Menzies Government (1949–1966)
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The Right Honourable Sir Robert Menzies KT, AK, CH, FAA, FRS, QC |
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12th Prime Minister of Australia Elections: 1949, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1961, 1963 |
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In office 19 December 1949 – 26 January 1966 |
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| Monarch |
George VI Elizabeth II |
| Governor-General |
William McKell William Slim William Morrison William Sidney Richard Casey |
| Preceded by | Ben Chifley |
| Succeeded by | Harold Holt |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Liberal |
The Menzies Government (1949–1966) refers to the period of federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies. It was made up of members of a Liberal Party of Australia-Country Party of Australia coalition in the Australian Parliament from 1949–1966. Menzies led the Liberal-Country Coalition to election victories in 1949, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1961 and 1963. Robert Menzies was Australia's longest serving Prime Minister. He had served a previous term as Prime Minister as leader of the United Australia Party from 1939–1941.
The United Australia Party had been formed as a new conservative alliance in 1931, with Labor defector Joseph Lyons as its leader and John Latham, hitherto leader of the Nationalist Party of Australia as his deputy. The stance of Lyons and another former Labor minister, James Fenton, against the more radical proposals of the Labor movement to deal the Great Depression had attracted the support of prominent Australian conservatives. In March 1931, though still a member of the ALP, Lyons supported a no confidence motion against the Scullin Labor government and the UAP was formed from a coalition of citizens' groups and with the support of the Nationalist Party. In November 1931, Lang Labor dissidents chose to challenge the Scullin Labor government and align with the UAP to pass a 'no confidence' and the government fell.
With Australia still suffering the effects of the Great Depression, the newly formed United Australia Party won a landslide victory at 19 December 1931 Election, and the UAP commenced its first term in government in January 1932. The Lyons Government won three consecutive elections, pursuing a conservative fiscal policy of balanced budgets and debt reduction, while stewarding Australia out of the Depression.
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