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While there is evidence of increased communist activity in Australia in the 1950's, it's clear the bogey man was extremely convenient for the political aspirations of the Prime Minister, Robert Menzies.
Like French philosopher Voltaire, Australians on the whole disapproved of what the communists said but defended their right to say it.
Our boys fighting in Korea learnt that that right came at a cost.
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COMMUNIST THREAT FACT OR FICTION? |
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In 1950 Menzies introduced the Communist Party Dissolution Bill which gave power to the government to publicly declare any citizen a Communist and to bar him or her from holding office in a range of public organisations, including trade unions.
The act was contested in the High Court where it was declared unconstitutional. Menzies then sought power to outlaw the Communist Party through a referendum in September 1951.
The Referendum to amend the Constitution giving the Commonwealth the power to ban communism was defeated. Labour leader HV (Doc) Evatt led the campaign. |
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THE PETROVS |
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Cold War tensions were heightened by the 1954 defection of two staff members of the Soviet embassy in Canberra - Vladimir and Evdokia Petrov.
The Opposition accused Menzies and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) of manipulating the Petrov case for the political advantage of the coalition parties. |
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MENACE OR MIRACLE? |
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![[ The Korean War ]](images/ko/tab_header.gif){kind=small}
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