ABC RADIO Listen to this story [Requires Microsoft Media Player] This is a transcript of AM broadcast at 0800 AEST on local radio. Former Liberal PM condems coalition attitude to asylum seekers AM - Saturday, October 20, 2001 8:12 HAMISH ROBERTSON: Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser has condemned the federal coalition’s attitude to asylum seekers. With another boatload of people seeking refuge in Australia turned back towards Indonesia just yesterday, an emotional Mr Fraser has shown that he’s sharply at odds with today’s Liberal leaders. Rachel Carbonnell has this report: RACHEL CARBONNELL: In recent time Malcolm Fraser has distanced himself from the policies of the Federal Government. Mr Fraser’s views on reconciliation differ strongly from those of the coalition. Now it seems his attitude towards asylum seekers is moving him even further away from current government policy. During an acceptance speech at the Victorian Premiers literary awards in Melbourne last night, Mr Fraser invited the audience to question Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers. MALCOLM FRASER: I would like to ask you to think what are we doing with our current policies about refugees who would like a decent future. RACHEL CARBONNELL: Speaking after the event, Mr Fraser was particularly critical of the government’s comments regarding a group of asylum seekers from the Middle East who allegedly threw their children overboard in Australian waters earlier this month. MALCOLM FRASER: What does our leadership do? All they can do - all they can think of is what terrible people these must be. They cannot be the kind of people that we want to be Australian. I have never heard a worse comment from any Australian. RACHEL CARBONNELL: Mr Fraser suggested the people may have been running from oppressive regimes, and expressed deep sympathy for those involved. MALCOLM FRASER: They would have said, if we are rescued by an Australian and put on an Australian boat, we would be safe. RACHEL CARBONEL: Later, regaining his composure, Mr Fraser said the country was headed for a period of division, unprecedented since Billy Hughes was prime minister. MALCOLM FRASER: It divided Australia on sectarian grounds in a way that lasted for the best part of 50 years. We had very serious sectarian-based discrimination in this country which most people won’t know about. My father was part of that history. He told me about it. So I knew about it, in a sense at first-hand. It was divisive, disruptive, destructive. It didn’t end until probably the end of the 1950s - maybe into 1960. We’re facing the same kind of divisions now. HAMISH ROBERTSON: That was Malcolm Fraser ending that report from Rachel Carbonnell. Transcripts on this website are created by an independent transcription service. The ABC does not warrant the accuracy of the transcripts. ABC Online users are advised to listen to the audio provided on this page to verify the accuracy of the transcripts. © 2001 ABC | Privacy Policy