29am AEST00:29
For readers who may not be aware, one of Fraser’s significant legacies was his decision to welcome people displaced by the Vietnam war.
11.26am AEST00:26
My colleague Oliver Milman is outside Scots’ Church. He’s spoken to Phong Ngyuen, general secretary of the Vietnamese community in Australia.
It’s a very sad day for me personally and also the Vietnamese community in Australia. Malcolm Fraser is like a father to all of us, he saved us and took us in and look at where we are now.
He saw it as a moral obligation to take us in when others were prepared to wash their hands of us. His moral integrity shone through.
He said to me on the phone ‘I’m glad you’ve been a success here otherwise my decision wouldn’t have looked right.’ It came after the white australia policy and allowed us to build the multicultural society we have today.
11.22am AEST00:2211.22am AEST00:22
ABC reporter Greg Jennett is speaking to a former Liberal party leader, Brendan Nelson, outside the church.ABC reporter Greg Jennett is speaking to a former Liberal party leader, Brendan Nelson, outside the church.
Q: Did (Fraser) make approaches during your tenure in office to chide you, correct you, advise you?Q: Did (Fraser) make approaches during your tenure in office to chide you, correct you, advise you?
Brendan Nelson:Brendan Nelson:
He certainly did. Firstly, I reached out to him and I remember having a very remarkable meeting with him in the early tenure of my leadership after we had lost office in 2007.He certainly did. Firstly, I reached out to him and I remember having a very remarkable meeting with him in the early tenure of my leadership after we had lost office in 2007.
I asked his counsel on a number of issues. We spoke at length, for example, about the parliamentary apology to forcibly remove Indigenous children – and I told him that if I was going to make decisions which I thought would be something about which he would be concerned, we would have a discussion before I did anything publicly.I asked his counsel on a number of issues. We spoke at length, for example, about the parliamentary apology to forcibly remove Indigenous children – and I told him that if I was going to make decisions which I thought would be something about which he would be concerned, we would have a discussion before I did anything publicly.
Q: How would you say that shaped later pronouncements that you were to make as leader or decisions your party was to take?Q: How would you say that shaped later pronouncements that you were to make as leader or decisions your party was to take?
I wanted him to understand that so long as I had the privilege to lead the party that the views of all the party members would certainly be respected – but particularly someone of his stature and respect and importance – so I think that has also been the case for others.I wanted him to understand that so long as I had the privilege to lead the party that the views of all the party members would certainly be respected – but particularly someone of his stature and respect and importance – so I think that has also been the case for others.
Everyone is different and Malcolm Fraser chose to offer public advice – more so than some former leaders.Everyone is different and Malcolm Fraser chose to offer public advice – more so than some former leaders.
11.18am AEST00:1811.18am AEST00:18
Christopher Pyne is here too pic.twitter.com/XJzj0zq4oXChristopher Pyne is here too pic.twitter.com/XJzj0zq4oX
11.16am AEST00:1611.16am AEST00:16
A number of political figures, past and present, are filing into Scots’ Church now. Former Labor prime ministers Paul Keating and Julia Gillard – the foreign minister Julie Bishop.A number of political figures, past and present, are filing into Scots’ Church now. Former Labor prime ministers Paul Keating and Julia Gillard – the foreign minister Julie Bishop.
Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard arrives at the state funeral for The Right Hon Malcolm Fraser @channeltennews pic.twitter.com/BD0STqpGVnFormer Prime Minister Julia Gillard arrives at the state funeral for The Right Hon Malcolm Fraser @channeltennews pic.twitter.com/BD0STqpGVn
All calm on the arrivals front thus far. There was controversy at the Whitlam service in Sydney about members of the public booing some of the arrivals. Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser buried the hatchet about 1975, but lots of fired up folks loyally maintained the rage.All calm on the arrivals front thus far. There was controversy at the Whitlam service in Sydney about members of the public booing some of the arrivals. Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser buried the hatchet about 1975, but lots of fired up folks loyally maintained the rage.
10.56am AEST23:5610.56am AEST23:56
Good morning and welcome to today’s live coverage of Malcolm Fraser’s state funeral today in Melbourne. Fraser, Australia’s 22nd prime minister, died last week after a short illness, aged 84.Good morning and welcome to today’s live coverage of Malcolm Fraser’s state funeral today in Melbourne. Fraser, Australia’s 22nd prime minister, died last week after a short illness, aged 84.
Australian politics has alreday said farewell to Fraser in a condolence debate on Monday.Australian politics has alreday said farewell to Fraser in a condolence debate on Monday.
Today’s funeral service is for the Fraser family, and for the public. A number of excellent pieces have been written examining Malcolm Fraser’s complex legacy as prime minister, and his public contribuion beyond The Lodge. If you’d like to review the reflections of colleagues, friends and experts, you can find the work we have published at Guardian Australia here.Today’s funeral service is for the Fraser family, and for the public. A number of excellent pieces have been written examining Malcolm Fraser’s complex legacy as prime minister, and his public contribuion beyond The Lodge. If you’d like to review the reflections of colleagues, friends and experts, you can find the work we have published at Guardian Australia here.
Malcolm Fraser was Australia’s last pre-globalisation prime minister. His prime ministership lived in the shadow of the dismissal of the Whitlam government in 1975 – notwithstanding the fact Fraser went on to secure a comprehensive electoral mandate through three successive election victories. He was a philosophical liberal, but a staunch conservative on economic policies, an opponent of deregulation – and he was was criticised by his colleagues for lacking reform zeal.Malcolm Fraser was Australia’s last pre-globalisation prime minister. His prime ministership lived in the shadow of the dismissal of the Whitlam government in 1975 – notwithstanding the fact Fraser went on to secure a comprehensive electoral mandate through three successive election victories. He was a philosophical liberal, but a staunch conservative on economic policies, an opponent of deregulation – and he was was criticised by his colleagues for lacking reform zeal.
But Fraser championed human rights, in Australia, and globally; and multiculturalism. In 1976 he established the family court of Australia and federal court of Australia; granted the Northern Territory self-government; passed the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act; created the position of federal ombudsman and established the ABC’s FM radio service. The next year, he established the National Aboriginal Conference and SBS. In 1979 the Fraser government established the Australian Refugee Advisory Council to advise it on the settlement of refugees – many of whom had been arriving as “boat people” from Vietnam since 1978.But Fraser championed human rights, in Australia, and globally; and multiculturalism. In 1976 he established the family court of Australia and federal court of Australia; granted the Northern Territory self-government; passed the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act; created the position of federal ombudsman and established the ABC’s FM radio service. The next year, he established the National Aboriginal Conference and SBS. In 1979 the Fraser government established the Australian Refugee Advisory Council to advise it on the settlement of refugees – many of whom had been arriving as “boat people” from Vietnam since 1978.
Fraser parted ways with the Liberal party after disagreements with John Howard’s policy direction. But this week, Tony Abbott went to some effort to build bridges between the Fraser legacy and the modern Liberal party.Fraser parted ways with the Liberal party after disagreements with John Howard’s policy direction. But this week, Tony Abbott went to some effort to build bridges between the Fraser legacy and the modern Liberal party.
Tony Abbott:Tony Abbott:
For most of his life, Malcolm Fraser was a classic representative of our party. He was conservative when he declared that the values and principles by which we live, the human relationships which guide us, and the values to which we aspire as Liberals will not change.For most of his life, Malcolm Fraser was a classic representative of our party. He was conservative when he declared that the values and principles by which we live, the human relationships which guide us, and the values to which we aspire as Liberals will not change.
He was Liberal when he stated that each man, from the street cleaner to the industrialist, has an equal right to a full and happy life, to go his own way unhampered as long as he does not harm our precious social fabric.He was Liberal when he stated that each man, from the street cleaner to the industrialist, has an equal right to a full and happy life, to go his own way unhampered as long as he does not harm our precious social fabric.
And he was above all an Australian patriot when he declared at his first pre-selection that I could not enter this fight if I did not love Australia.And he was above all an Australian patriot when he declared at his first pre-selection that I could not enter this fight if I did not love Australia.
I’ve opened the comments thread so readers can particpate in today’s farewell, and if so inclined you can find me on Twitter @murpharooI’ve opened the comments thread so readers can particpate in today’s farewell, and if so inclined you can find me on Twitter @murpharoo