The political party Malcolm Fraser was working to set up when he died was to stand for an Australian republic that was reconciled with its first peoples through a treaty, with a larger population, a more independent foreign policy and a post-carbon economy.

Mr Fraser, who died aged 84 on March 20, will be farewelled on Friday at a state funeral service at Scots' Church in Melbourne.

Fairfax Media reported last week the former prime minister would not have led the party, which had the working name Renew Australia, but had led the development of its platform.

In a draft "statement of values and purposes" for the future party published by news website Crikey on Thursday, Mr Fraser argued a new "modern, independent and progressive political party of national purpose" was needed to deliver the "intelligent and enlightened leadership, inspired by a belief in justice, integrity and a sense of the fair go" that the nation demanded.

"We do not take this step lightly or impulsively," the statement reads. "Our party has been created in the belief that the major political parties ... have repeatedly failed Australians on the big issues."

"When over long duration the foundations of political parties become eroded and their purposes fall out of touch with the nation's basic values and beliefs, and when government and opposition join in advocating policies ever more corrosive of our national spirit of fairness and justice, there arises the need for new political groupings to better express the voice of the people," says the statement, which is dated January 20.

The document says the party accepts "the overwhelming scientific evidence of climate change" and recognises that "nothing short of a profoundly different way of structuring the global economy will avert the catastrophic effects of a warming planet".

"Despite the un-extracted riches in Australia's coal reserves, the imperative of moving to a post-carbon economy is clear, and the urgency of government intervention to achieve it is compelling," it reads.

Rejecting arguments that Australia was already fully populated, it argues the nation needed to be prepared to increase its population, arguing a larger population would contribute to the nation's "long term vitality and security" as well as its influence on global affairs.

Calling for a more assertive and independent approach to foreign policy, the document argues Australia should not cede to any other nation the capacity to decide whether Australia goes to war.

"Alliances are important, but they must serve mutual interests," it says.

Declaring Australia had committed "gross, unconscionable breaches" of its international obligations in its treatment of asylum seekers, the document said Australia's approach had to change "urgently and fundamentally," and its international human rights obligations be entrenched in domestic law.

Mr Fraser, who led the Liberal Party from 1975 to 1983, quit the party in 2009, shortly after Tony Abbott replaced Malcolm Turnbull as leader. He campaigned for Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young at the 2013 election because of her stance on immigration issues.

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