“great central fact of modern history”
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Harold Holt
Harold Edward Holt was an Australian politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Australia from 1966 until his disappearance and presumed death in 1967. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia and held various ministerial positions from 1949 to 1966 in the governments of Robert Menzies and Arthur Fadden.
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politics · Prime Minister of Australia from 1966 to 1967 · politician · lawyer · head of government · also Harold Holt, Harold Edward Holt, The Right Honourable Harold Holt, Holt
Born 5 August 1908 · Died 19 December 1967 · Q312722
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2026· 6 entries
“add significantly to the cultural life of Australia and the national capital”
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“And so, sir, in the lonelier and perhaps even more disheartening moments which come to any national leader, I hope there will be a corner of your mind and heart which takes cheer from the fact that you have an admiring friend, a staunch friend that will be all the way with LBJ.”
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“quite certain to mean the end of any remaining special relationship between Australia and Britain”
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“as the youngest member of the House, I could not feel happy in my position if I were not prepared to make some sacrifice and take an active part”
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examedia.com.ar: Harold Holt, el primer ministro australiano que desapareció en el mar y nunca fue encontrado
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2024· 1 entry
Moviefone: Who Killed Harold Holt?
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2018· 1 entry
ABC News rated the claim “"Fact: Liberal Prime Minister Harold Holt abolished the White Australia Policy over 50 years ago."” Simplistic.
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2005· 1 entry
Returned a verdict of accidental drowning
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1969· 2 entries
To one of his Liberal Party colleagues, Jeff Bate
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A plaque commemorating Holt was bolted to the seafloor off Cheviot Beach after a memorial ceremony
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1968· 3 entries
The newly commissioned United States Navy Knox-class destroyer escort USS Harold E
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“It is ironical that, being a man of peace, he should have presided over one of the greatest build-ups of military power that Australia has found itself engaged in.”
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“When he went to some Asian country for the first time and was received with honour and goodwill he imagined that his own 'instant diplomacy' had immediately created the goodwill and that the honour was due to a personal diplomatic triumph, while of course we knew that the goodwill had resulted from years of conscious, careful and calculated effort by the Australian Government, and its officers in a succession of situations.”
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1967· 7 entries
Died 1967-12-19.
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Career landmark: disappearance of Harold Holt.
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“geographically we are part of Asia, and increasingly we have become aware of our involvement in the affairs of Asia – our greatest dangers and our highest hopes are centred in Asia”
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“Anything but a yes vote to this question would do injury to our reputation among fair-minded people everywhere.”
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“One mistake and you're gone. You just don't make that mistake. With time one's skill increases and one learns hunting tricks. With greater knowledge the dangers diminish. It is wonderful to be free, alone down there.”
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“Look Tony, what are the odds of a prime minister being drowned or taken by a shark?”
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The Holt government amended the constitution to alter section 51 (xxvi) and remove section 127
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1966· 4 entries
“In the lonelier and perhaps even more disheartening moments which come to any national leader, I hope there will be a corner of your mind and heart which takes cheer from the fact that you have an admiring friend, a staunch ally that will be all the way with LBJ.”
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– referred to by some as a "khaki election"
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Career landmark: Prime Minister of Australia (1966–1967).
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“Australia has, in its short history, paid a heavy price in human life in the cause of liberty and national survival. No one can foretell what the price will be in South-east Asia.”
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1965· 2 entries
Had led to slowdown in growth, but he was unwilling to increase public spending in case it increased inflation
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And Opposition Leader Arthur Calwell stated he was "determined to continue to oppose, for many obvious reasons, any attempt to create a multi-racial society in our midst"
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1963· 1 entry
Following a financial dispute and subsequently reconstituted as Holt, Newman, & Holt, with Holt's son Sam as the new addition
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1962· 1 entry
And accused its critics of adopting a "Lotus Land" attitude
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1958· 1 entry
Career landmark: Treasurer of Australia (1958–1966).
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1956· 3 entries
Holt was elected deputy leader of the Liberal Party after Eric Harrison's retirement, defeating Richard Casey and William Spooner
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And after the 1958 election replaced Arthur Fadden as Treasurer
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Also oversaw the replacement of the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration with a separate Commonwealth Industrial Court, "thus establishing the modern form of the federal arbitration system"
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1955· 1 entry
Holt publicly welcomed Australia's one millionth post-war migrant and said he was "looking forward to our second million"
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1951· 1 entry
To mandate the use of secret ballots in union elections
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1950· 1 entry
At Monk's suggestion, Holt commissioned the first national inquiry into vocational education and training, with a particular focus on apprenticeship schemes
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1949· 5 entries
Career landmark: Minister for Immigration and Border Protection of Australia (1949–1956).
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Holt became a senior figure in the new government
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Career landmark: Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations (1949–1958).
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Although he did not formally retire until assuming the prime ministership
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Career landmark: member of the Australian House of Representatives (1949–1967).
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1942· 1 entry
When Johnson visited Melbourne as a naval officer; afterwards they shared a similar career trajectory
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1941· 1 entry
Sending the UAP into opposition, and he joined the new Liberal Party upon its creation in 1945
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1940· 2 entries
Career landmark: Minister for Industry and Innovation (1940–1941).
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Her marriage with Fell broke down a short time later, and in late 1940 she returned to Australia permanently and resumed a relationship with Holt.
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1939· 1 entry
When his mentor Robert Menzies became prime minister
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1937· 1 entry
Zara returned to Australia to give birth to her first child, Nicholas
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1936· 1 entry
And their daughter Frances (Harold's half-sister) was born in 1940; Tom Holt died in 1945
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1935· 2 entries
She accompanied Fell to India, and then in early 1935 returned to Australia where Holt again proposed marriage.
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Career landmark: member of the Australian House of Representatives (1935–1949).
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1933· 1 entry
Holt joined the Young Nationalists, the youth wing of the United Australia Party
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1927· 1 entry
Holt began studying law at the University of Melbourne, living at Queen's College on a scholarship
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1920· 1 entry
Holt began boarding at Wesley College, Melbourne
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1914· 1 entry
Holt's parents moved to Adelaide, where his father became the licensee of a hotel in Payneham
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1908· 1 entry
Born 1908-08-05.
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