Below is the text of a media release I put out on Friday 20
March on behalf of the Campaign for for an Iraw War Inquiry/Australians for War
Powers Reform following the news of the death of former Prime Minister Malcolm
Fraser.
Death of Rt. Hon. Malcolm
Fraser AC CH
On this 12th
anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, Campaign for an Iraq War
Inquiry/Australians for War Powers Reform expresses its deep sorrow at the news
of the passing of Australia’s 22nd Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Malcolm
Fraser AC CH.
Mr Fraser was a
foundation member of our movement, having attended in early 2012 a meeting in
Melbourne which convened to consider how we might best campaign for the
establishment of an independent inquiry into the decision-making process that
led to Australia’s participation in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the
relocation of the so-called “war powers” from the Executive to the Parliament.
From that time
forward he was effectively the movement’s Patron. Later in 2012, in Parliament
House, Canberra, he launched our publication “Why Did We Go To War In Iraq?: A call for an Australian Inquiry”.
He was a strong supporter of our movement and a ready source of guidance and
wise counsel.
“His support for
this cause was of a piece with his staunch opposition to apartheid as Prime
Minister, his humane approach to Indo-Chinese asylum seekers during his time in
office, his calls for a more humane approach to asylum seekers in the
contemporary era and his respect for international institutions and
international law”, said Paul Barratt, President of CIWI/AWPR.
At this time of
faltering foreign policy and a too-ready willingness to commit the Australian
Defence Force to overseas conflicts his wisdom and ideas will be missed more
than ever. His stature will undoubtedly grow in coming decades.
Many of our members
and longstanding supporters have known Mr Fraser both professionally and
personally over a long period of time. We shall miss him both as a friend and
as a colleague, and extend our condolences to Mrs Fraser and the family.
Paul Barratt
President
20 March 2015
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