Sir Robert Menzies resigned yesterday after a record term as Prime Minister of Australia. Mr. Harold Holt was appointed leader of the Liberal party, and will form a new government. Sir Robert will continue as caretaker Prime Minister until Mr. Holt and his Ministry are sworn in – probably next Wednesday. Yesterday, in a round of intense activity – Sir Robert announced his retirement at a meeting of the Parliamentary Liberal and Country parties.

In a statement issued while he was at the meeting, Sir Robert said that because of the “accumulated wear and tear” of public life, he was tired and could not properly continue in office and do justice to the growing problems of the nation. Mr. Holt was installed unopposed as leader of the Liberal party, and the Minister for Labor and National Service (Mr. McMahon) defeated the External Affairs Minister (Mr. Hasluck) in a ballot for the deputy-leadership. Sir Robert submitted his resignation to the Governor-General (Lord Casey) and advised for him to send for Mr. Holt. Lord Casey commissioned Mr. Holt to form a new Ministry. Harold Holt (left) with Sir Robert Menzies after Holt took over the reigns of power in January 1966. Credit:N. Herfort

Relaxed and showing no signs of regret about his momentous decision, Sir Robert ended the day with a 50-minute news conference, broadcast “live” by national and commercial radio and television stations. Sir Robert’s daughter, Mrs. Peter Henderson, and her children watched the telecast of the conference on a television in Sir Robert’s office. Kooyong decision Although he has resigned as Prime Minister and Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal party, Sir Robert Menzies is still the member for Kooyong. He said at his news conference last night that he did not expect to make another appearance in Federal Parliament.

But he would go to Melbourne to confer with the Liberal party committee in the Kooyong electorate before making a decision about resigning his seat in Parliament. The news conference – Sir Robert’s last as Prime Minister – was held in one of the dining rooms at Parliament House. About 80 press, radio and television correspondents filled the front seats, while Dame Pattie Menzies sat with Liberal and Country party MPs behind the television camera and lights. A retired Robert Menzies and Queen Elizabeth watch the Duke of Edinburgh at the Canberra Polo Club tournament in 1970. Credit:The Age Archives Hot lights

Sir Robert arrived for the news conference wearing one of his rumpled double-breasted suits, with a navy and white striped tie and a white handkerchief stuffed into his pocket. Occasionally he mopped perspiration from his forehead and shifted uncomfortably under the hot television lights, but otherwise appeared quite at ease. “One becomes tired, one becomes not quite 100 per cent, in efficiency,” he said. “I have an old-fashioned belief that the Prime Minister of this country ought to be 100 per cent efficient at all times.” Sir Robert said that he had to choose between retiring now and going on “for three years, conducting a struggle which would become more and more difficult.”

Loading He had decided to retire now so that his successor would have the better part of a year to establish himself before the next election. Strong Land “In my opinion, my successor must have the better part of a year in which to establish himself not as a Menzies’ lieutenant, but as himself,” Sir Robert said. Sir Robert said his 16 years as Prime Minister and six years as Opposition leader had been terribly interesting.

“I’m delighted – and I say this without claiming any personal credit – that after all these years I can look around my own country and say this is a strong country,” he said. “Its people are prospering, its population has grown. It does matter in the world and it is respected in the world. “I’m not leaving a sinking ship. I’m not moving out because the country is in great difficulties. “It seems to me that if ever there was a time at which a man could do something sensible and logical and reasonable and make way – it’s this time in the history of Australia.” Sir Robert said he hoped to occupy his time with reading, writing and travel. He would maintain his interest in world and Australian affairs.