1967

Sir Robert Menzies

Posted in 1967

  • Sir Robert Menzies, Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, 1967-72Invested as Chancellor of the University of Melbourne for the first of three consecutive terms.
  • Publishes first book of memoirs Afternoon Light. Chapters include:
    • A portrait of my parents
    • Two crucial years: 1939-41
    • Churchill
    • Three British Prime Ministers
    • Six Australian Prime Ministers
    • Three American Presidents
    • My Suez story
    • A critical examination of the modern Commonwealth
    • The Crown in the Commonwealth
    • Christmas: Sir Robert with grandchildren Diana & GeoffOur relations with the United States of America
    • The revival of Liberalism in Australia
    • Two Australian episodes in the matter of parliamentary privilege
    • Two great Americans
    • A lawyer looks back
    • Cricket - a diversion.

Australian Events

Posted in 1967

  • McEwen Government, December 18: Prime Minister Harold Holt disappears in the surf at Portsea, Victoria on 17 December. His body is never recovered.
  • A record national referendum vote of 90.8% approves the ending of constitutional discrimination against Aborigines. The "Yes" vote affirms the Australian citizenship of indigenous Australians (accepting that Aboriginal people be counted in the census) and allows the Commonwealth Government to legislate on their behalf. The referendum gives Aborigines some of the status that the Constitution of 1901 had not provided.
  • The first US naval communications base in Australia is opened at North West Cape, WA.

† Australia's Prime Ministers

World Events

Posted in 1967

  • 'Six Day War' between Arab and Israeli states; the Suez Canal is closed.
  • Britain announces plans for military withdrawal from "east of Suez", including Malaysia and Singapore.
  • Race riots in the USA; emergence of the Black Power movement.
  • First heart transplant is performed by Dr Christiaan Barnard in South Africa.
  • Pantyhose is invented.