How to Capture a Prime Minister

The documentary film

When a student protest erupts into violence, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser is forced into a basement while his minders desperately hatch an escape plan. As the drama unfolds, How to Capture a Prime Minister prompts us to reflect on the fragility of democracy, the lifecycle of idealism, and the legacy of one of Australia’s most divisive Prime Ministers.

"Who knew Australian history could be this bizarre, this interesting, and yet somehow so typical."
- Jenny Hocking

"Rulers radicals and ratbags collide in chaotic drama."
- Lindsay Tanner

Runtime: 1hr 42m - Rated M

The unfinished blueprint

The film touches on Fraser's bitter repudation of what he described as an 'authoritarian streak' within the modern Liberal Party. Few people know that he was actively building a new cross-party political movement aimed at renewing Australian democracy, but momentum was lost when he passed away in 2015. Is Fraser’s blueprint for a new political party the antidote to today's democratic decay?

Following the film, director Gary Newman will be joined by political scientist Mike Richards, who worked directly with Malcolm Fraser on his unfinished project. Together, we’ll explore whether Fraser’s blueprint offers clues for what a 21st-century political movement could look like.

Gary Newman is a political filmmaker and commentator, with work published in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.

Dr Mike Richards is a political scientist and former chief of staff to several Labor leaders.