While Malcolm Fraser should have some beaut photographs of places he visited in the Territory when he was PM , it is doubtful that he has many fond memories of the north. We recently posted the account about the riotous occasion when Fraser, in regal pose, sat on a dais in Mitchell Street outside the Legislative Assembly while eggs were thrown, outrageous things were shouted at the Governor- General, Sir Zelman Cowen, and Queensland Premier , Joh Bjelke –Petersen, held a media dunny stop to predict Aboriginal land rights would ruin the Territory.
Sir Zelman , while observing legal and social niceties, does have a sense of humour and a republican streak , despite having been Lizzie Two-Stroke's Australian representative ensconced in Yarralumla . This writer was present at a civic gathering in North Queensland when Cowen, running the Queensland University at the time , delivered an amusing , off the cuff speech.
In it he recalled how one Queensland civic leader, renowned for long, boring speeches , got to his feet and his knowing audience inwardly winced and prepared for a lengthy earbashing. The situation, however, was saved when somebody passed a note to the speaker which said , Sit down –your fly is undone.
The same year as the hootin’ and a-hollering outside the Legislative Assembly , PM Fraser found himself charged on summons with fish poaching at the Dreamtime Lagoon, in the Woolwonga Wildlife Sanctuary, contrary to the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Ordinance. The person who took out the summons was Roy James Wright , of Darwin, described as one of the Territory’s most colourful fishermen, serving nine months in Fannie Bay for taking fish with a gill net , in the same area the PM fished during his Territory visit .
Wright had claimed, in his own defence , that he had fished at the invitation of an Aboriginal born in the sactuary. When the PM went fishing on April 27 , he did so at the invitation of the Northern Land Council chairman, Galarrwuy Yunupingu, and caught some fish. Fraser had a 35mm camera with him and took many happy snaps during the fishing safari . Included in the 20 strong party were Chief Minister Paul Everingham, Fraser’s Press Secretary , David Barnett, and ex- Sydney Morning Herald journalist , Brian Johns , in the PM’s Department at the time , later a Penguin publisher and head of the ABC.
Local lawyer John Waters , then the NT ALP secretary, appearing for Wright, played the PM like a hooked Marlin or a Long Tom . He told Darwin magistrate , Tom Pauling , now the NT Administrator , that Mr Fraser had committed the offence on the high handed assumption that he was above the law. The defendant had not been under the influence of alcohol which might have diminished his responsibility. Furthermore, the PM was well known to police and had , in the past, demonstrated his disregard for the conventions of Australia and its law
The irritated, huffy QC representing the PM said Waters’ speech had been a political address delivered under the guise of heavy handed humour. It was made by a man who was willing to wound and afraid to strike. A plea of not guilty was entered , but the facts were admitted. Magistrate Pauling found the offence proven but dismissed the charge . Is this episode the reason why you never see Big Mal casting a line in Territory tourism TV advertising campaigns?
