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Menzies Government (1949–66)

The Right Honourable
Sir Robert Menzies
KT, AK, CH, FAA, FRS, QC
Portrait Menzies 1950s.jpg
12th Prime Minister of Australia
Elections: 1949, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1961, 1963
In office
19 December 1949 – 26 January 1966
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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