In 1949 the Liberals, in coalition with the Country Party, were first elected to national government. Sir Robert Menzies went on to lead Australia and the Liberal Party for 17 years, before he retired from politics in 1966. The Menzies period is recognised as a "golden era" in Australia’s history with widespread prosperity, a flourishing economy and work for all.
Initiatives of this period:
- high living standards for all Australians and the level of consumer goods per head (cars, radios etc) rose dramatically
- the ratio of home owners rose from little over 50% to around 75% of the population in a decade
- great progress in industry, manufacturing output, primary industry production and mineral development
- Australia achieved a position in the world’s top ten trading nations
- consistent spending on defence programmes
- the arrival of 1 ¼ million immigrants in ten years
- introduction of a succession of social security measures such as creating the pensioner medical and free medicines service
- expansion of support for education programmes
- introduction of needed improvements such as the national divorce laws
- the introduction of child endowment for the first child
- free medical treatment for pensioners and dependants
- free milk to school children
- abolished the land and entertainment tax
- introduced Medical Benefits Scheme, and introduce free "life-saving" drugs for the needy
- negotiations with respect to the ANZUS treaty, to join Australia, New Zealand and the United States in a defence alliance pact
- negotiations with respect to the South East Asian Treaty Organisation, SEATO
- promoter of Columbo Plan assisting South East Asian nations
- reciprocity in social security with United Kingdom
- encouraged growth of Canberra as a national capital
- introduced Homes for Aged Scheme
- introduced capital grants to mental hospitals and aid for teaching hospitals
- tax deductions introduced for school fees and allied expenditure
- introduced National Health Scheme based on self-help, providing cover for all citizens
- voted in the international forum to restrict nuclear
- completed rail standardisation between Sydney and Melbourne and funded other standardisation works
- completed dams including Chowilla Dam in SA and Blowering Dam in NSW
- tax concessions introduced for married pensioners
- development of Beef Roads Scheme to develop inland Australia
- special grants introduced for anti-tuberculosis campaigns
- introduced Department of Housing, Home Savings Grants Scheme and Housing Loans Insurance Corporation to help more Australians own their own home
- establishment of sheltered workshops
- introduced Aged Pensioners Home Assistance Scheme
- introduced invalid pensions
- established Australian Universities Commission
- introduction of Commonwealth scholarships for secondary schools as means of introducing State Aid to all schools
- Funding for Colleges of Advanced Education
