161-573: Prime Minister of Australia Term of government (1966–1967) Ministries Elections Harold Edward Holt (5 August 1908 – 17 December 1967) was an Australian politician and lawyer who served as the 17th prime minister of Australia from 1966 until his disappearance and presumed death in 1967. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia . Holt was born in Sydney and moved to Melbourne in childhood, studying law at
322-658: A Bachelor of Laws degree in 1930. Holt's father – living in London ;– invited him to continue his studies in England, but he declined the offer. Holt served his articles of clerkship with the firm of Fink , Best & Miller. He was admitted to the Victorian Bar in late 1932, and opened his own legal practice the following year. However, clients during the Depression were scarce and frequently underpaid, so Holt lived in
483-478: A faux pas while delivering a ceremonial address at the White House . Departing from his prepared remarks, he said: "And so, sir, in the lonelier and perhaps even more disheartening moments which come to any national leader, I hope there will be a corner of your mind and heart which takes cheer from the fact that you have an admiring friend, a staunch friend that will be all the way with LBJ ." Holt had meant it to be
644-479: A national unity government with the Labor Party. As labour minister, Holt's foremost task was to prevent industrial disputes from disrupting the war effort. He met with union leaders and employer groups, and secured their agreement to a streamlining of the arbitration process while the war was underway. He had also been made Minister in charge of Scientific and Industrial Research , which gave him responsibility for
805-699: A stevedore at the Port of Melbourne , eventually saving enough money to return to Stanhope and establish his dairy farm. McEwen's new property was virtually undeveloped, with only a single existing building (a small shack) and no fences, irrigation, or paddocks. He and the other soldier-settlers in the Stanhope district suffered a number of hardships in the early 1920s, including droughts, rabbit plagues, and low milk prices. Many of them were forced off their properties, allowing those who survived to expand their holdings relatively cheaply. In 1926, McEwen sold his property and bought
966-452: A " Lotus Land " attitude. As well as citing Australia's SEATO obligations to South Vietnam , Holt justified the war on the grounds that Australia was morally obligated to "resist communist subversion and aggression" and "defend the right of every people to choose their own social and economic order". He held that "unless there is security for all small nations, there cannot be security for any small nation". In March 1966, Holt announced that
1127-553: A "light-hearted gesture of goodwill towards a generous host", referencing the slogan used in Johnson's 1964 presidential campaign . It was interpreted as such by his immediate audience, but once it was reported back in Australia it came to be viewed as a "foolish, sycophantic and dangerous statement" that was indicative of Australian subservience. Bill Hayden said Holt's remarks "shocked and insulted many Australians [...] its seeming servility
1288-668: A boardinghouse and often relied upon the hospitality of friends. Drawing on his family connections in show business, he eventually accepted an offer to become secretary of the Victorian Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association, a film industry lobby group. In this capacity he appeared several times before the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration . This had a positive effect on his own practice, and he eventually took on two partners, first Jack Graham and later James Newman. The firm of Holt, Graham, & Newman
1449-538: A boardinghouse in Wangaratta . He grew up in what he described as "pretty frugal circumstances", and in 1912 his grandmother moved the family to Dandenong , on the outskirts of Melbourne. McEwen attended state schools in Wangaratta and Dandenong until the age of thirteen, when he began working for Rocke, Tompsitt & Co., a drug manufacturer in central Melbourne. He initially worked as a switchboard operator , for which he
1610-687: A cabinet proposal to enter into trade negotiations with Japan in July 1953, which was rejected although an accompanying recommendation to liberalise restrictions on Japanese imports was accepted. He eventually secured cabinet approval for trade talks with Japan in November 1954, on his third attempt. In February 1955, he also persuaded cabinet to agree to Japan's accession to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), although Australia and many other former Allied powers invoked an exception under Article 35 of
1771-428: A core belief in, and broad public demand for, the sustained support of cultural activity from all three tiers of government". Holt believed it was his responsibility as prime minister "to reflect the modern Australia to my fellow countrymen, to our allies and the outside world at large". His approach to national security emphasised opposition to international communism and the need to engage more with Asia. Holt said that
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#17329092847681932-536: A dispute between McEwen and Assistant Treasurer Les Bury ended with Bury being sacked from cabinet. His stature eventually grew to the point where he was considered a potential successor to Menzies as prime minister. An opinion poll in December 1963 showed that 19 percent of Coalition voters favoured McEwen as Menzies' successor, only two points behind the poll leader Holt. By December 1965, this number had risen to 27 percent, compared with Holt's 22 percent. McEwen's cause
2093-553: A friendship with Mabel Brookes , and through Brookes became acquainted with senior members of the influential Australian Women's National League (AWNL). He also secured the patronage of Robert Menzies , with whom he shared a similar background and political views. At the 1934 federal election , Holt stood for the UAP in the Division of Yarra . It was a safe seat for the Labor Party , held by
2254-492: A full-time leader. McEwen retained all of Holt's ministers, and had them sworn in as the McEwen Ministry. Approaching 68, McEwen was the oldest person ever to be appointed Prime Minister of Australia, although not the oldest to serve; Menzies left office one month and six days after his 71st birthday. McEwen had been encouraged to remain prime minister on a more permanent basis but to do so would have required him to defect to
2415-519: A landslide victory. The Holt government continued the dismantling of the White Australia policy, amended the constitution to give the federal government responsibility for indigenous affairs , and took Australia out of the sterling area . Holt promoted greater engagement with Asia and the Pacific, and made visits to a number of East Asian countries. His government expanded Australia's involvement in
2576-742: A large farming property in Nubba , and was twice elected mayor of nearby Wallendbeen . Holt's father trained as a schoolteacher in Sydney and when Harold was born, worked as a physical education teacher at the Cleveland Street School in Surry Hills . Holt's mother was born in Eudunda , South Australia , and had Cornish, English, German, and Irish ancestry; her sister was the actress Vera Pearce . In 1914, Holt's parents moved to Adelaide , where his father became
2737-402: A larger farm nearby, which he named Chilgala (a portmanteau of Chiltern and Tongala , the birthplaces of himself and his wife). He switched from dairy to beef cattle, and was able to expand his property by buying abandoned farms from the government. At its peak, Chilgala covered 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) and carried 1,800 head of cattle. McEwen had a reputation as one of the best farmers in
2898-411: A major agricultural and mining country. This basic attitude meant that I was bound to favour broadly protectionist policies aimed at developing our manufacturing sector." At the time of his resignation, he had served in parliament for 36 years and 5 months, including 34 years as either a minister (1937–1941 and 1949–1971) or opposition frontbencher (1941–1949). He was the last serving parliamentarian from
3059-476: A major influence on economic policy, particularly in the areas of agriculture, manufacturing, and trade. As soon as McEwen became the leader of the Country Party, he became the de facto deputy prime minister. In December 1967, Harold Holt disappeared and was presumed dead while in office. As the de facto deputy prime minister, McEwen was commissioned as caretaker prime minister while the Liberal Party elected
3220-517: A member for the duration of the war. On the council he advocated for "independent and first-hand reports of the New Guinea situation , and was critical of the northern air defence strategy". McEwen was elected deputy leader of the Country Party in September 1943, with the position having been vacant since Fadden's elevation to the leadership. He opposed suggestions that the Country Party should merge into
3381-531: A ministerial portfolio. A minor reshuffle occurred after the 1966 election, with Doug Anthony and Ian Sinclair added to cabinet and Charles Barnes demoted to the outer ministry. The only new government department created during Holt's tenure was the Department of Education and Science , established in December 1966, which was the first federal department specific to either of those areas. The Country Party leader and de facto Deputy Prime Minister , John McEwen ,
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#17329092847683542-546: A more flexible and caring attitude than Calwell, who was a strong advocate of the White Australia policy . One of his first acts was to intervene in the case of Lorenzo Gamboa , a Filipino man with an Australian wife and children who had been denied entry by Calwell due to his race. Holt reversed the decision, allowing Gamboa to settle in Australia permanently. Holt excelled in the Labour portfolio and has been described as one of
3703-638: A more pragmatic approach, focusing on policy specifics (particularly the government's apparent lack of an exit strategy ) rather than the validity of the war itself. Holt cultivated a close relationship with the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson . He believed that "without the American shield most of us who live in Asia and the South Pacific would have a continuing sense of insecurity". Cooperation between
3864-505: A new Office of Aboriginal Affairs within the Prime Minister's Department , as well as a new advisory body called the Council of Aboriginal Affairs (chaired by H. C. Coombs ). According to Coombs and Paul Hasluck , Holt had little interest in indigenous affairs before becoming prime minister. Despite this, he brought about a fundamental shift in the way policy was handled, paving the way for
4025-431: A new agreement signed in 1963. The trade agreement with Japan "ushered in a new era of Australian trade which would make Japan immeasurably Australia's biggest trading partner". Its signing was regarded as a personal triumph for McEwen, who was its main advocate in the government and bore much of the political risk. According to Malcolm Fraser , Menzies only authorised McEwen to negotiate in his own name, not on behalf of
4186-562: A new leader. He was 67 at the time, the oldest person to become prime minister and only the third from the Country Party. McEwen ceded power to John Gorton after 23 days in office in January 1968, and in recognition of his service was appointed deputy prime minister, the first time that position had been formally created. He was Australia's third shortest serving prime minister, after Earle Page and Frank Forde . He remained as deputy prime minister until his retirement from politics in 1971. McEwen
4347-603: A number of conspiracy theories. Holt was the third Australian prime minister to die in office. He was succeeded by Country Party leader John McEwen on an interim basis and then by John Gorton . His death was commemorated in a number of ways, among them by the establishment of the Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre in Melbourne. Holt was born on 5 August 1908 at his parents' home in Stanmore, New South Wales ,
4508-416: A number of reciprocal visits from East Asian leaders, including Eisaku Satō of Japan, Souvanna Phouma of Laos, and Thanom Kittikachorn of Thailand. The most controversial of those occurred in January 1967, when Prime Minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ of South Vietnam visited on Holt's personal invitation – issued without consulting cabinet. Public sentiment was beginning to turn against the war, and Ky's visit
4669-478: A public statement criticising the decision, which he feared would damage primary industry. Holt considered this a breach of cabinet solidarity , and made preparations for the Liberal Party to govern in its own right in case the Country Party withdrew from the government. The situation was eventually resolved In Holt's favour. Harold Holt disappeared while swimming at Portsea, Victoria , on 17 December 1967, and
4830-471: A reasonably low profile for the remainder of the war, except for his membership of the Joint Committee on War Expenditure. He was criticised by some for not re-joining the army, and at the 1943 election was opposed by Brigadier William Cremor , whose campaign was funded by Sydney businessmen (including Keith Murdoch ). He lost a significant portion of his primary vote , but suffered only a small swing on
4991-438: A referendum proposal in 1937 which was defeated by voters. McEwen's seat was abolished in a redistribution during his first term and he transferred to the seat of Indi at the 1937 election . He rose rapidly within the parliamentary Country Party and narrowly failed to win the deputy leadership after the 1937 election, losing to Harold Thorby by a single vote on the second ballot. He was subsequently appointed Minister for
Harold Holt - Misplaced Pages Continue
5152-458: A result of the Canberra air disaster on 13 August, which killed three senior government ministers. Menzies called an early general election for 21 September, which resulted in a hung parliament and a UAP–Country minority government. Holt was given leave from the army to campaign, and won re-election with a large majority. Menzies subsequently asked him to return to cabinet, to which he agreed. Holt
5313-486: A suburb of Sydney . He was the first of two sons born to Olive May (née Williams; formerly Pearce) and Thomas James Holt; his younger brother Clifford was born in 1910. His parents had married seven months before his birth, in January 1908. On his father's side, Holt was descended from James Holt, a cobbler from Birmingham , England, who arrived in New South Wales in 1829. His paternal grandfather, Thomas Holt Sr., owned
5474-569: A victory which Smith's Weekly attributed to his "political godmothers" in the AWNL. His new seat was centred on Melbourne's wealthy inner-eastern suburbs. Holt was twenty-seven years old when he entered parliament, making him its youngest member. He kept a relatively low profile in his first few years, but spoke on a wide range of topics. When Robert Menzies became prime minister in April 1939, he made Holt one of four ministers without portfolio . His inclusion
5635-465: A waterside dispute in Bowen , Queensland in September 1953 provoked bitter criticism. Holt's personal profile and political standing grew throughout the 1950s. He served on numerous committees and overseas delegations, he was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1953, and in 1954 he was named one of Australia's six best-dressed men. In 1956, he was elected Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party and became Leader of
5796-608: A wheat industry stabilisation plan". In April 1935 he announced his support for a royal commission into the Australian banking system, which the government convened later in the year. In 1936, following the Privy Council 's ruling in James v Commonwealth , McEwen moved in parliament that the constitution be amended to allow for the federal government to legislate on the marketing of agricultural products. The government ultimately put forward
5957-409: The 1963 election , with his department now called the Department of Trade and Industry . McEwen enjoyed a "sound working relationship" with Holt, but without the same rapport he had had with Menzies. However, he had a poor relationship with William McMahon , Holt's replacement as Treasurer. They had philosophical differences over free trade and foreign investment, both of which McEwen opposed. McMahon
6118-610: The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment , would be withdrawn and replaced by the 1st Australian Task Force , a self-contained brigade -sized unit based at Nui Dat . This effectively tripled the number of Australian troops in Vietnam to around 4,500, and also included 1,500 national servicemen – the first conscripts to serve in the conflict. By the final months of Holt's prime ministership, Australia had over 8,000 personnel stationed in South Vietnam, drawn from all three branches of
6279-629: The 2/4th Field Regiment , holding the rank of gunner . He had been offered a commission as an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force , but declined due to his lack of experience. In a press statement, Holt said "as the youngest member of the House, I could not feel happy in my position if I were not prepared to make some sacrifice and take an active part". He was sent to Puckapunyal for training, and expected to be posted to North Africa or Palestine. Holt's brief military career came to an end as
6440-639: The Article XV squadrons required by the scheme, and that Australian officers were being denied senior leadership opportunities in RAF commands. In August 1941 he despatched Richard Williams to London to establish RAAF Overseas Headquarters , with the aim of securing greater Australian input in decision-making. McEwen continued to serve on the Advisory War Council following the Fadden government's defeat, remaining as
6601-556: The Australian Defence Force ; the final troop increase was announced in October 1967. Holt "never deviated from his whole-hearted support for American bombing of North Vietnam and the hope that steadily increasing the number of foreign troops deployed to South Vietnam would lead to military victory and a solution to the crisis". John Gorton later said it was "ironical that, being a man of peace, he should have presided over one of
Harold Holt - Misplaced Pages Continue
6762-603: The CSIR and its wartime efforts. In April 1941, Holt sponsored and oversaw the passage of the Child Endowment Act , which introduced a universal child endowment scheme; newspapers labelled him "the godfather to a million Australian children". When leadership troubles hit the Coalition later in the year, Holt initially supported Menzies. However, he and five cabinet colleagues eventually transferred their allegiance to Arthur Fadden ,
6923-513: The Canberra air disaster in August 1940. McEwen remained as air and civil aviation minister until the defeat of the Fadden government in October 1941, with Fadden having succeeded as prime minister upon Menzies' resignation in August 1941. As air minister, McEwen oversaw the continued expansion of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He secured war cabinet approval for volunteers to be recruited from
7084-698: The Citizen Military Forces and also authorised steps to expand RAAF auxiliaries , announcing the creation of the Australian Air Force Cadets and the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force in early 1941. According to an official RAAF history, he "made it clear that he did not favour the enlistment of women in the air force unless it was unavoidable, but unavoidable it became". He had a strained relationship with RAAF chief Charles Burnett , frequently clashing over expenditure matters. McEwen oversaw
7245-519: The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and also acted for periods as Minister for Trade and Customs and Minister for Civil Aviation and Air while the incumbents were overseas. Holt's first stint as a government minister came to an end in March 1940, when the coalition with the Country Party was reinstituted. His replacement was Arthur Fadden , another future prime minister. Holt enlisted in
7406-694: The Grand Cordon, Order of the Rising Sun in 1973. On 21 September 1921, he married Anne Mills McLeod , known as Annie; they had no children. In 1966, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). After a long illness Dame Anne McEwen died on 10 February 1967. At the time of becoming prime minister in December of that year, McEwen was a widower, being the first Australian prime minister unmarried during his term of office. (The next such case
7567-693: The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council . The necessary legislation was not passed until after his death. In November 1967, in one of his last major policy statements, Holt announced the establishment of the National Gallery of Australia and the Australia Council for the Arts . The National Gallery, which did not open until 1982, was the first arts-related major infrastructure project to be funded by
7728-627: The Melbourne Olympics in 1956. Holt fostered greater collaboration between the government, the courts, employers and trade unions. He enjoyed good relationships with union leaders like Albert Monk , President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions ; and Jim Healy , leader of the radical Waterside Workers Federation ;and he gained a reputation for tolerance, restraint and a willingness to compromise, although his controversial decision to use troops to take control of cargo facilities during
7889-610: The Menzies government , McEwen pursued what became known as "McEwenism" – a policy of high tariff protection for the manufacturing industry, so that industry would not challenge the continuing high tariffs on imported raw materials, which benefitted farmers but pushed up industry's costs. This policy was a part (some argue the foundation) of what became known as the " Australian settlement " which promoted high wages, industrial development, government intervention in industry (Australian governments traditionally owned banks and insurance companies and
8050-571: The Militia in February 1939, joining a part-time artillery unit for businessmen and professionals. He was given indefinite leave during his ministerial service. In May 1940, without resigning his seat, Holt enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force with the intent of becoming a full-time soldier. Several of his parliamentary colleagues did likewise at various points in the war. Holt was posted to
8211-494: The New Deal for Aborigines , a landmark policy statement on Indigenous Australians which described its aim as "the raising of their status so as to entitle them by right and by qualification to the ordinary rights of citizenship and enable them and help them to share with us the opportunities that are available in their own native land". The policy specified cultural assimilation as the basis on which civil rights would be extended to
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#17329092847688372-618: The University of Melbourne . Before entering politics he practised law and was a lobbyist for cinema operators. He was first elected to the House of Representatives at the age of 27, becoming a member of parliament (MP) for the division of Fawkner at a by-election in 1935. A member of the United Australia Party (UAP), Holt was made a minister without portfolio in 1939, when his mentor Robert Menzies became prime minister. His tenure in
8533-482: The Vietnam War , and maintained close ties with the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson . While visiting the White House , Holt proclaimed that he was "all the way with LBJ", a remark which was poorly received at home. In December 1967, Holt disappeared while swimming in rough conditions at Cheviot Beach , Victoria . He was presumed dead , although his body was never recovered; his disappearance spawned
8694-464: The White Australia policy was upheld by ministerial decree rather than by explicit legislation. In March 1966, the residency requirement for naturalisation was changed to a uniform five years; it had previously been 15 years for non-whites. Discriminatory provisions relating to family reunification were also removed. As a result, in the two years after March 1966 around 3,000 Asian immigrants were granted Australian citizenship, compared with 4,100 in
8855-453: The two-party-preferred count. Menzies returned as leader of the UAP in September 1943 , and Holt was initially a candidate for the deputy leadership; he withdrew once former prime minister Billy Hughes entered the race. Holt was in favour of the creation of the Liberal Party , but played little role in the practical aspects of its establishment. He became an official member of the new party in February 1945. After eight years in opposition,
9016-471: The "No" vote successfully argued that section 24 protected the influence of the Senate, and thus the interests of less populous states and rural areas. Holt did make one other significant legal reform, albeit one that did not require a constitutional amendment. In September 1967, he announced that his government would use section 74 of the constitution to remove the potential for High Court cases to be appealed to
9177-452: The "great central fact of modern history" was "the tremendous power conflict between the communist world and the free world". He was a strong believer in the domino theory and containment , holding that communism had to be fought wherever it occurred in order to prevent it spreading to neighbouring countries. In April 1967, Holt told parliament that "geographically we are part of Asia, and increasingly we have become aware of our involvement in
9338-456: The British government unexpectedly announced that it would be devaluing the pound sterling by 14 percent. Holt announced that the Australian government would not follow suit, effectively withdrawing Australia from the sterling area . The decision was strongly opposed by the Country Party, who feared it would disadvantage primary industry. McEwen went as far as to issue a public statement criticising
9499-469: The Coalition dangerously close to losing the 1961 election , with the Coalition being returned with a precarious one-seat majority. There were calls for Holt to be sacked, but he retained Menzies' support. He later described 1960–61 as "my most difficult year in public life". Most of the deflationary measures were reversed in 1962, and unemployment dropped down to 1.5 percent by August 1963. In later budgets, Holt retreated to his Queensland holiday home while it
9660-529: The Coalition frontbench without interruption since 1937. McEwen retired from politics in 1971. In his memoir, he recalls his career as being "long and very, very hard", and turned back to managing 1,800 head of cattle on his property in Goulburn Valley . In the same year, Clifton Pugh won the Archibald Prize for a portrait of McEwen. While he had softened in his "unequivocal support for protection" by
9821-427: The Coalition partners over economic and trade policies were also beginning to emerge. Throughout his reign as Liberal leader, Menzies had enforced strict party discipline but, once he was gone, dissension began to surface. Some Liberals soon became dissatisfied by what they saw as Holt's weak leadership. Alan Reid asserts that Holt was being increasingly criticised within the party in the months before his death, that he
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#17329092847689982-442: The Coalition won the federal election of December 1949 and Menzies began his record-setting second period as Prime Minister. In a redistribution held ahead of that election, Holt's majority in Fawkner nearly disappeared. He transferred to Higgins , one of several new seats created in the 1949 redistribution. The seat was created as a safe Liberal seat; it had been carved out of the wealthier portions of Fawkner. Holt won it easily. He
10143-406: The Country Party in 1943, under Arthur Fadden . He replaced Fadden as leader in 1958, and remained in the position until his retirement from politics in 1971. He served in parliament for 36 years in total, spending a record 25 years as a government minister. The Liberal-Country Coalition returned to power in 1949 , initially under Robert Menzies and then under Harold Holt . McEwen came to have
10304-657: The Country Party. Under the Coalition agreement, he thus became the de facto deputy prime minister , and was afforded a free choice of portfolio. Fadden had been Treasurer, but McEwen somewhat unexpectedly chose to continue on as trade minister. This allowed Harold Holt to become the first Liberal MP to serve as Treasurer; since then every Treasurer in a Coalition government has been a Liberal. McEwen nonetheless had considerable influence in cabinet. He and his party favoured interventionist economic policies and were opposed to foreign ownership of industrial assets, which placed him frequently at odds with his Liberal colleagues. In 1962,
10465-525: The GATT treaty allowing them to continue to discriminate against Japan. After years of negotiations, McEwen and his Japanese counterpart Kishi Nobusuke signed the Japan–Australia Commerce Agreement in July 1957, with each country conferring most favoured nation status on the other and Australia providing a commitment to revoke its Article 35 exception. This eventually occurred in 1960 after McEwen secured Japanese concessions on imports of Australian beef. The final discriminatory trade provisions were removed in
10626-463: The Great Depression era, and hence the last parliamentary survivor of the Lyons government. By the time of his death, Malcolm Fraser 's government was abandoning McEwenite trade policies. McEwen was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in 1969. He was knighted in 1971 after his retirement from politics, becoming a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG). The Japanese government conferred on him
10787-402: The Holt government's reforms ensured that "from now on there will not be in any of our laws or in any of our regulations anything that discriminates against migrants on the grounds of colour or race". However, there would not be a practical change in the composition of Australia's immigration intake for many more years. Holt maintained that "every country reserves to itself the right to decide what
10948-439: The House , and from this point on, he was generally acknowledged as Menzies' heir apparent. In December 1958, following the retirement of Arthur Fadden , Holt succeeded him as Treasurer . Holt had little knowledge or interest in economics, but the job cemented his position as Menzies' likely successor. As Treasurer, Holt relied strongly on the advice of Treasury secretary Roland Wilson . His achievements included major reforms to
11109-459: The Indigenous population. The policy was drafted by McEwen in conjunction with his adviser A. P. Elkin . Following Lyons' death in April 1939, Country Party leader Earle Page withdrew his party from the coalition with the UAP and McEwen's first stint as a minister came to an end. Page's decision – largely due to his personal disdain for the new UAP prime minister Robert Menzies – proved controversial within his own party and four Country MPs left
11270-509: The Interior in the third Lyons ministry , a coalition government between the Country Party and the United Australia Party (UAP) led by Prime Minister Joseph Lyons . His new portfolio was "spacious in its command of broad policy issues and diversity of administrative functions" and included "Commonwealth public works, railways, immigration, the Northern and Australian Capital territories, Aborigines, electoral administration, mining, and oil exploration". As interior minister, McEwen instituted
11431-414: The Liberal Party elected Harold Holt as party leader and he became Prime Minister of Australia . After being elected by the Parliamentary Liberal Party to serve as leader and prime minister, Harold Holt led the coalition to victory in the November 1966 Australian Federal Election against the Australian Labor Party opposition led by Arthur Calwell . The coalition won a substantial majority –
11592-741: The Liberals winning 61 seats and the Country Party 21 – with the Labor Party winning 41 and 1 Independent in the Australian House of Representatives (representing the largest parliamentary majority in 65 years). Following the 1966 election, Gough Whitlam replaced Arthur Calwell as Leader of the Opposition. During his time in office, Holt increased Australian commitment to the growing War in Vietnam . His government oversaw conversion to decimal currency . Holt faced Britain's withdrawal from Asia by visiting and hosting many Asian leaders and by expanding ties to
11753-423: The Liberals, an option he had never contemplated. It had long been presumed that McMahon, who was both Treasurer and deputy Liberal leader, would succeed Holt as Liberal leader and hence prime minister. However, McEwen sparked a leadership crisis when he announced that he and his Country Party colleagues would not serve under McMahon. McEwen is reported to have despised McMahon personally. More importantly, McEwen
11914-426: The Senate to stand for election to Higgins, the House of Representatives seat formerly held by Harold Holt, which he achieved on 24 February 1968. John McEwen Sir John McEwen (29 March 1900 – 20 November 1980) was an Australian politician and farmer who served as the 18th prime minister of Australia from 1967 to 1968, in a caretaker capacity following the disappearance of prime minister Harold Holt . He
12075-672: The United States, hosting the first visit to Australia by an American president, his friend Lyndon Johnson . Holt's government introduced the Migration Act 1966 , which effectively dismantled the White Australia Policy and increased access to non-European migrants, including refugees fleeing the Vietnam War . Holt also called the 1967 Referendum which removed the discriminatory clause in the Australian Constitution which excluded Aboriginal Australians from being counted in
12236-605: The Victorian Country Party's central council mandated that its federal MPs and senators sign a pledge requiring strict party discipline and giving the central council a veto over the terms of any coalition government . The party's three MPs and two senators in Victoria refused to sign the pledge, receiving support from their parliamentary colleagues and the party's federal executive. Country MP William Hill decided to quit politics altogether in protest, with McEwen endorsed by
12397-490: The Victorian Country Party's pledge, after his election to parliament he "immediately associated himself with the federal party and incurred the hostility of his Victorian colleagues for urging that the breach be healed". In his first term he successfully lobbied the Lyons government to introduce a variable excise duty on flour, linking the duty paid by farmers to the international spot rate. He regarded this as "the first step towards
12558-598: The Victorian central council". McEwen's supporters subsequently formed an alternative organisation, the Liberal Country Party (LCP), to support his election campaigns. His parliamentary colleague Thomas Paterson resigned from the Victorian Country Party in solidarity, with he and McEwen re-elected with the support of the LCP at the 1940 election . The LCP eventually merged back into the Victorian Country Party in 1943. Upon
12719-412: The Victorian party as its replacement for Hill in the seat of Echuca . At the 1934 election he faced two "Independent Country" opponents supported by the federal party, with the party's federal leader Earle Page actively campaigning in their favour. McEwen nonetheless retained Echuca with the aid of favourable preference flows from Australian Labor Party (ALP) voters. Despite McEwen's acceptance of
12880-678: The acceleration of Australia's involvement in the Empire Air Training Scheme , which saw RAAF personnel receive training in Canada before being seconded to the Royal Air Force (RAF) for combat in the European theatre . In May 1941, McEwen announced that 1,000 RAAF ground staff would be seconded to the RAF. He faced criticisms that RAAF personnel in the UK were being assigned to RAF units rather than
13041-477: The affairs of Asia – our greatest dangers and our highest hopes are centred in Asia's tomorrows". Gough Whitlam said that Holt "made Australia better known in Asia and he made Australians more aware of Asia than ever before [...] this I believe was his most important contribution to our future". Personal diplomacy was Holt's strong point – he believed diplomatic ties could be strengthened by making intimate connections with other world leaders. This approach
13202-538: The age of 19 and was soon active in the Country Party , its political wing. He first stood for parliament at the 1932 Victorian state election , contesting the Legislative Assembly seat of Waranga . While unsuccessful, he more than doubled the Country Party's vote from the previous election. His campaigning efforts brought him to the attention of party leaders and he soon joined the state executive. In 1934,
13363-411: The ballot was tied and Arthur Fadden was chosen as a compromise. McEwen became his deputy. In October 1940, McEwen was appointed Minister for Air and Minister for Civil Aviation in a cabinet reshuffle that followed the 1940 federal election . Fadden had been acting in the portfolios for several months following the death of James Fairbairn , who had been one of three government ministers killed in
13524-489: The banking system (originated by Fadden) – including the establishment of the Reserve Bank of Australia – and the planning and preparation for the introduction of decimal currency . It was Holt who convinced Cabinet to call the new currency the "dollar" rather than the "royal". The economy Holt inherited was growing strongly, aided by the opening of new iron ore mines. However, in 1959, inflation
13685-566: The best Labour ministers since Federation. Although the conditions were ripe for industrial unrest—Communist influence in the union movement was then at its peak, and the right-wing faction in Cabinet was openly agitating for a showdown with the unions—the combination of strong economic growth and Holt's enlightened approach to industrial relations saw the number of working hours lost to strikes fall dramatically, from over two million in 1949 to just 439,000 in 1958. He also had ministerial responsibility for
13846-406: The briefness of his service, McEwen was eligible for the Victorian government's soldier settlement scheme. He selected an 86-acre (35 ha) lot at Stanhope , on land that previously been a sheep station . As with many other soldier-settlers, McEwen initially did not have the money or the expertise needed to run a farm. He spent several months working as a farm labourer and later did the same as
14007-430: The census – the referendum was one of the few to be overwhelmingly endorsed by the Australian electorate (over 90% voted 'yes'). By the end of 1967, the Liberals' initially popular support for the war in Vietnam was causing increasing public protest. On 17 December 1967, Holt disappeared in heavy surf while swimming off Cheviot Beach , near Melbourne, becoming the third Australian prime minister to die in office. He
14168-451: The composition of its people shall be", and promised "a community life free from serious minority and racial problems". He was careful to frame his changes as simply a modification of existing policy, in order to avoid alienating organised labour (historically the greatest supporters of restricting non-white immigration). The Labor Party had only removed "White Australia" from its platform in 1965, and Opposition Leader Arthur Calwell stated he
14329-488: The creation of the Reserve Bank of Australia and the decimal Australian dollar , but was blamed for a credit crunch that almost cost the Coalition the 1961 election . However, the economy soon rebounded and Holt retained his place as Menzies' heir apparent. Holt became prime minister in January 1966, elected unopposed as Liberal leader following Menzies' retirement. He fought a general election later that year, winning
14490-457: The decision, which Holt considered a breach of cabinet solidarity . The dispute caused a breakdown in Holt and McEwen's relationship and nearly brought down the Coalition; at one point, Holt made preparations for the Liberals to govern as a minority government the event McEwen tore up the Coalition agreement. Ultimately, the dispute was resolved in Holt's favour. The Bulletin said that the withdrawal
14651-544: The district, and came to be seen by the other soldier-settlers as a spokesman and leader. He represented them in meetings with government officials, and was secretary of the local Water Users' League, which protected the interests of irrigators. In 1923, he co-founded the Stanhope Dairy Co-operative, and was elected as the company's inaugural chairman. McEwen joined the Victorian Farmers' Union in 1919 at
14812-467: The federal government the power to legislate specifically for Indigenous Australians , and also mandated counting Indigenous people in the census . The constitutional amendments required a referendum before they could be enacted, which passed with over 90 percent of the vote; it remains the largest referendum majority in Australian history . Holt personally considered the amendments unnecessary and mostly symbolic, but thought they would be well received by
14973-453: The federal government to assume many of the powers and responsibilities that had previously been the preserve of the states. Indigenous academic Gary Foley has said that Holt's death was a setback for Aboriginal people, as his successors did not show the same commitment to the framework that he established. The Holt government also unsuccessfully attempted to remove section 24 of the constitution (the so-called "nexus clause"), which requires
15134-532: The federal government; previous projects had been funded by state governments or by private subscription. Holt said it would "add significantly to the cultural life of Australia and the national capital". The other element of his announcement, the Australia Council for the Arts, was the first national arts council , intended to provide arms-length advice to the Prime Minister's Department on arts funding. Rupert Myer has suggested that "Holt's legacy ought to be
15295-554: The funeral. In 1927, Holt began studying law at the University of Melbourne , living at Queen's College on a scholarship. He represented the university in cricket and football , and was also active in various student organisations, serving as president of the Law Students' Society and of the Queen's College social club. Holt won prizes for oratory and essay-writing, and was a member of the inter-university debating team. He graduated with
15456-508: The government, and "if it had gone wrong Menzies could have disowned him up to the moment the government accepted the agreement". In 1973, the Japanese government awarded McEwen the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun , making him only the second Australian politician after Edmund Barton to receive the honour. In 1958, following Fadden's retirement, McEwen was elected unopposed as leader of
15617-406: The greatest build-ups of military power that Australia has found itself engaged in". The government's handling of the war initially enjoyed broad public support, and was considered a key contributor to the landslide election victory in 1966 – referred to by some as a " khaki election ". By the end of the following year, however, opinion polls were showing that public sentiment had turned against
15778-461: The international community (particularly Asia). According to Barrie Dexter , he was privately shocked by the referendum result, having been uncertain whether it would even pass. Holt came to regard the referendum as indicative of a shift in the national mood. In the following months, he toured Aboriginal communities and consulted with indigenous leaders, including Charles Perkins and Kath Walker . Despite opposition from state governments, he created
15939-426: The largest majority government in Australian history at the time. The Liberals finished only two seats away from forming majority government in its own right. It was a higher margin of victory than Menzies had achieved in eight elections as Liberal leader, and was the Labor Party 's worst electoral defeat in 31 years . Holt received little credit for the Coalition's election victory, even from within his own party. It
16100-419: The leader of the Country Party, believing this way the only to ensure stable government. Menzies felt he had been betrayed, but forgave Holt and accepted his assurances that he had been acting in the best interests of the country. Holt retained his portfolios in the Fadden government , which lasted only 40 days before being defeated on a confidence motion in October 1941. After going into opposition , he kept
16261-582: The leadership ballot. This opened the door for the successful campaign to promote the Minister for Education and Science , Senator John Gorton , to the Prime Ministership with the support of a group led by Defence Minister Malcolm Fraser . Gorton was elected as leader of the Liberal Party on 9 January 1968 , and succeeded McEwen as prime minister the following day. It was the second time the Country Party had effectively vetoed its senior partner's choice for
16422-461: The leadership; in 1923 Earle Page had demanded that the Nationalist Party , one of the forerunners of the Liberals, remove Billy Hughes as leader before he would even consider coalition talks. Gorton created the formal title deputy prime minister for McEwen, confirming his status as the second-ranking member of the government. Prior to then, the title had been used informally for whoever
16583-659: The licensee of a hotel in Payneham . He and his brother stayed behind in Sydney, living with an uncle and attending Randwick Public School . In late 1916, Holt was sent to live with grandparents in the country, where he briefly attended the Nubba State School. He returned to Sydney the following year, and for three years was enrolled at Abbotsholme College , a private school in Killara ; his parents separated around that time. In 1920, Holt began boarding at Wesley College, Melbourne . He
16744-473: The military when he turned 18. He joined the Australian Army Cadets and completed a Royal Australian Navy course in radiotelegraphy, hoping to qualify for the newly opened Royal Military College, Duntroon . He passed the entrance exam, but instead chose to enlist as a private in the Australian Imperial Force , in order to be posted overseas sooner. The war ended before his unit shipped out. Despite
16905-459: The ministry was interrupted by a brief stint in the Australian Army , which ended when he was recalled to cabinet following the deaths of three ministers in the 1940 Canberra air disaster . The government was defeated in 1941, sending the UAP into opposition, and he joined the new Liberal Party upon its creation in 1945. When the Liberals came to office in 1949 , Holt became a senior figure in
17066-515: The new Liberal Party of Australia , created by Menzies as a replacement for the UAP, and remained defensive of the Country Party's independence throughout his political career. Remaining in opposition after the ALP won majority government at the 1943 and 1946 elections , McEwen was "closely involved with Fadden in rebuilding the Country Party, developing its policies, and preparing it for office in partnership with Menzies' rejuvenated Liberal Party". He
17227-452: The new government . As Minister for Immigration (1949–1956), he expanded the post-war immigration scheme and relaxed the White Australia policy for the first time. He was also influential as Minister for Labour and National Service (1949–1958), where he handled several industrial relations disputes. Holt was elected deputy leader of the Liberal Party in 1956, and after the 1958 election replaced Arthur Fadden as Treasurer . He oversaw
17388-456: The number of members in the House of Representatives to be "as nearly as practicable, twice the number of senators". The resulting referendum did not come close to passing, with only 40 percent voting in favour nationwide and only one state ( New South Wales ) recording a majority. All three major-party leaders campaigned for the "Yes" vote, while opposition came mainly from Coalition backbenchers and Democratic Labor Party senators. Supporters of
17549-433: The outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Page resigned as Country Party leader in order to facilitate the resumption of a coalition government with the UAP. McEwen contested the resulting leadership ballot against South Australian MP Archie Cameron , losing by seven votes to five. Prior to the ballot, the Country Party voted against allowing the four dissident MPs to rejoin the parliamentary party, although this decision
17710-403: The parliamentary party. McEwen's decision to accept a ministerial post after the 1937 election placed him into conflict with the central council of the Victorian Country Party, which had previously called on its federal MPs to withdraw from the federal coalition with the UAP. At the time, the central council was under the control of a left-wing faction and the party's state leader Albert Dunstan
17871-590: The party's leader (and former prime minister) James Scullin . Holt lost heavily, as was expected, but was praised for his campaigning. Early the following year, he contested Clifton Hill – another safe Labor seat – at the Victorian state election , losing to Bert Cremean . Holt was eventually elected to parliament on his third attempt, winning a federal by-election for the seat of Fawkner in August 1935; his predecessor, George Maxwell , had died in office. He won UAP preselection against five other candidates,
18032-470: The preceding two decades. Additionally, Immigration Minister Hubert Opperman announced that potential immigrants to Australia would be assessed solely "on the basis of their suitability as settlers, their ability to integrate readily, and their possession of qualifications which are in fact positively useful to Australia"; non-whites had previously had to demonstrate that they were "highly qualified and distinguished" to gain entry. Keith Wilson believed that
18193-466: The railways and through policies designed to assist particular industries) and decentralisation. Beginning in the early 1950s, McEwen and his departmental secretary John Crawford played a key role in the normalisation and acceleration of the Australia–Japan trade relationship. Prior to World War II, Japan had been one of the largest destinations for Australian exports. The resumption of trade after
18354-486: The rooms behind his chemist's shop. He died from meningitis in September 1907, when his son was seven. John and Amy were sent to live with their widowed grandmother, Nellie Porter (née Cook), while their younger half-brother went to live with his mother in Melbourne . They had never lived with their older half-sisters, who had been sent to live in a children's home upon their mother's death in 1893. McEwen's grandmother ran
18515-603: The same age, and had first met in 1942, when Johnson visited Melbourne as a naval officer; afterwards they shared a similar career trajectory. Holt visited the U.S. twice while in office, in June and July 1966, and on the latter visit was invited to stay at Camp David . He and Johnson reportedly played tennis, lounged by the pool, and watched movies together. In October 1966, Johnson made the first visit to Australia by an incumbent American president; Vice President Hubert Humphrey had visited in February of that year. He toured five cities, and
18676-439: The time of his retirement he had given way to free-traders with regards to agriculture. However, he felt differently about manufacturing, as it was essential to National power : "My own view has always been that it would be ridiculous to think that Australia was safe in the long term unless we built up our population and built up our industries. So I have always wanted to make Australia a powerful industrialised country as well as
18837-472: The two countries extended beyond the Vietnam War. Holt approved the construction of several Earth stations for use by NASA and American intelligence agencies, including Pine Gap , Honeysuckle Creek , and Tidbinbilla . This made Australia "the most substantial centre for American missile and space operations outside the continental United States". Holt and Johnson developed a personal friendship. They were
18998-520: The war was politically sensitive, due both to lingering anti-Japanese sentiment – including from several of McEwen's parliamentary colleagues who had been prisoners-of-war – and concerns from Australian manufacturers over the cheaper cost of labour in Japan. McEwen came to see the resumption of trade with Japan as important for Australian producers, as Australia sought new markets outside the existing framework of Imperial Preference . McEwen first put forward
19159-416: The war, and previously supportive media outlets had begun to criticised Holt's decision-making. He did not live long enough to see the mass demonstrations experienced by his successors. Political opposition to the war was initially led by Opposition Leader Arthur Calwell , who promised a total withdrawal from the conflict and labelled it a "cruel, unwinnable civil war". His replacement, Gough Whitlam , adopted
19320-479: The year, and the general public still perceived the party as divided. In an election where the Vietnam War was a major campaign issue, he and Whitlam publicly contradicted each other on major policy decisions. Labor ran on an anti-war platform, but struggled to appeal to voters concerned about national security; combined with Calwell's dedication to the White Australia policy , this allowed the party to be portrayed as isolationist and naive about external affairs. Calwell
19481-511: Was Julia Gillard , prime minister 2010–13, who had a domestic partner although unwed.) On 26 July 1968, McEwen married Mary Eileen Byrne, his personal secretary for 15 years, at Wesley Church, Melbourne ; he was aged 68, she was 46. In retirement he distanced himself from politics, undertook some consulting work, and travelled to Japan and South Africa. He had no children by any of his marriages. McEwen had severe dermatitis for most of his adult life. He recounted that "for literally months at
19642-463: Was "determined to continue to oppose, for many obvious reasons, any attempt to create a multi-racial society in our midst". However, Holt was less circumspect outside Australia, telling British journalists that no White Australia policy existed and ordering Australian embassies to promote the changes to Asian governments and media outlets. In 1967, the Holt government amended the constitution to alter section 51 (xxvi) and remove section 127 . This gave
19803-502: Was "quite certain to mean the end of any remaining special relationship between Australia and Britain". There were no other important economic policy reforms made by the Holt government, although Australia did become a founding member of the Asian Development Bank in 1966. As prime minister, Holt continued the liberalisation of immigration law that he had begun as Minister for Immigration. When he came to office, what remained of
19964-501: Was a popular and talented student, winning a scholarship in his final year and graduating second in his class. Holt generally spent school holidays with his relatives in Nubba or with schoolmates, rather than with his parents – his father had begun working as a talent agent, touring the country on the Tivoli circuit , while his mother died in 1925. He was 16 at the time, and was unable to attend
20125-653: Was a prominent campaigner for the "No" vote in the Curtin government 's 1944 post-war reconstruction referendum . He was also a leading opponent of the Chifley government 's attempts to nationalise the private banking sector in 1947 and 1948. When the conservatives returned to office in 1949 under Robert Menzies after eight years in opposition, McEwen became Minister for Commerce and Agriculture , switching to Minister for Trade in 1956. Menzies nicknamed him "Black Jack", due to his dark eyebrows, grim nature, and occasional temper. In
20286-518: Was a strong supporter of the Commonwealth of Nations , and believed its member states had moral obligations to one another – particularly Britain, as the former "mother country". However, his relationship with Harold Wilson , the British prime minister, was somewhat frosty. He repeatedly lobbied Wilson to maintain a strong British presence " East of Suez ", in order to complement American efforts, and in early 1967 received assurances that no reduction
20447-405: Was also suspected to be undermining McEwen through his connections in the media. McEwen's most serious disagreement with Holt came in November 1967, when it was announced that Australia – which had converted to decimal currency the previous year – would not follow the recent devaluation of the pound sterling . This effectively marked Australia's withdrawal from the sterling area . McEwen issued
20608-409: Was an embarrassment and a worry". Newspaper editorials generally agreed with Holt's assertion that he had been misinterpreted, but still criticised him for making an error in judgment. His comments intensified anti-war sentiments among those who were already opposed to the war, but had little electoral impact. Nonetheless, "all the way with LBJ" is still remembered as Holt's "best-known utterance". Holt
20769-464: Was appointed to the prestigious portfolios of Minister for Labour and National Service (1949–1958; he had previously served in this portfolio 1940–41) and Minister for Immigration (1949–1956), by which time he was being touted in the press as a "certain successor to Menzies and a potential Prime Minister". In Immigration, Holt continued and expanded the massive immigration programme initiated by his ALP predecessor, Arthur Calwell . However, he displayed
20930-474: Was aware that McMahon was habitually breaching Cabinet confidentiality and regularly leaking information to favoured journalists and lobbyists, including Maxwell Newton , who had been hired as a "consultant" by Japanese trade interests. Even in the wake of their landslide victory in 1966, the Liberals were still four seats short of an outright majority. With only the Country Party as a realistic coalition partner, McEwen's opposition forced McMahon to withdraw from
21091-635: Was being contemplated. However, by the middle of the year Wilson had announced that Britain intended to close all of its bases in Asia by the early 1970s (except for Hong Kong ). In response to Holt's concerns, it was suggested by Wilson that a British naval base could be established in Cockburn Sound . Holt rejected this outright, and felt that Wilson had deliberately misled him as to his intentions. Holt government Prime Minister of Australia Term of government (1966–1967) Ministries Elections [REDACTED] The Holt government
21252-495: Was being prepared. He said that the 1965 budget "has had the best reception yet of any in the series I have presented". Holt was sworn in as prime minister on 26 January 1966, following the retirement of Robert Menzies six days earlier. He won the leadership election unopposed, with William McMahon elected as his deputy. His swearing in was delayed by the death of Defence Minister Shane Paltridge ; he and Menzies were both pallbearers at Paltridge's state funeral on 25 January. Holt
21413-504: Was bitterly opposed to McMahon on political grounds, because McMahon was allied with free trade advocates in the conservative parties and favoured sweeping tariff reforms, a position that was vehemently opposed by McEwen, his Country Party colleagues and their rural constituents. Another key factor in McEwen's antipathy towards McMahon was hinted at soon after the crisis by the veteran political journalist Alan Reid . According to Reid, McEwen
21574-591: Was born on 29 March 1900, at his parents' home in Chiltern, Victoria . He was the son of Amy Ellen (née Porter) and David James McEwen. His mother was born in Victoria, and had English and Irish ancestry. His father was of Ulster Scots origin, born in Mountnorris , County Armagh (in present-day Northern Ireland ). He worked as a chemist, and also served a term on the Chiltern Shire Council . The family surname
21735-427: Was championed by a number of media outlets, including The Sun and The Australian . Nonetheless, he had few supporters within the Liberal Party, and it was generally held that he would have to become a Liberal if he were to lead the Coalition, which he was unwilling to do. Holt replaced Menzies as prime minister in January 1966, with McEwen continuing on his previous position. His portfolio had been expanded after
21896-614: Was disliked by his external affairs minister, Paul Hasluck , who in his memoirs accused him of believing in "instant diplomacy" and crediting his personal charms for advances made by diplomatic officials. As prime minister, Holt's first overseas trip was to South-East Asia in April 1966, where he visited Malaysia, Singapore, South Vietnam, and Thailand. He toured Cambodia, Laos, South Korea, and Taiwan in March and April 1967, and had planned to visit Burma, India, Indonesia, Japan, and Pakistan in 1968. Most of those countries had never before been visited by an Australian prime minister. There were also
22057-499: Was dissolved in 1963, following a financial dispute and subsequently reconstituted as Holt, Newman, & Holt, with Holt's son Sam as the new addition. Holt's involvement in the practice declined once he entered politics and ceased altogether in 1949, although he did not formally retire until assuming the prime ministership. In 1933, Holt joined the Young Nationalists , the youth wing of the United Australia Party . He cultivated
22218-439: Was effectively given veto power over government policy by virtue of being the longest-tenured member of the government. On 26 November 1966 , Holt fought his first and only general election as prime minister, winning a somewhat unexpected landslide victory. The Coalition secured 56.9 percent of the two-party-preferred vote , gaining 10 seats and bringing its total number of seats in the House of Representatives to 82 out of 124,
22379-484: Was far less telegenic than his opponent, and was seen as gruff and antagonistic where Holt was suave and easy-going. At a rally in Adelaide a week before the election, Calwell accused Holt of having "chickened out of World War II – just as his three stepsons are chickening out of the war in Vietnam today". His attack on Holt's family – which he refused to withdraw – was viewed as desperate and undignified, and it
22540-454: Was generally held that the Labor Party's poor campaign had been the major factor in its defeat. Arthur Calwell , the Leader of the Opposition , was 70 years old and had limited personal popularity – a Gallup poll before the election placed his personal approval rating at 24 percent, compared with Holt's 60 percent. Calwell had suffered a damaging rift with his deputy Gough Whitlam earlier in
22701-412: Was governing in Victoria with the support of the Labor Party. In December 1937, McEwen was formally expelled from the Victorian Country Party, while remaining a member of the federal parliamentary Country Party. In response, he issued a statement denying the legitimacy of his expulsion and stating it was instead because he had been "too powerful in opposing the ambitions of the radical element in control of
22862-399: Was greeted by large crowds as well as a number of anti-war demonstrators, who disrupted the presidential motorcade. The opposition criticised the visit as a publicity stunt. Johnson later returned to Australia for Holt's memorial service, and invited his widow Zara to stay with him when she visited the United States in 1969. On his first visit to the U.S., Holt made what was widely viewed as
23023-502: Was his caretaker successor John McEwen , who had served 33 years before ascending to the post. Stylistically, Holt was more informal and contemporary than Menzies, and his wife accompanied him into the political spotlight. He gave the media an unprecedented level of access, and was the first prime minister to conduct regular press conferences and grant regular television interviews. His press secretary, Tony Eggleton , accompanied him virtually every time he travelled. Holt's initial cabinet
23184-412: Was made possible by the collapse of the coalition with the Country Party – previously a certain number of positions had been reserved for Country MPs, but the new ministry was composed solely of UAP members. Although Holt officially had no portfolio, he effectively was an assistant minister to Richard Casey , who headed the Department of Supply & Development . He was given responsibility for
23345-442: Was met with large demonstrations; opposition leader Arthur Calwell issued a statement calling him a "miserable little butcher". Ky nonetheless handled himself well, and The Bulletin called his visit a "personal triumph". The Vietnam War was the dominant foreign policy issue during Holt's term in office. He was a strong supporter of Australian involvement in the war , which had begun in 1962, and accused its critics of adopting
23506-420: Was not formally declared missing until 19 December. Country Party leader John McEwen served as prime minister from 19 December 1967 to 10 January 1968, pending the election of a new leader of the Liberal Party of Australia . McEwen ruled out maintaining the coalition if deputy liberal leader William McMahon became prime minister. John Gorton won the leadership election with a small majority and resigned from
23667-419: Was officially presumed dead two days later. The Governor-General , Lord Casey , sent for McEwen and commissioned him as interim prime minister, on the understanding that his commission would continue only so long as it took for the Liberals to elect a new leader. McEwen contended that if Casey commissioned a Liberal as interim prime minister, it would give that person an undue advantage in the upcoming ballot for
23828-530: Was originally spelled " MacEwen ", but was altered upon David McEwen's arrival in Australia in 1889. In his memoirs, McEwen recounted that he had almost no memories of his parents. His mother died of lung disease in March 1902, just before his second birthday; she had given birth to a daughter, Amy, a few months earlier. She was the second of his father's three wives, and McEwen had three half-siblings – Gladys, Evelyn, and George. After their mother's death, McEwen and his sister were raised by their father, living in
23989-598: Was paid 15 shillings per week. McEwen began attending night school in Prahran , and in 1915 passed an examination for the Commonwealth Public Service and began working as a junior clerk at the office of the Commonwealth Crown Solicitor . His immediate superior there was Fred Whitlam , the father of another future prime minister, Gough Whitlam . With World War I ongoing, McEwen resolved to enter
24150-513: Was perceived as being "vague, imprecise and evasive" and "nice to the point that his essential decency was viewed as weakness". According to his biographer Tom Frame , "Holt's inclinations and sympathies were those of the political centre [...] he was a pragmatist rather than a philosopher, but he nonetheless claimed a philosophical lineage connecting him with Alfred Deakin and approvingly quoted his statement that 'we are liberal always, radical often, and reactionary never'." Holt as prime minister
24311-472: Was pointed out that, unlike Holt, Calwell had performed no military service in World War II. In early 1967, Calwell retired as ALP leader. Whitlam succeeded him, and proved a far more effective opponent than Calwell had been, consistently getting the better of Holt both in the media and in parliament. Labor soon began to recover from its losses and gain ground. By this time, the long-suppressed tensions between
24472-403: Was recognised as the second-ranking member of the government – the leader of the Country Party when the Coalition was in government, and Labor's deputy leader when Labor was in government. Even before being formally named Deputy Prime Minister, McEwen had exercised an effective veto over government policy since 1966 by virtue of being the most senior member of the government, having been a member of
24633-435: Was reversed a few months later. According to McEwen, the four MPs were his supporters and their presence would have meant he won the leadership ballot over Cameron. In 1939, McEwen was appointed Minister for External Affairs and (simultaneously) Minister for Air and Minister for Civil Aviation . In 1940, when Archie Cameron resigned as Country Party leader, McEwen contested the leadership ballot against Sir Earle Page :
24794-526: Was running at 4.5% and Treasury was alarmed. Holt was reluctant to act, but in November 1960 introduced a deflationary package of tax changes. He also reluctantly agreed to an interest rate rise by the Reserve Bank. The credit squeeze was nicknamed the "Holt jolt". The economy went into recession, and unemployment rose to three percent, which was considered high for the time and contrary to the government's policy of full employment . The credit squeeze brought
24955-433: Was shipped out. He was nonetheless eligible for a soldier settlement scheme, and selected a property at Stanhope . He established a dairy farm, but later bought a larger property and farmed beef cattle. After several previous unsuccessful candidacies, McEwen was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1934 federal election . He was first elevated to cabinet by Joseph Lyons in 1937. McEwen became deputy leader of
25116-405: Was sometimes criticised for a failure to be assertive on economic matters. A major drought in 1965 had led to slowdown in growth, but he was unwilling to increase public spending in case it increased inflation. The Australian dollar – a legacy of Holt's period as Treasurer – came into circulation on 14 February 1966, less than a month after his prime ministership began. In November 1967,
25277-409: Was sworn in as Minister for Labour and National Service on 28 October, and formally resigned from the army the same day. He was placed in charge of the new Department of Labour and National Service , which took over most of the responsibilities of the previous Department of Industry . He also became a member of the bipartisan Advisory War Council , although he personally favoured the establishment of
25438-484: Was the federal executive government of Australia led by Prime Minister Harold Holt . It was made up of members of a Liberal - Country Party coalition in the Australian Parliament from 26 January 1966 to 19 December 1967. The Liberal Party of Australia - Country Party of Australia coalition had governed in Australia since 1949 under Prime Minister Robert Menzies . Menzies retired in January 1966 and
25599-408: Was the first Australian prime minister born in the 20th century and the first born after federation . He was almost fourteen years younger than his predecessor, but, at the age of 57, was still the fourth-oldest man to assume the office. He had been an MP for over 30 years before becoming prime minister, still the longest wait for any non-caretaker Prime Minister. The only person who had a longer wait
25760-468: Was the leader of the Country Party from 1958 to 1971, serving as the inaugural deputy prime minister of Australia from 1968 to 1971. McEwen was born in Chiltern, Victoria . He was orphaned at the age of seven and raised by his grandmother, initially in Wangaratta and then in Dandenong . McEwen left school when he was 13 and joined the Australian Army at the age of 18, but the war ended before his unit
25921-416: Was virtually unchanged from that of his predecessor. John Gorton and Les Bury were promoted to replace Menzies and Paltridge, but there were no other changes in composition. There were also no major changes in portfolio, outside of McMahon's promotion to Treasurer in place of Holt. A notable addition to the outer ministry was Senator Annabelle Rankin as Minister for Housing – the first woman to hold
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