From late 1975 until early 1983 Australia was governed by a coalition of the Liberal Party and National-Country Party, headed by Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. The political and economic climate which prevailed in Australia during these years was completely different from that of the Whitlam period and, as a result, there were major transformations in the relationship between feminist organisations and the state. The means by which the Whitlam government had been ousted by the conservatives had caused deep divisions in Australian society. Most radical and reformist groups regarded the incoming government with profound hostility and distrust - as much for the way in which it had achieved office as for its policies. The new government came to power promising significant reductions in public expenditure particularly in areas such as social welfare. For both economic and ideological reasons it was committed to promoting the role of the family rather than expanding state-provided services to care for children and other dependents. Furthermore, the new administration was intent on bringing to an end what it saw as the ‘excesses’ of open government as practised by Labor. Procedures such as seeking advice from outside the public service, establishing independent policy-making bodies, publishing reports for public discussion and giving citizens relatively easy access to ministers were destined to come to an end.