Australia’s longest-serving prime minister, Sir Robert Menzies, held office between 1939 and 1941 and again between 1949 and 1966. His first term ended with his resignation, however his second term, stretching over more than 16 years, cemented his legacy as one of Australia’s most influential leaders.
The digitisation of the Papers of Sir Robert Menzies (1894–1978) is currently underway as part of the Library’s Treasured Voices Program. As a project officer on the program, I have the exciting job of exploring collections at the National Library and preparing them for digitisation to share with the public.
So, what more can we learn about Menzies as a political leader and a person from this collection? What do these papers tell us about other prominent figures and everyday Australians during his time in office?