Responding to Communist Threats Within Australia
During the year 1949-1966 Robert Menzies was Prime Minister of Australia. He was a Liberal, anti-communist he also believed in home grown communism. In this time Robert maintained a consistency against what he saw as a communist threat aiming to Australia. It was not easy to get rid of these communists which was a real struggle for Robert Menzies. This then involved military action overseas and also actions taken inside Australia to attack home-grown communism. In 1949 Robert Menzies made an election promise regarding the communists:
"The communists are the most unscrupulous opponents of religion, of civilised government, of law and order, of national security...Communism in Australia is an alien and destructive pest. If elected we shall outlaw it."
Robert Menzies's plan was to create and introduce new laws which would ban the Australian Communist Party (CPA).He was not afraid to make this promise because Menzies knew that Australians were scared of the growth of communism. In 1950, Robert Menzies introduced the Communist Dissolution Bill into the Federal Parliament. If the Bill that he introduced had passed then the Bill would have :
Outlawed the CPA and it would also prevent communists from being employed in a government or semi-government institution or taking part in any official position.
"The communists are the most unscrupulous opponents of religion, of civilised government, of law and order, of national security...Communism in Australia is an alien and destructive pest. If elected we shall outlaw it."
Robert Menzies's plan was to create and introduce new laws which would ban the Australian Communist Party (CPA).He was not afraid to make this promise because Menzies knew that Australians were scared of the growth of communism. In 1950, Robert Menzies introduced the Communist Dissolution Bill into the Federal Parliament. If the Bill that he introduced had passed then the Bill would have :
Outlawed the CPA and it would also prevent communists from being employed in a government or semi-government institution or taking part in any official position.