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Former PM reflects on Oz election

Malcolm Fraser was a Liberal Party PM in Australia in the 1970's. He was often described as being akin to an Easter Island statue.

Since leaving office Fraser has often spoken out on what might be described as liberal issues - reconciliation with Australia's indigenous peoples, the detention of illegal immigrants, the attack on people's personal freedoms, etc. etc.

With the upcoming Australian Federal election Fraser weighs in with an op-ed piece, "Voting to restore the decent values Australia once held dear", in The Age.

"In deciding how to vote, Australians should make a judgement about which set of policies will do best for the future, will build a stronger nation and invest in the basic fabric that will enable Australia to compete throughout the world. Above all, we need to return to our traditional sense of fairness, justice and again guarantee the rule of law and due process for all people. We need a vision for the future based on these values.

Education is a basic priority. Too much government money has been taken out of education and the Government has sought to impose political solutions. Freedom and integrity of fundamental research should be re-established. Government should protect these attributes.

The environment is a major issue. It has been significantly debated but I do not believe either party has set out a comprehensive plan to make sure that Australian water is used effectively and in the national interest. One thing is clear, water is a national asset and its final use cannot be determined by price alone. We need to define a set of priorities."

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