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Harold Holt was an Australian politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Australia from 1966 to 1967. Holt was born in Stanmore, New South Wales on August 5, 1908. Holt won a scholarship to Queen's College at the University of Melbourne and began his law degree in 1927. Holt was drawn to politics in the early 1930s and joined the Prahran branch of the United Australia Party (UAP) in 1933. Holt successfully stood for the federal House of Representatives in 1935, at a by-election for the marginally conservative seat of Fawkner. Holt spent 32 years in Parliament, including many years as a senior Cabinet Minister. As Minister for Immigration, Holt was responsible for the relaxation of the White Australia policy, and as Treasurer under Menzies he initiated major fiscal reforms including the establishment of the Reserve Bank of Australia, and launched and guided the process to convert Australia to decimal currency. Harold Holt became Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party upon the retirement of Sir Robert Menzies in January 1966. His term as Prime Minister was characterised by strong support for the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War, with a stunning 1966 election win on a pro-Vietnam platform. As Prime Minister, he oversaw landmark changes including the historic decision not to devalue the Australian dollar in line with the British pound, and the 1967 constitutional referendum in which an overwhelming majority of Australians voted in favour of giving the Commonwealth power to legislate specifically for indigenous Australians. Harold Holt's prime ministership ended abruptly when he disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria on December 17, 1967. His body was never recovered. 


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