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Liberal Party and prime minister. Following his retirement, Menzies became chancellorof the University of Melbourne. He was also granted one of the highest British awards, becoming Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Menzies died on 15 May 1978 in Melbourne. As Australia’s longest-serving prime minister, his state funeral was broadcast around the country.

    HAROLD EDWARD HOLT
    LOST AT SEA
    TERM
    26 January 1966-19 December 1967
    O n 26 January 1966 Harold Edward Holt emerged, after 32 years as a federal parliamentarian, from behind the long shadow of Robert Menzies to take over the leadership of the country. The third prime minister to die in office, Holt is most remembered for the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death.
    Born in Sydney on 5 August 1908, Holt was the eldest of two sons of Thomas and Olive Holt. Holt’s parents divorced when he was ten years old and a year later he was sent to board at Wesley College in Melbourne, the same school attended by Menzies. A good student and hard worker, Holt won a scholarship for his leadership qualities and sporting abilities. Tragically, Holt’s mother died when he was sixteen.
    Holt attended the University of Melbourne where he took up debating and studied law. In 1926 he met his future wife, Zara Dickens. As he would not marry Zara until he could support her, she met and married an English cavalry officer. Only after her divorce did the couple eventually marry in 1946, with Holt adopting her three children.
    Graduating in 1930, Holt worked for a local solicitor’s firm and was admitted to the Bar in 1932. He then became secretary to the Victorian Cinematograph Exhibitors’ Association and an active member of the Young Nationalists. In 1933 Holt joined the United Australia Party (UAP) and in 1934 unsuccessfully stoodfor the federal seat of Yarra. Then, at the age of 27, Holt became one of the youngest members ever elected to parliament, winning the seat of Fawkner in a byelection in 1935.
    Holt was a backbencher in the Lyons government for four years, before being appointed as a minister without portfolio to Menzies’ government when the UAP came to power following Lyons’ death in 1939. In 1940 Holt enlisted in the army but, after five months, Menzies recalled him to parliament following the death of three cabinet ministers in an air crash. Holt was then appointed the minister for labour and national service and in 1941 introduced the Child Endowment Act . Holt, however, was relegated to the opposition backbench when Labor won power in 1941.
    Following Menzies’ 1949 victory, Holt was again appointed as the minister for labour and national service and was also given the immigration portfolio. He began to make changes to the White Australia policy, which had been in practice since 1901. Holt soon rose through the Liberal Party ranks, becoming deputy leader in 1956 and federal treasurer two years later. While treasurer, Holt had many achievements, including establishing the Reserve Bank; however, his 1960 budget triggered the country’s greatest credit squeeze since 1945 and almost brought down the government.
    In January 1966 when Menzies retired, Holt, at the age of 57, succeeded him, becoming Australia’s seventeenth prime minister. Stepping into the post during the ‘Swinging Sixties’, Holt found the mood of the country was changing and anguish was growing over Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. With the war intensifying, Holt flew to the US to meet with President LB Johnson and in a speech reported in The Australian adopted the ‘All the way with LBJ’ slogan, confirming his continued support of America’s Vietnam policy. When Johnson visited Australia later that year, the tour, the first ever by an American president, ignited violent anti-war demonstrations.
    Despite growing opposition to the war, Holt was returned to office in the November 1966 election. The following year was tumultuous for