Electorate of Bob McMullan

Fraser Electorate

State
Australian Capital Territory

Name Derivation
Named after James Reay Fraser (1908-1970), Member of the House of Representatives for the Australian Capital Territory (1951-1970).

Jim Fraser represented the Australian Capital Territory from 1951 until his death in 1970. When he was first elected to Parliament, Canberra’s population was about twenty thousand, a figure which had grown to about one hundred and twenty thousand by the time he died.

Each year since 2000 Bob has organised the Fraser Lecture. The lecture is intended to be a forum in which issues can be raised and discussed and has been named in memory of Jim Fraser. Transcripts of past Fraser Lectures are available in the Media & Speeches section of this website

During that time, Jim Fraser was the sole representative for the ACT in Parliament. As this was before ACT Self-Government, he had to be an advocate for Canberra on local government issues as well as those issues of federal government. Gough Whitlam said that Jim Fraser was ‘not only member of the House of Representatives for the Australian Capital Territory but also he had to act as Canberra’s mayor, senator and ombudsman. Even more, it was in his character, and part of his nature, to believe that the problems of the people – his people – were his own’.

Area and Location Description
The Fraser electorate covers an area of approximately 535 sq km from the whole of Belconnen, Gungahlin, Hall, North Canberra, Majura, Kowen, the South Canberra suburbs of Barton, Kingston, Griffith, Narrabundah, Fyshwick and the Jervis Bay Territory.

View a full list of suburbs in the Fraser electorate >>

First Proclaimed
1974 (Prior to 1974 - Australian Capital Territory)

Members
Bob McMullan (ALP) 1998-
S Dargavel (ALP) 1997-98
J Langmore (ALP) 1984-96
K L Fry (ALP) 1974-84

Source : Australian Electoral Commission Website – www.aec.gov.au