In 1960, Harold Holt, the then-treasurer, urged the government to abolish import restrictions, resulting in a minor recession. This nearly swung the election in the ALP's favour.
Historians attribute the Coalition's election victory in 1949 to issues like bank nationalisation and the Communist Party. But the decisive issue was petrol rationing.
The Prime Minister's announcement of a poll date in September could herald a push for the introduction of a fixed term for federal elections, writes Scientia Professor George Williams.
