Robert Gordon Menzies

Essay by 2GOODHigh School, 10th gradeA-, March 2004

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Robert Gordon Menzies was born on the 20th of December 1894 in japarit, Victoria, Australia and died on the 15th of May 1978.

His first appointment began in 1939, four months before Australia joined Britain by declaring war on Germany and his appointement ended in 1941. Then followeed eught years in opposition until Menzies, now leading a new Liberal Party-country Party coalition achieved a resounding victory in the election of December 1949. He became Prime Minister and held the leadership of his party in parliament for the next 16 years (1966).

Menzies was a very interllectual man due to the fact that he won a scholarship that enabled him to qualify wif distinction as a barrister. He then abandoned the successfully professional practice to devote the greater part of his life to a political career.

One of the greatest issues he had to deal with was holding position as Prime Minister for 16 years, despite the fact that the Labour Party was trying at their full effort.

Another problem Menzies had before he retired was trying to unsuccessfully ban Australia's Communist Party out of Parliament.

Some career highlights of Menzies are as follows: CH 1951, Kt cr 1963, QC. Educated University of Melbourne (LLM). Victorian bar and High Court of Australia 1918, KC 1929, MLC for East Yarra 1928-29, MLA for Nunawading 1929-34, MHR for kooyong 1934-46, Member Advisory War Council 1941-44, Prime Minister of Australia 1939-41 abd 1949-66, Leader Federal Opposition 1943-49, Minister for External Affairs 1960-62, KC 1929, PRivy Councillor 1937. Cheif Commander, Legion of Merit (US) 1950, Fellow, Australian Academy of Science 1958, Fellow, Royal society 1965. He also personally guided the policy of his Government to transform the status and magnitude of education throughout Australia, greatly to enhance the resources devoted to the arts, humanities and...