Dawn Fraser is perhaps first woman sports celebrity who has entered politics. Frank and fearless swimmer, she made waves in three successive Olympic Games in Melbourne (1959), Rome (1960) and Tokyo (1964). Now she is making waves in New South Wales politics.
The former Olympic triple gold medalist and swimming legend, who called a spade a spade irrespective of the consequences, Dawn no longer swims from dawn to dusk to perfect her style and technique, but she is now involved in legislation and amendments.
Fraser was well aware that there would be more whirl pools and cross currents in politics than in swimming pools. But she still plunged caring little for the treacherous currents. Her attitude was that if she could ride over water, why she should not be able to take ‘on politics.
Within two years, the quintessential Australian sporting queen has already made an impact on politics; she is considered ideally suited to a career in politics and there are many who had just started realizing it.
There were some who doubted her intellectual prowess. They felt it was easier for her to manoeuveres water than politics, they shouted from house tops that she could barely float, if at all, if she did not sink or drown. But she has already established that if she was more than a match to swimming officials she could successfully deal with seasoned politicians as well.
“Attack is the best defence,” says Fraser who not only defeated her opponents but humiliated them as soon as she was off to a flat racing start. Drawing a leaf out of her swimming aggression, Fraser has said: “I know it’s there, and I can draw on its power.”
Whatever Fraser’s views she had been astute and shrewd enough to stay on amiable terms with both the NSW Premier, Nick Greiner, and the Leader of the State Opposition, Bob Carr. She may not yet be a leader in Parliament House but she is in the Parliament House swimming pool. Politicians may have learnt how to backstroke or butterfly during the question hour, but they are often seen battling in water and Fraser is always there to offer advice.
Fraser says that she is not a great politician and “I don’t expect to be one either.” But her opponents feel otherwise.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 17, 1990
