The Rhodesian Government maintained an office of the Rhodesian Information Service in Sydney , but from 1972 , following a change in government , the Australian federal Labor government of Gough Whitlam in Canberra sought to close the office . In 1973 , the federal government attempted to cut post and telephone links to the Centre , but this was ruled illegal by the full bench of the High Court . However , it remained open despite further efforts to close it under the succeeding government of Malcolm Fraser , operating under the jurisdiction of the state of New South Wales , until the Zimbabwean Government closed it in May 1980 . During the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1979 , Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser was instrumental in convincing the then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to withhold British recognition of the Smith-led government of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia , prompting Britain to host the Lancaster House Agreement at which full independence and majority rule for Zimbabwe was agreed upon . At the independence celebrations in Harare in 1980 , Fraser 's contribution to Zimbabwean independence was firmly acknowledged . Australia established a High Commission in Salisbury on independence in 1980 , with Jeremy Hearder as the first High Commissioner and Zimbabwe established a High Commission in Canberra in 1988 , with Dr. Eubert Mashaire as the first High Commissioner
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1979
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1979
Australia–Zimbabwe relations