The Fraser Government faced difficult economic times: the aftermath of the world oil shock; record-breaking droughts; unsettled world markets and the legacy of the profligate Labor Government under Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.
Initiatives of the period:
- introduction of far-reaching new Federalism programmes
- large scale new development projects (roads, dams, etc)
- focus on conservation, the environment and development of national parks
- new developments in the social security area, led by the new family allowance scheme
- involvement on the world’s stage such as the instigation of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting, CHOGRM, facilitating the emergence of Zimbabwe and playing a leading role in the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees
- major new developments in the wages and industrial relations areas
- focus on assistance with employment schemes and encouraging employment growth
- new mineral resources found and developed
- assistance given to sportsmen to help them compete more effectively at world level
- primary producers helped through the most severe drought ever
- succession of programmes introduced to assist businesses both large and small
- introduction of family allowance providing direct help for mothers and families
- family income supplement introduced
- lone fathers’ benefit introduced
- means test on pensions replaced by simpler income test
- automatic indexation of pensions
- new pensioner housing scheme introduced
- abolition of estate and gift duties
- establishment of Office of Child Care
- progressive legal reforms with introduction of Ombudsman, National Companies and Securities Commission, Human Rights Commission, Freedom of Information legislation
- ratification of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
- prohibition of sand mining on Fraser Island
- whaling banned in Australian waters
- declaration of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
- five properties placed on the World Heritage List (Great Barrier Reef, Kakadu, Wilandra Lakes, Lord Howe Island and South West Tasmania)
- Northern Territory given self government and land rights granted there
- agreement reached with States to restore their powers in territorial seas and to establish joint authorities for mining, fishing, etc in off-shore areas and beyond
- States and local government given permanent and guaranteed shares of personal income tax collections
- National Women’s Advisory Council established
- establishment of Institute of Multicultural Affairs
- establishment of Special Broadcasting System (SBS) with special television and radio programmes
- nuclear safeguards agreement negotiated with ten nations
- introduction of child migrant education programme
- introduction of import parity oil pricing as a means of conserving existing supplies and encourage exploration
- Office of Youth Affairs and Institute of Family Studies set up to address family issues
- National Youth Advisory Group established
- began SYETP (Youth Training), school to work transition programme, programme for unemployed youth, youth employment task force, relocation assistance scheme and the Job Bank computer system as a means of helping young people
- established commercial FM radio
- established Australian Institute of Sport
- established Sport Development Programme, National Athlete Award Scheme, National Committee on Sport and Recreation for the Disabled
- established a number of bodies (eg National Aboriginal Conference) to further the cause of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders
- introduced income equalisation deposits as a self-help aid to primary producers to assist them in times of drought, etc
- more referendum questions carried under the Fraser Government (3) than under any other government
