The Right Honourable Sir Robert Menzies KT, AK, CH, FAA, FRS, QC |
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12th Prime Minister of Australia | |
In office 19 December 1949 – 26 January 1966 |
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Monarch |
George VI Elizabeth II |
Governor-General |
Sir William McKell Sir William Slim Viscount Dunrossil Viscount De L'Isle Lord Casey |
Deputy |
Arthur Fadden (1949-1958) John McEwen (1958-1966) |
Preceded by | Ben Chifley |
Succeeded by | Harold Holt |
In office 26 April 1939 – 29 August 1941 |
|
Monarch | George VI |
Governor-General | Lord Gowrie |
Deputy |
Earle Page (1939) Archie Cameron 1939-1940 Arthur Fadden (1940-1941) |
Preceded by | Earle Page |
Succeeded by | Arthur Fadden |
Leader of the Liberal Party | |
In office 31 August 1945 – 26 January 1966 |
|
Deputy |
Eric Harrison Harold Holt |
Preceded by | Position Established |
Succeeded by | Harold Holt |
Leader of the Opposition | |
In office 23 September 1943 – 19 December 1949 |
|
Prime Minister |
John Curtin Frank Forde Ben Chifley |
Deputy | Arthur Fadden |
Preceded by | Arthur Fadden |
Succeeded by | Ben Chifley |
Leader of the United Australia Party | |
In office 23 September 1943 – 31 August 1945 |
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Preceded by | Billy Hughes |
Succeeded by | Position Abolished |
In office 26 April 1939 – 29 August 1941 |
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Preceded by | Joseph Lyons |
Succeeded by | Billy Hughes |
Member of the Australian Parliament for Kooyong |
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In office 15 September 1934 – 16 February 1966 |
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Preceded by | John Latham |
Succeeded by | Andrew Peacock |
Deputy Premier of Victoria | |
In office 19 May 1932 – 24 July 1934 |
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Premier | Sir Stanley Argyle |
Preceded by | Albert Dunstan |
Succeeded by | Wilfrid Kent Hughes |
Attorney-General of Victoria | |
In office 19 May 1932 – 24 July 1934 |
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Premier | Sir Stanley Argyle |
Preceded by | Ian Macfarlan |
Succeeded by | Albert Bussau |
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Nunawading |
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In office 30 November 1929 – 31 August 1934 |
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Preceded by | Edmund Greenwood |
Succeeded by | William Boyland |
Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for East Yarra Province | |
In office 2 June 1928 – 11 November 1929 |
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Preceded by | George Swinburne |
Succeeded by | Clifden Eager |
Personal details | |
Born |
Robert Gordon Menzies 20 December 1894 Jeparit, Colony of Victoria, Australia |
Died | 15 May 1978 Malvern, Victoria, Australia |
(aged 83)
Resting place | Melbourne General Cemetery |
Political party |
Nationalist (1928–1931) United Australia (1931–1945) Liberal (1945–1966) |
Spouse(s) | Pattie Leckie (m. 1920; his d. 1978) |
Children | 3 |
Parents | James Menzies |
Education | Wesley College |
Alma mater | University of Melbourne |
Profession | Lawyer |
Religion | Presbyterianism |
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, KT, AK, CH, PC, QC, FAA, FRS (20 December 1894 – 15 May 1978), was the Prime Minister of Australia from 1939 to 1941 and again from 1949 to 1966. He is Australia's longest-serving prime minister, serving over 18 years in total.
Menzies studied law at the University of Melbourne and became one of Melbourne's leading lawyers. He was Deputy Premier of Victoria from 1932 to 1934, and then transferred to federal parliament, subsequently becoming Attorney-General and Minister for Industry in the government of Joseph Lyons. In April 1939, following Lyons' death, Menzies was elected leader of the United Australia Party (UAP) and sworn in as prime minister. He authorised Australia's entry into World War II in September 1939, and in 1941 spent four months in England to participate in meetings of Churchill's war cabinet. On his return to Australia in August 1941, Menzies found that he had lost the support of his party and consequently resigned as prime minister. He subsequently helped to create the new Liberal Party, and was elected its inaugural leader in August 1945.