Australian premier coasts past leadership challenge

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser easily survived a challenge to his leadership of the Liberal Party in a vote by Liberal Parliament members, Monitor contributor David Solomon reports.

Mr. Fraser won 54 votes, while his foreign minister, Andrew Peacock, who has been spoiling for a chance to oust Mr. Fraser, with 27 votes.

After the vote, Mr. Peacock promised support for Fraser, but few believed that there would be no further leadership challenge by him or others.

Whether a a new challenge surfaces could depend on the extent to which Mr. Fraser accommodates the views of Mr. Peacock's supporters, who now represent a third of the Liberals in Parliament.