True Liberal? The Record and Legacy of the Fraser Government, 1975-1983
Symposium Schedule
The University of Melbourne (Melbourne School of Government and Archives and Special Collections) and Trinity College are delighted to invite you to a Symposium being held to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Fraser Government.
The Symposium will be held at Trinity College on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 December 2025.
Questions about the event should be sent to the Chair of the steering committee, Dr Margaret Simons, at margaret@margaretsimons.com.au
Queries about the archival collections at the University of Melbourne should be addressed to Katie Wood at kathrynw@unimelb.edu.au
Tickets for the Symposium will be on sale in the coming weeks. Check back here soon.
Photographer: Roger Scott (1944). Malcolm Fraser, Randwick Racecourse 1975, copyright courtesy Josef Lebovic Gallery, Sydney
Day 1 - Friday 12 December 2025
9 - 9.30am Welcome
Session 1: What kind of government was it?
9.30 - 10.30am Address by Dr Denis White, followed by Panel Discussion Chaired by Georgina Downer
10.30 - 11am Morning Tea Break
Session 2: The Malcolm Fraser Collection
11 - 11.45am Discussion with participating Chair, Katie Wood.
Session 3: The culture of the Nation
11.45am - 12.45pm Panel Discussion Chaired by Ian Renard
12.45 - 1.45pm Lunch
Session 4: Australia in the world
1.45 - 3pm Address by Alexander Downer, followed by Panel Discussion Chaired by Professor Michael Wesley
3 - 3.30pm Afternoon Tea.
Session 5: Providing Sanctuary – refugees
3.30 - 4.30pm Address by David Furse Roberts, followed by Panel Discussion
Session 6: the public service
4.30 - 5.30pm Panel Discussion, Chaired by Professor Emerita Anne Twomey
Session 7: the fraser collection announcement
5.30 - 5.45pm
Session 8
6 - 7pm Fraser Oration
7.15 - 10pm Fraser Oration Dinner, where members of the Fraser family will be in conversation with Dr Margaret Simons
Day 2 - Saturday 13 December 2025
Session 1: the first australians, then and now
9 - 10am TBC
10 - 10.30am Morning tea
Session 2: Monetary policy, the economy and productivity
10.30 - 11.30am Panel Discussion
Session 3: Constitutional and Administrative reform
11.30 - 12.30pm Panel Discussion
12.30 - 1.30pm Lunch
Session 4: Human RIghts
1.30 - 2.30pm Panel Discussion Chaired by Dr Phoebe Wynn-Pope
2.30 - 3pm Afternoon Tea
Session 5: Changing the face of the nation – immigration and multiculturalism
3 - 4pm Panel Discussion Chaired by Dr Phoebe Wynn-Pope
Session 6: What id liberalism today?
4 - 5.30pm Panel Discussion Chaired by David Kemp
5.30 - 6pm Closing Remarks