Australian Events
Posted in 1940
- Howard Florey leads the team that develops penicillin as an antibiotic.
- Australia opens its first embassies, in Washington and Tokyo. Mr R G Casey (later Lord Casey) becomes Australia's first ambassador to a foreign country when Australia and the USA exchange ambassadors.
- Australian troop convoys sail to the Middle East; troops see action near Bardia, North Africa.
- Communist and Fascist parties are banned.
- After the fall of France, the Commonwealth government takes control of Australia's resources, production, manpower and people. The ALP and trade unions adopt a win-the-war policy.
- An all-party war council is formed to work with the war cabinet. The government and opposition each have four representatives.
- Newsprint is rationed: daily papers to be less pages.
- Germans, Austrians and Italians arrive from Britain on the Dunera. Sent to Australia as "enemy aliens", they will be interned in camps outside Melbourne and Sydney.
- Petrol rationing begins.
- Single men up to 33 years of age are included when call-up is extended.
Howard Florey leads the team that develops penicillin as an antibiotic.
An all-party war council is formed to work with the war cabinet. The government and opposition each have four representatives.
Single men up to 33 years of age are included when call-up is extended.
