Do Go On - 108 - Harold Holt: The Disappearing Prime Minister

Episode Date: November 15, 2017

Harold Holt was Australia's 17th Prime Minister. Matt takes us through his early life and his climb up the political ladder, before talking about his mysterious disappearance.Support the show and get rewards like bonus episodes: www.patreon.com/DoGoOnPod Twitter: @DoGoOnPod Instagram: @DoGoOnPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoGoOnPod/ Email us: [e-mail] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melbourne and Canada, we got exciting news for you. And we should also say this is 2026. Jess, what year is it? 2026. Thank God you're here. Right now, I'm in Melbourne doing my show with Serenji Amarna, 630 each night at the Cooper's Inn Hotel, having so much fun. We'd love to see you there.

Canada, we are visiting you in September this year. If you've somehow missed the news, we are heading up Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Toronto for shows. That's going to be so much fun. Tickets for all this stuff, I believe, are online. And I'm here too. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates.

Welcome to another episode of DoGo on the podcast that is sweeping the nation. My name is Dave Warnocky. Just trying to add a bit of sizzle to the intro here. And I'm here with Matt Stewart and Jess Perkins. Hey Dave, how's it going? Curious as to which nation we're sweeping. South Korea. Wow.

We are taken off. I love their flag, maybe my favorite flag. Really? Why would you say it's your favorite? I don't know. It's got the red and the yellow ball and then the characters around the outsider and the white. I think the white makes the red and blue ball pop. Yeah. Don't you reckon?

Nice. Well, you weren't heard of the Japanese flag. The red ball popping. That pops hard. Too hard probably. Probably too hard. Well, I like the other elements. Okay. What's your...

Anyway, I was going to ask what your favorite flag is? That's the dumbest. Jamaican. Okay, great. That is another good flag. Yes. South African flag. Seven different colours.

Pretty good. That's pretty good. Ticking them off. Interesting that none of us said the Australian flag. It's pretty rubbish flag. It's pretty shit. On the scale of flags. Nah.

Change it, I reckon. Yeah. Yeah, to the South Korean flag. That's what I reckon. I agree. That's swapsies. Finally. If finally enough, if we change it to the South Korean flag, it would still look like

less flags than it currently does. Yeah, exactly. There's a lot going on, is there. There would be less confusion. The People's Democratic Republic of South Korea in Brackas, Australia. Anyway, that's a fun little thing we all learnt. Yeah, great, and hello to our Korean listeners. Yes.

Which there are now millions. Wow, just like that. All you have to do is mention a country. Well, it's because we had Mr. Sunday movies, James on the show last week, and he's obviously massive in South Korea. He's massive everywhere, though. Yeah, especially in the pants. Yuck.

I appreciated it. There you go. He's your bloody, he's your bloody, you're going to measure it against Dave, are you? Four, he's bloody four. I don't know what I'm talking about. He's talking about his quads. Okay. He can squat 120 KGs.

Wowzers. Which I believe is like heaps. It's a fair bit, yeah. I couldn't do that. Seems like too much. Yeah, I might have over-cooked it there, but. But anyway, we're not big gym fans and they do go on studio. Yeah, gym.

Yeah, Jim. our listener, Big Jim, over in Omaha, which I think is a place. Yeah. The guy at work I call Big Jim, mostly because he doesn't like being called Big Jim. You work in Omaha? Yeah, I work in Omaha. Is it Nebraska or Omaha, Nebraska? Wow.

What a place. It's quite a commute. Look, I've taken a punt there. Don't look it up. I can see you getting your phone. Don't look it up. Back yourself. Dave, don't think about this, the entire report.

Put it down. You're going to think about it, aren't you? I accidentally said before People's Democratic Republic of South Korea, but they always call themselves just. Korea. Anyway, whatevs? We normally start the show with a question, I believe. From memory, that's how we start. Yeah, I did. I said, how are you?

Oh, that's true. Actually, no, I think you asked how I was anyway. And then we start the report with the question. And I've written one. Wow, what's that like? And this is it. Jess, you shouldn't try it. It is a real thrill. I'm not sure.

The question this week is, and this was voted on by the Patreon-Sydney Scheinberg, whatever that level is called. The deluxe package. So only 15 people voted on this. Everyone had quite a big say. The question is, who was the 17th Prime Minister of Australia? 17th. Who was the 17th?

Oh, gosh. I mean, you guys know them all like the back of your hand. All right, Jess. It's a little bit of sizzle for later. All right, Jess, let's go through an order. I'll say the first one, Edmund Barton. Jess, over to you. Gregory Peck

Good Sean William Scott You're going the long way around William Wallace Elmo El McPherson El McPherson's dad If I give you his first name

Maybe That'll help you in Harold Holt Holt That's it Harold Holt Harold Holt

HALT The runaway winner I was worried It would be James Scullin Who is my great great uncle And that I didn't know what number he was.

I read about James Scullin when I started talking funny and I kept going. That was him. It's so funny. Writing this report and reading up on it, I learnt a lot of stuff that I didn't know about Australian political history.

But yeah, he was not far off. I think he may be edge not too long before. Actually quite a while before, but in number order not that far before. Scullin was number nine. Number nine. So only eight before, but as I'll talk about,

and basically the story picks up the very next dude. Cool. And they just race through him from there. Right. But yeah, I was like, is this a trick question? Should I know this? Imagine. He is in the hat, I'm pretty sure.

Yeah, he is. I think he would make for a relatively interesting story too. That's what we aim for on this show. Relatively interesting. Well, he's a relative of mine. Hey-oh. That's my best joke for today. You just clock out.

I'm out. Got it out early. See you. Harold Edward Holt was born on the 5th of August 1908 in Sydney, New South Wales. To parents, Thomas and Olive Holt. Olive? Great name. Tom and Olive.

Tom and Olive. Love it. Love it. Easy to please, Jess, but I love it. I do love it. Tom was a teacher. Of course he was. Before trying his hand as a hotelia in Adelaide, South Australia.

And Olive was a physicist, obviously, as we would expect. And continued her studies and research after marriage and into childbearing. Are you thinking of Marie Curie? Ha, yes. I always get Olive Holt and Mara Kiri mixed up every time Oh gosh, I'm a dag Anyway, sorry, go on So while his parents moved to Adelaide

Harold and his brother Cliff remained in Sydney With their uncle studying at the Randwick Public School in Sydney Cliff Holt Cliff Holt It sounds like his dad was a He just was happy just to shuffle his kids off to relatives So after staying with his uncle They were then sent to a country high school

with his grand well living with their grandparents then onto a boarding school in Kalara and then sent to Melbourne where he boarded at Wesley College again with his brother Cliff you guys familiar with Wesley College yeah purple blazers yep there's one near where I grew up

and one near where I live now God that's fun isn't it that is a fun fact it's weird because we're never really involved like we're normally miles away from the story so it's funny that I'm like oh I think I know someone who went that's cool. We're aware of Melbourne.

But usually it's a strange, like, yeah, like a rural place in Florida or something. I'm like, nah, that I've got no connection. Apart from, of course, Michael Jordan's shorts. Yes, that's right. North Carolina. And the Jackson Fire from Gary, Indiana. Although we haven't done anything on them.

No, but it's... Or Michael Jordan Shorts, to be honest. It's a spiritual home of this podcast. It's funny that we're talking about how close we out of this, and I'm like, I think I might have known someone who went there once. And I'm like, I see. some of those kids on the tram most mornings.

It's the same. Yeah, we're really close. We're living it. During this time, his parents split up. And when Harold was 16 and studying at Wesley, his mother passed away. Oh, no. I didn't get to know Olive very well, but I really liked it. Science experiment gone wrong?

Not a massive family of all-man. Despite the hard... Penicillin. Very close. That is actually Olive. Despite the unsettled years of Harold's schooling, he was a good student and also athlete, doing well at both in his years at Wesley,

which led to him winning a scholarship to the Queens College at the University of Melbourne. Studying law, Holt kept up his sporting pursuits, representing the college in tennis, football and cricket. He was also elected as the president of the sports and social club, as well as the Law Student Society, was a member of the debating team, and he won medals for speaking in.

essay writing. Oh, for God's sake. In short, a bit of a high achiever. Doing a lot to not get a girlfriend. I was going to say, suppress those feelings. Smart guy. Smart guy who's also like, he was captain of the cricket team. Yack.

Definitely, yeah. Give me a bad boy. You know the old photos of people? So you know what they look like, right? And then you're researching them. And they're often called handsome or something. like, wow, it's a different time. handsome men a different thing.

I see photos and I'm like, get me in there. Get me in. Oh, Dave. That time. That time. Oh, no, I'm not like, oh, yeah, get me in there. So what you think you'd be better looking? I see what you're saying.

Yeah, I'm saying, get me back to 1912 because I maybe could have done a right. Hey, hey. Oh, Dave was fishing, but he caught a little Jess. Dave, sorry, Jess, I've just got something on the end of this line. Dave, you're cool. You're reeling in. Oh, God, I feel good. You're a beautiful boy.

Thank you, but imagine how beautiful I would have been in 1912. Oh, so much more beautiful. Oh, wow. Or just, like, totally bizarre. Like, they can't even, they're like, what is this? What? What? I still, I get that sometimes even in this day and age.

Can you believe it? Do you walk into shops and people go, ha! Oh, sorry. Do you get that? Yeah. Mm-hmm. They do. You look like Randall from Monsters Inc.

No, it's because I'm intimidatingly good looking. They don't know where to look because I'm above them. They look at your boobs. Yeah. And even they're good. Up here goes. Come on. Up here.

Matt, I want this to stop. Please do go on. Anyway, so you're saying that some photos you look back and you're like, how is this dude a hot man? Yeah, well, just when they're described as, you know, dashing and handsome and that's of something like, oh, interesting. Maybe H.H. Holmes, the serial killer was described that way because he could talk his way.

You know, a lot of people are liking him. And then you look at that photo and you're like, ooh. Yeah. I wouldn't trust it. Wouldn't go into his basement. He looks like it. serial killer. After uni, he started building up his legal practice.

Sorry, but were you saying that he's actually a good-looking dude? No, I'm saying, yeah, similar. It's like, maybe, just a normal-looking guy. I thought he was going to be the exception to the rule. No, no exception. Maybe it's just more about personality. Yeah, I think so. Why don't they have a photo of his personality in his Wikipedia page?

Yeah, come on, guys. So he was only, still only in his mid-20s when he set up his own legal practice. Fuck. What have you done, Dave? Started up several legal practices. I'm in my... I know, and I'm very proud of you. But I'm in my late 20s now, so it's pretty embarrassing, actually.

It was around this time in 1933 that Holt joined the United Australia Party. You guys familiar with the United Australia Party? Yes. It vaguely rang a bell. As long as you have no follow-up questions. Does sound a bit like the United Patriots Front and the Palmer United Party, both of which are not good things to be a part of in this day and, Well, it was the major conservative party in Australian federal politics at the time

and also the party of then Prime Minister Joseph Lyons, who was the guy who was directly following your great-grandpappy or whatever. What is the relation? He's my great-great-uncle. He's my grandmother's uncle. So cool. Jess, you are so cool. Thank you so much.

Oh, is that how you meant to react to that? So Hulk very quickly went into contesting elections. and in the 1934 election, he ran for the UAP in the safe Labor seat of Yarra, obviously Labor being the other major party, and predictably he lost attracting only 27.3% of the vote. The following year, he again unsuccessfully contested an election this time in the Victorian state election, again in a safe labour seat. But he's going to be part of the United...

The Conservatives. Yes. That's the state that we are in. The UAE. But certainly he's fighting a losing battle, testing seats that are definitely on the other side. Yeah, I think maybe that that was just a rite of passage. I think that is how you often do it, unless you really sort of,

you get the, what do you call it? Hebe-jeebies. When you get tapped or whatever. Is it what's the saying? You know, you get. The hebi-jibis. Hebe-jee-jee-jee-bis, that's it, by the higher-ups. They give you the hebe-jeebis, and that means you get a sweet, safe seat.

Anyhow, another opportunity arose in 1935 when a by-election was called to fill the federal seat of Faulkner. Faulkner was left vacant when its sitting member George Maxwell Passway. He's another politician I never heard of, but he sat in the seat of Faulkner for 18 years. He was a Scottish-born politician. What I found interesting about him is that in those 18 years, he represented three different parties. the Nationalist Party from 1917 to 1929, then he went independent as well from 29 to 30, then representing the Australian Party from 1930 to 31, before finally representing the United Australia Party from 31 to 35 when he died.

That's crazy. And they were all conservative parties. So it just sort of shows how volatile politics was back then, certainly in party politics, which is funny when people talk about it now, like it's wild. We change prime ministers every few years lately. but back then it seemed to be Kevin O7, still for me.

Hanging on, hanging on to the dream. You're thinking Kevin O'd be back. I believe so, yes. I, yes, that would be amazing. Kevin O7? He spoke Mandarin. That is true.

What a guy. He had those beady little glasses. You ever see that video of him cracking the shits? Oh, he is a big sook. He is a big son. Seriously, have you ever seen someone take a ball off him? He's like, give it back. I can give it back.

That's mine. Okay. You haven't seen that video. It's so funny. Oh, you know, or whatever. But he really just cracks it at everyone around him. He can't quite get the words out. So he's like, fuck, fuck, fucking fuck.

Oh, brilliant. I need to see this. I'll definitely, I'll post it this week. By the way, for overseas people, we're talking about our former prime minister who was in charge, got kicked out, came back for a couple of months and got kicked out again. What a time. It was pretty.

Pretty crazy. Jess is looking into the middle distance. Kevin Rudd. When you hear the national anthem, do you think of Kevin Rudd? Yes. And when I think of Kevin Rudd, I hear the national anthem. Wow. What a cycle that you're trapped in.

I've got a friend at work who's Canadian who was trying to sing the Australian National Anthem the other day. And like, she did pretty well, but it was a lot of something, something, something. I was like, look, you're probably doing better than a lot of Australians. It is a pretty boring song. One of the lines is, and nature's gifts. When I was a kid, I thought there was nature strips. We do have a lot of nature strips. Yeah, we got a lot of nature strips.

That little bit of yard out the front of your house. What are you got? The verge. Is that what Americans call it? No, that's where people in, I think W.A. call it the verge. The verge. That's great. Put it out on the verge.

I don't like that. When I was in year 10, sorry, just quickly, man. It is kind of political. In year 10, I had this class where we looked at all of, not all, but like a selection of national anthems from different countries and sort of like analysed what the message and what the text was

and a lot of them were like, don't fuck with us, we will cut you, we've got weapons, a lot of them are like, we are mighty. And Australians are like, come on in! Hey, we've got land. Which is ironic because we are not at all like that. Yeah, unlike many of the countries in Europe who do accept people for us.

Exactly, but the anthems are like, we are the best and we will win it. Gert by C is a line that people love. I love Gert by C. Because it's the only place you ever hear the word Gert. Gert. It means surrounded by it. Yeah, which we are, because we're an island.

I learnt that from an Andy Saunders bit. Did you? There's a whole bit about Gert. Oh, he does too. Oh, Andy. Anyway, sorry, do go on. Anyhow, I wrote that in here, and it's very appropriate. Anyhow, Maxwell's death led to the by-election,

which Holt won, making him one of the youngest ever members of parliament. What have you done, Dave? Several law firms. I don't care. Have you ever been a young member of parliament? Do you guys know who the youngest ever MP was? Doogie Hauser.

Is it Wyatt Roy? It is Wyatt Roy. How old was he? 20. Fuck off, Wyatt Roy. And he's the same age as us, so he's 27 now. But he also, but he was in and out of parliament. Like, he's already been defeated.

Before the age of 27, he was already an ex-parliamentarian. He's still hoping to be part of the 27 club. Oh, no. Yeah. What a hope. But like, just be 20, you know? Go to the pub. Study something dumb at uni.

I reckon that politics is a lot of going to the pub somehow. I have no idea what politics is. They get paid pretty well. Like, he's 20 and he would have been getting paid a couple hundred grand. Not like, not wild amounts of money, but good money. That's wild to an artist. But people always. complain about, like, people, you know, we should be paying our politicians. Not actually,

that's not a lot of people, but I heard one person say that one time. Anyway, in 1939, which is a year that seems to come up in every second report. I just want to get to the 40s. Prime Minister, in 1939, Prime Minister Lyons died of a heart attack. He was the first Australian PM to die in office, and his death led to Robert Menzies becoming PM. And Holt, quickly rose up the ranks under the mentorship of Menzies. Does that like something you'd be proud of? Like, was a first to die in office? It would be if you're alive, maybe.

It's nice to be a first, isn't it? Yeah, that's true. Good for it lions. Dave's tossing it up. Well, I mean, what have I ever done? That was the first. You've never died in office, have you? Certainly not been the first to die.

You're a real piece of work. He's already beat me too. Because that was my life aspiration, and now I've just found out that someone did it in 1939. Yeah, you were beaten by quite a margin. This is... What a way to find out? There's a real kick in the teeth.

Hey, it's okay a little bit. Maybe we're going to be the first one to not die in office. Ah? No, that's kind of been done to you. That's been done as well, yeah. Before 1939? Yeah, even before then. I think maybe you'll need to die, but then, like, be re...

Somehow be the first to be elected when you're dead. Oh, right. The first ghost prime minister. Ghost prime minister, I think... Oh, sick-com! He's the friendly. ghost ghost p.m.

Oh, I love it. Guys, I love it. Let's write it. We did that sketch show a couple years ago. You featured in chess. Probably you too, Dave. I can't remember. I don't think I did.

When we filmed in Canberra a few different ideas and one that never got up. You know how there was an old parliament house than a new parliament house? Yeah. We filmed this thing that was going to be like an ad for this new sitcom called New Adventures of Old Parliament House. Parliament House. Very funny as an idea. How did they knock it up the ground?

I don't know. I don't know. Oh gosh. Because that could have been a big crossover between that and Ghost PM. Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I'm like, these could be spin-offs. It could be the Frasier. Who's playing the Ghost PM?

You don't, that's the beauty. It's just an empty screen. Yeah. Door opens. Yeah, good stuff. And like things like floating on like fishing wine. Oh, good stuff. It's low budget.

Yeah, as I would have expected. Anyhow, with the second World War breaking in 1939, Holt joined up to the war effort as a gunner. He didn't even need to resign from Parliament, which I found interesting. That is amazing. That's cool. But three cabinet ministers were killed in a plane crash not long after, and Menzies called Holt back to Canberra, where he was soon promoted to the cabinet, which is like the higher level inner ministry. Where they keep the good cutlery.

That's where they keep the good cutlery. And Harold Holt. And Mum's good teacups. And he's still pretty young. In 1941, there was... Yeah, it was 1941. Oh, I should have left that for you. Do you want me to do it again?

No, never again. It's a well-old machine this pod. 107 episodes in. In 1941, there was some inner turmoil in the UAP and Menzies was forced to resign as Prime Minister by his own party. Inner turmoil on the UAP and 41, the board. good boys. We lost a lot of good boys. But here's Carol with a baking dish.

Bake, wow. What if she plays it like an instrument? What to hear more from Carol? No, Matt, she bakes in it. She bakes in the dish. She's inside the dish. It's quite large. Help, I'm trapped in a dish. Carol, get back in there. Keep baking.

Keep baking. We need the Anzac Biscuits for the warfront. For the boys. But Menzies is out So Menzies out And Holt was one of the many prominent UAP ministers To withdraw their support for Menzies

Which must have hurt Menzies Yeah Top Dog That's like To go back to Star Wars Anakin going against Obi-1 Yeah it is a lot like that But apparently Menzies didn't hold it against him

He still saw him as his protege He used to call him Apparently used to call him Young Harold So he didn't halt it against him Pause High five And I thank you.

Another word for pause is Holt, maybe. It's not quite. Oh, fuck, he's good. And Holt. Very good. Very good. Look, I've been spending a lot of time with Holt lately. You get a high-fired.

No, I don't. Come here. It's being edited out. Now I want one. So he called him Little Harold. A young Harold. Young. Little Harold.

Little Harold. That's another sitcom. What day is it today, Little Harold? Look, I'm in the fucking ministry now. I was wondering if you could stop calling me that in front of everyone else. Shut up, Little Harold. That's it. I'm going to stab you.

Politically. Nice. In the back. The UAP became a bit of a shambles and was ousted from government by a no-confidence vote. This led to Labour Party leader John Curtin being able to form a new government and become the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. Curtain. That's something you put on your bloody windows.

Not putting your bloody Prime Minister's throne. I don't get apologies. New sitcom idea, the Prime Minister, but it's actually just a Curtain. Oh. We've got so many good... Fuck you, two and a think tank. We've got all the sketch ideas. Oh, this isn't a sketch.

This is a dynasty. The Crown's doing 10 series. I reckon it's good to do 20. Easily. We'll be rich. Every season is a different type of blind. Venetian. It's getting a bit sunny outside.

Draw the Prime Minister. Led to a lot of confusion. People kept doing caricatures. Do not leave me hanging. Curtin represented the seat of Fremantle and is still the only ever PM of Australia to represent a seat outside the eastern states. Oh, I didn't know that.

So no South Australian, no Western Australian, apart from him. Yeah, because they don't do anything. But Jess is trying to excommunicate us from every city that's not on the East. I will also be at Perth Fringe World in January. Love you, Perth, and Western Australia in general. Curtin is revered by many as one of Australia's great prime ministers. This is something we never talk about. You know how they've got like, uh,

Roshmore in America, and you know, like Churchill and all the greats of England. They never talk about the great Australian Prime Ministers, but apparently Menzies is another one who's seen that way, but also, yeah, John Curtin's seen as one of the greats. What about Whitlam? On this thing I read, Whitlam was a level below. Right. He was, I mean, it was messy. He did some great things and he mucked up some stuff.

So his name was Goff. Goff's great. That's cool. Goff comes up a little bit later. That's why Jess gets votes for cough. Goff. So this must have been an incredibly crazy time because we're in the World War

and the Prime Minister's just got no confidence by his own party. The party gets voted out. Then a new unelected party forms government. That's right. So there's a lot of, I mean... It's crazy. It's crazy because there's a lot going on anyway and that's probably leads to a lot of this instability.

And what decade is this? The 1940s. But yeah, so he's revered so much that there's even a pub named after him, not too far from here, in Carlton. Oh, yeah, the Curtin Hotel. I've been there many times at very late or early morning. And there's also John Curtin University in W.A. Well, yeah, sure, there's the John Curtin University. But there's also a pub in Carlton.

And I also drape my bedroom in curtains. Do you have curtains? John curtains? I just have a blind. Actually, no, I do have a pull-down blind. but I refer to it as the Curtin. I have Venetian John Curtin. You have Venetian John Curtin.

That doesn't make sense. His time in office didn't last long though. After leading Labour to their strongest ever election victory in 1943, Curtin also died in office on the 5th of July 1945. But he was not the first to do it. With the end of World War II in sight, that's right. Just another one in a relatively short cue to be honest. The year is 1945.

The wall's nearly over and John Curtin is dead. I love that they're... More after the break. Predicting that the war is nearly over. Yeah, they knew. They had a sense. I think that they mustn't. They would have known, Dave.

You'd know. Do you know? The war is wrapping up slowly. Yeah. After Curtin's passing, Frank Ford became the Prime Minister. He still holds the record for shortest time in office, being the PM for all.

Can we guess? Yeah, but it's a short amount of time, but it's not a... I don't think it's an excitingly short amount of time. Oh, nine months. Oh, it's more exciting than that. Six months. Seven days.

All right, maybe it was exciting. That's so exciting. What did you think was exciting? Eight minutes. I was thinking minutes or something. Seven days is so good. And then when you said it wasn't exciting, that's why we went high,

but I would have said like a week. Would you say that he became Prime Minister on Monday, took the job for a drink on Tuesday, was in office on Wednesday, and Thursday and Thursday and Friday, before chilling on Sunday? Yes. What do you say?

And resigning on Monday. Seven days. Craig David, respect. That is. One of my favorite things you've ever done on this podcast. I'm not big. That was amazing. And he's done a lot of great stuff.

Thank you. He's done a lot of good stuff. A lot of character work. What an uve. Sorry, I vomited while I was trying to say that word. Seven days. That is ridiculous.

Yes, but it was, it was basically, because someone died. It's like a caretaker process. Basically a caretaker. He's just keeping a seat warm. Yeah, but I love that as well. There's a few of those.

because the conservative governments have mainly been coalitions and the way they're set up is the minor party in the coalition is their leader is the deputy. So currently it's the Liberal Party, Malcolm Turnbull is the Prime Minister, the National Party, their leader is the Deputy Prime Minister. So if Malcolm Terble died... Well, he was the Deputy Prime Minister until having to leave Barnaby Joyce. Oh, Barnaby Joyce, that's right, yeah.

So that's... That makes my nice and easy explanation a little more complicated. Yes, but anyway, so I do understand. So then the National Party leader would be the Prime Minister until basically the Liberal Party sorts themselves out. Yeah, great. Until the bigger party's like, hey, all right, we'll take it from here, a little man. If you're listening at home and none of this makes sense,

I'm here and it doesn't make sense. So don't worry about it. Just go with it. Look, Jessie. Jesse. Look, Jesse. What you need to understand is that Australia has a constitutional monarchy. I'm bored. I don't get it.

Okay, well. Show me in picture form. Anyhow. He's a photo of Craig David and he's really musly now for some reason. Now I get politics. He was the gym. Big gym. He was followed, Ford, that is, was followed by another famous Labour PM, Ben Chiffley.

Might be familiar with his name. Chifley. He's had some stuff named after him. Anyway, so since World War II broke six years earlier, we've had Earl Page, Robert Menzies, Arthur Fadden, John Curtin, Frank Ford and Ben Chiffley all spend time as the Prime Minister of Australia. Six years, six PMs. So the Kiribilly House, which is the Prime Minister, one of their residences, has been decorated many times.

And this has been in like wartime rationing. War time, yeah. And the staff are still trying to figure out the name, like who's who? Who? They're just calling, at this time, they're calling everyone PM just in case. Yeah, smart. In the meantime, Robert Menzies was working to form a new conservative political party from the ashes of the UAP.

And on the 31st of August, 1945, Menzies officially announced the formation of the Liberal Party of Australia. That's right. Who are the top dogs now? It's fair to say politically, the new party was a resounding success. Despite losing the following election in 1946 to Chifley's Labor Party, the Menzies-led Liberal Party won the 1949 election, then the 1951, 55, 55, 58, 61 and 63 elections consecutively. I've kind of swept through the longest ever prime ministership in a sentence there.

Along with his first stint, Menzies, was prime minister for 18 years. Wow. It's a bloody good effort. That's by far the record. Second place being Johnny Howard. I was going to say how long was John Howard? I think he was 12. I sort of felt like growing up, he was the only prime minister I knew.

Yeah, that's right. I mean, yeah, because he came in in, when did he come in? 1996? 95, 96, I think. Yeah, so we were little kids. And, but isn't it weird to think that Menzies was kicked out the first time? Yeah. No confidence.

And then comes back. With his own party that he's made up. Yeah. Well, guess what? I've handpicked these people. It's crazy. And we've got Michael Jordan starting center. Oh.

And that's me. And he was a point guard. Yeah. But we're mixing stuff up. This is the new generation. Michael Jordan's like, no. Seriously. Was he a point guard?

Shooting guard. Anyway, whatever. Is that even a thing? Shooting guard a thing? I'm going to move on. A little known fact about Michael Jordan is that he often wore a little pair of shorts underneath his other shorts. A little pair. Tiny shorts.

Cut off the circulation. But anyway, that's how good he was. We couldn't have kids. Through that time, through the time of Menzies' prime ministership, Holt continued to climb the ladder, becoming treasurer in 1958, despite having little interest in. economics. So he's jumped to the Liberals?

Yeah, he basically He's one of the founders. Basically the Liberal Party was made up of nearly all UAP, ex-UAP. Right, gotcha. Okay, cool. And even though he stabbed Menzies in the back, he's still getting there. He's sort of, like, he was one of many, but Menzies didn't hold it against him.

It's lovely. I think he just got politics or whatever, I don't know. Or if he held it against him, he would have to hold it against all prominent conservative politicians, which would have been difficult. sounds like something that Kevin Rudd would do. Classic Rudd. In 1960, Holt introduced a package of reforms with the aim of slowing inflation.

The measures became known as the Holt Jolt and proved to be a mistake putting the country in a recession. Oh, dear, it's so good. I was like, Holtz. I love it. I'm in. That's why I like Kevin O7. This hurt Holtz. Just like slogans.

I fucking love a good slogan. Donald Trump. Drain the swamp. You were out there chanting. No, didn't like that. Don't like drain the swamp. No, but I do love. just do it.

Yeah. That's a good one. It's a real solid one. So the recession obviously hurt. Finger licking good. Yeah, of course that is that. John Howard's, how he came to be the prime minister.

He just kept licking his fingers. His opponents in the debates would be like, but what about your policies? And he'd be like, what's this? Finger looking good. Oh, that's great. Rod famously licked his finger after putting it in his ear, remember?

There was footage of him in question time. Oh, yuck, no. He was like, yeah, it was weird. He looked at it and he ate the earwaxes. He made international news. Your man, Kevin 07. I never said that. Roll back the tape.

I've never said I liked him. Please don't roll back for sale. So this hurt Holt's popularity, the Holt Junk, and the Recession, obviously. The Holt Jolt. It sounds like a dance. Do the Holt Jolt. Oh, the kids were doing, the Holt Jolt. Well, mainly, that was the problem.

Like, whilst everywhere out of the country was trying to save their economy, he was just dancing. Is it fixed yet? Yeah. Come on, everybody. All the kids are doing it. Is inflation under control? There's an inflation in my pants. I'm being a character.

Oh, that's all right. My pants are deflated. You've got concave pants. Strickly, oh, yeah. So, so... It goes in. So this drop in popularity meant that they only just scraped through in the 1961 election,

the Liberal Party, that is, the coalition. They did get through though, and Holt got through with the help of Menzies' public support. So Menzies was out there saying these decisions were full party decisions. You know, he didn't leave him hanging out to dry like he could have. He got by with a little help from his friends.

From the longest serving Australian Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies. His friend. Look, we could have called it, we could have called it the Menzie frenzy, but we thought Holt Joltz sounded better, so that's why it's on him. That's the only reason it's on him. The big...

Menzie Frenzy. It would have been way better, wouldn't that? That's the second best thing you've ever done. Wow, what a hot episode. Oh, yeah. I did the majority of my university studies in the Menzies building, which is maybe the ugliest building of all time. I was going to say, isn't there a building?

Yeah, and it's... At Monash. I couldn't remember what uni. I was like, was it at my uni? No. Big, ugly, beige brown. Yeah, the Menzies. There's a Menzies theatre at my uni.

Latrobianni is where I did. a lot of plays and it was a very also 1970s built and a pretty shitty theatre. Yeah, well we had... I'm sure we had something named after him to my uni. I don't remember it, but I'm sure it was there. Yeah, the Menzies John.

Yeah. Yeah, it was the... Oh no, Men's. Sorry. I'm looking for the Menzies, John's. Are you saying Men's? I'm not sure anymore. Holt later described these years as the most difficult of his life. He's obviously never tried to open a can of

Pickles. Which takes several years. It can as well. I panicked. I did a Matt Stewart and I started a sentence, I didn't know where it was going to go. That's where I always get the good stuff. I agree, like, d'esh.

Didn't say like that. As treasurer, Holt was also involved in major moments, such as the establishing of the Reserve Bank of Australia and the introduction of decimal currency. Oh, on the 14th to February, 1966. Wow. go. That was the introduction.

This I found a bit, I went off in a little tangent here. Initially, Holt announced that the new Australian currency would be called the Royal. Do you know that? So he publicly announced it and that's what he said it's going to be, the Australian Royal. Like when someone accidentally crowns the wrong winner of Miss Universe on live TV, that's what happened to him? All right, guys, we're going to call the money the Royal. I'm sorry, I've just been told, I'm sorry, there's been a mistake.

I've been fed the wrong information. Royals already been crowned. Oh dear. I'm going to have to take that back. brutal. It's the dollar. But it was changed because it was just super unpopular. There was massive backlash.

50 royals. Yeah, I don't like it. That's bad. There was so much backlash to the extent that Holt's wife, Zara, received death threats for both her and Holt. Because of the name of currency. They said you're going to be left of widow. Pick your battles, people. Quite amazing to me as well.

I backed that because I could not stand it if they were called royals. No, but if that's all you knew, you wouldn't even think about it. Also, now I'm just making sure that I did get the date right. I'm pretty sure I did. It was definitely 1966. One of my teachers in... So what was that song from? Sorry, I didn't quite hear what you said.

It was supposed to be to the theme of Clip Go the Shears Boys. Great tune. And it was like a jingle that was used when decimal currency was coming in to remind people of when it would be officially started. and so they'd go, it's the 14th of February, 1966. One of my teachers in your turn used to sing that at us and we'd be like, we get it. But hey, here I am. Exactly.

Twelve years later and I still remember. According to documents released in 1993, he told, Holt told his fellow cabinet ministers that the royal had been a terrible mistake. They were then considering calling it the Austral. Austral but Holt argued against it saying that the Australian accent could make 14 Australs

sound like 40 nostrils which is not a bad point I love it just is showing me that she has in fact got the date right it was the 14th February 1966 so none of us will forget when a decimal currency comes in

this February 1966 Holt pushed for it to be named the dollar after that and obviously the rest as they say is history the idea that it was nearly called the Royal got me interested

though and I looked up a few other contenders but apparently were hundreds and hundreds so it was like public the public roll out as suggested and if you got any, I feel like David have an idea I got a few that were Dullery Dues Dullery Dues

Floggans Floggans is good Rididjimidj Wulamaloo's before Wulamalu was a place Chucky Bicky That would have been confusing That'd be 900 Chucky Bikis

please Cobbers Here are some that I found The quid The Kanga The Changah Yeah Kangas pretty good.

Oh, I wanted to be called Kanga! The champ? No! 50 champs. Oh my God. The Roo? Nah, I don't like that as much. I like Kanga better.

I read somewhere the decimate, but that couldn't have been. Decimate. Yeah, decimate. Like decimal, but decimate is bad. That can't. That's someone's... Yeah, decimate. I didn't believe it.

Fifty roos is all right. The Oz, the koala. The boomer, the emu, the digger and the Zach. Yuck, hate all of them. 50 diggers. 50 Zaks? Zaks. Zach's.

I like 50 Roo's, but 50 Kangas is fun. Kangas is probably the best. I go over that. I like quid. Quid's good. People sort of talk quid anyway, but they've spelt quid with a K-W. Yeah, to make it more Australian.

More Kardashian. They'll start with K. In January, 1966, Menzies announced his retirement, and Holt was elected unopposed as his successor. So he's made it all the way to the top. This meant that he was able to, to ascend to the top office without stepping over any dead bodies.

Ascending, like some sort of saint? Like a saint, yeah. Wow. The ascension. He ascended. No dead bodies. Which is relatively uncommon in Australian politics. Certainly in our lifetime, every prime minister has had to knife a party mate.

Someone has to ungracefully step aside rather than retiring on top. Which is, yeah, I guess there's not that. Because people who are attracted to politics, you know, they, they, Power-hungry, egomaniacs. Scum people. Holt taking over from Menzies was like the son taking over the family business after a long apprenticeship, and Menzies declared that the country was in good hands.

And on the 26th of January, 1966... Australia Day. Holt was sworn in as Australia's 17th Prime Minister. It was a big shift in styles. The old school presenting Menzies was out, and the young hip Holt was in. Holt was 58 years old. And he'd been in politics for over 30 years.

years. But he's hip. He's a hip, cool cat. And he's new. He's fresh. He's doing the whole job. He's wearing cool sunnies. He's got a funky tie.

At that time, he was actually, it took him the longest amount of time as a sitting parliamentarian to become Prime Minister over 30 years. Yeah, but he wore fun flares. That was broken by the following Prime Minister, but, yeah, which is a pretty amazing thing. Like, normally if you become Prime Minister, you do it in less than 30 years.

but he was a treasurer to the longest serving promise for all time. So it sort of makes sense. So he was sort of presenting more contemporarily, if that's a word. In one of the most famous photos of him, which will probably be the cover photo for this episode, he was wearing like a skin tight swimming costume and he was surrounded by three bikini-clad women. The women were his three daughters-in-law.

But that's sort of like, it kind of looks like he was in a Bond film or something. Wow. With his daughters-in-law. Well, I mean, they were just just a family photo. I don't know what the... Would you refer to your family members as bikini-clad? Well, I'm referring to them as that. I don't think he referred to them as bikini-clad.

He's forgotten their names. Guys, we can just get the photographers over here to take a photo of me and my bikini-clad daughter-in-laws. That'd be great. Politics, hey? So he's kind of presented differently. Another difference was that while Menzies was very focused on Great Britain and a big monarchy lover,

and he was the one pushing for the royals to be the... Ornarchy. The name of the currency. Holt started shifting Australia's focus more towards the United States, and this was in part due to his close friendship with the current US president of the time, Lyndon B. Johnson, aka LBJ. I've heard of him.

Yeah, I vaguely heard of him, and I think it was maybe because of his relationship with Holt, I guess. One of the defining issues of Holt's prime ministership was the Vietnam War. It was increasingly unpopular with the Australian people, yet Holt's government significantly increased Australia's military involvement. Some put this down to Holt's friendship

with the US President Johnson. Oh, that's terrible. That was not a good time. No. When Holt visited Washington in June, 1996, he gave a speech that included his most infamous line. He went off script slightly when referring to Australia's military support

for America and the Vietnam War he said that we will be all the way with LBJ which is a line out of one of it LBJ's like a famous campaign slogan Yeah that's right So that sounded a bit sycophantic And was seen as being a bit embarrassing

Back home in Australia Also a bit foolish And maybe even dangerous Saying that you know It sort of sounds like he's saying We'll do whatever We'll do whatever you want We're all the way

We're like saying to Obama Yes we can give you Uncapped Military military support. Yeah. So, yeah, that hurt him a bit back home. Get him out. Drain the swamp, in brackets, we'll do it.

We'll do it for you. Can we do it? Deputy Dogg. He wasn't long prime minister before he had to leave the party into a federal election after 10 months in the job. But this would have all been part of the plan with Menzies on the hand over, giving him enough time and office to lead a strong campaign, I suppose. So after 10 months in the job, Holt led the Liberal Party to a huge victory.

They romped it in. And, you know, I was talking about the coalition before. The Liberal Party were only a couple of seats short of being able to lead in their own right without even needing the minor country party. Holt doesn't get a lot of kudos for this result, though. As the Labour opposition were going through a tough time and were a party divided between their old man and old school leader, Arthur Cole Wool, It was the opposition leader at the time

And his deputy, Gough, Whitlam. Gough. Which lamb? With Colwell and Whitlam publicly contradicting each other on major election issues during the campaign. How's this about Colwell? I'd never heard of Colwell. Neither have I.

He was quite an old man at this stage in his 70s. I mean, he'd never made it to be PMS opposition led for so long. But he was one of Australia's very few victims of an attempted political assassination. On June the 21st, 1966, after addressing an anti-conscription rally, a 19-year-old student named Peter Cochin, Cotian, Cochin, fired a sawn... Let's go with Cochin. Cochin fired a sawn-off rifle at Carwell at point-blank range through his closed car window.

Luckily, the window deflected the bullet, and he only suffered minor cuts from the broken glass. So whose window was closed? The politician or was the guy shooting behind a window? That's a pretty fucking dumb thing, is it? Just wind it, pal. It was definitely Cole Wells, Cal Wells. Well, you could have knocked on it. Let me in.

Just rolled down his window. Waynes welding. To tape on par? Whatever they said, which I know. A joke I never got, but I always laughed at. Greypool pan. Excuse me? Baking powder.

I never got it either. But I laughed. Didn't stop me laughing. You said it with such a cheek. You grin on it. his face. I think it's a famous American ad. Oh, okay. Even funnier now.

Oh, maybe less. Maybe less funny. One of the few ads that hasn't stuck with Matt from childhood. Because I never saw it. Apparently, Koken, as I think we're calling him, was sent to a psychiatric hospital where he remained for 10 years. But there, Colwell apparently, regularly visited him. And this encouraged his eventual rehabilitation, apparently. He's like the Pope. So that's me talking about...

Ten years, link. So that fact made me think, oh, what, this car's kind of good. Oh, no. Anyway, I'll tell you, soon you'll see why I don't like him as much. Colwell retired following the election, meaning that Whitlam stepped up as leader of the Labour Party and therefore as opposition leader.

And Whitlam made things a lot more difficult for Holt, as he was a much more effective opponent than Colwell, the old. old old school guy. Did you guys know that the white Australia policy still existed in 1966? I didn't realize that. Yeah. So Australia had this policy that basically favoured white immigration over other immigration.

And Colwell was a big fan of it. One of the things that he and Whitlam strongly disagreed on was Colwell's like white Australia policy all the way sort of thing. and Whitlam not as keen Whitlam obviously is like maybe the probably be the most progressive Australian Prime Minister ever maybe I say that

from the standpoint of a guy who did Year 12 politics Thank you So you say year 12 politics Year 12 Wow But keep in mind Matt's year 12 was before Whitlam

Yeah that's right That's right They called it Matrick back then So you're The best Prime Minister ever was obviously Edmund Barton, the first one. Yes, we're the only one. That's all you knew.

It was very easy back then. So if you asked Matt how many Prime Ministers there's been, of course, there's only one. Only one. There can be only one. This is a trick question. Holt started the process of breaking down the white Australia policy, though. So Holt was also keen to bring Australia into the bloody modern day. He ended the distinction between Asian and European migrants

and also permitted skilled Asians to settle with their families. This is in 1966. Wow. That blew my mind. Yeah. Apparently, he also started the Australian Council for the Arts, which opened up federal support for Australian artists, which is another cool-sounding thing that he's done.

Holdenjoyed a very positive first year in office, 1996. Things went great. I mean, there were a few speed bumps, that LBJ stuff heard his popularity a little bit. But things generally were going pretty well, and it all culminated in the big election victory. according to his biography on the Australian Dictionary of Biography website Jess you'll love this quote I think The Australian Dictionary of Biography

Yeah what a wild name. I hate it But I think you like where their heads are This is a quote Whereas 1966 was a good year Everything seemed to go wrong in 1967 Not a good year Not a good year

In 67 his brother died which he described as a terrible blow and he was also experiencing increasing political troubles and flagging popularity, much of which was self-inflicted but also due to Coff Whitlam's increasing popularity. So Holt was going through a tough period. We're getting up to things that may be more famous about Holt.

was going through a tough period but apparently he was in good spirits when he left Canberra on Friday the 15th of December for a weekend getaway at his family's holiday house in Porte's on the Mornington Peninsula. The idea was to come back to work refreshed and ready to tackle the new political year with new policy platforms and a shuffle of the ministry. His wife stayed home, but he played tennis and chilled out with friends on Saturday the 16th of

December the following day. On Sunday, the 17th of December, Holt went down to Cheviot Beach, not far from Portsy, with four others, and they included Marjorie Gillespie and her daughter Viner. It was a warm and windy day as they strad along the beach. Holt was keen to get in for a swim, so he changed into some bathers, and there was some concern that the surf was a bit rougher than usual that day. But Holt famously replied,

I know this beach is like the back of my hand, as he strode into the water and began swimming towards the horizon. Oh dear. The following is taken from an article on Smithsonian.com. The article is called The Prime. Minister who disappeared. There might be a spoiler there. Martin Simpson, who's Viner's boyfriend, followed,

but stopped when he was knee-deep in the surf. There was a fairly strong undercurrent, he said. So I just splashed around without going in too far. The third man in the group, Alan Stewart told the others, if Mr. Holt can take it, I'd better go in too. Stewart. Interesting, Matt, in your relation? Yeah, it was my son.

But he stopped quickly when he fell. felt a tremendous undertoes swirling around his legs. He watched Holt swim out into what he considered dangerous turbulence. Marjorie Gillespie kept her eyes on Holt as he swam father and father out until the water swelled around him and he disappeared. I said father, but it said further. What was his father doing? He swam father. Father.

Rescue teams were called and very quickly the Australian Army Navy Marine Board. of Victoria and the Department of Air were playing a role in the largest search and rescue operation in Australia's history. I don't fuck around when it's the Prime Minister, do they? Which it's wild though, right, that he could even just go out, the Prime Minister's went out for a swim in rough waters by himself.

I don't think that would be allowed anymore. Probably in part because of Harold. Well, our current Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, goes, like, often kayaking on Sydney Harbour. Does he? Yeah. What if you're on a ferry and you just look over at the kayak

and you're like, morning, Prime Minister? It would be, to me it would be a lot like seeing Mesa driving a tram. I've seen it. Wow. He drove past my house. One time, I was on a street and my car stopped as the tram stopped and Mesa was the driver of the tram. Like my car was going the opposite way, but directly next to the tram. And we just opened our windows and said hi.

And I didn't get a photo because I was like, nobody would believe me if I just tell the story. I was putting the bin out once and he drove fast. In a tram. In a tram. The Prime Minister. Yeah. Also loves Malcolm Turnbull, loves getting on a tram for a photo opportunity. He always often starts press conferences by saying,

you know I love public transport. This is a strange man. I should say Mesa is, he's often our fill-in host here. Yes, from the weekly planet, but more obviously, as the world's most famous tram driver. But the Prime Minister has disappeared. It's crazy. So it was the largest ever search and rescue operation.

But it was all for nothing. The search was scaled down after five days and officially ended on the 5th of January, 1968. Gillespie was the last person anyone saw Australia 17th Prime Minister alive or dead as a body was never found. It's just so bizarre. Harold Holt was 58 when he disappeared. A memorial service was attended by 2,000 guests at St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne.

Guests included American President, LBJ, the British PM, Harold Wilson, and Prince Charles. Really? Monarchy lovers would be appreciating that. Prince Charles came out. I do. I think it's nice that any of them came. Look, that is, that's why I hate about the monarchy is that Australians like, wow.

One of them came out. That's one of the things. It's like, why do we give a shit? What a dumb thing to hate about that. Well, I don't think it's worth a wow. All right. He came to the. the leader of Australia's funeral.

Wow. LBJ didn't get a wow. He did not get a wow. Why, you turned on me now. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. He loves to play a role. He loves a Staxon. I forgot that I was also

playing the character of a Monarchist on this show. He does love a Stax on, doesn't he? He does, but he loves it. Yeah, Matt, you're an idiot. The Royals are great. I'm with Jess on this one. Stacks on. Wow.

Wow. Wow. The Archbishop presiding over the ceremony. The Archbishop came. Wow. His name was Philip Strong. Philip Strong? Wow.

And he is said to have spoken of fidelity as the mark of the man's life and work, which is interesting as it was later found out that Holt was having an extramarital affair with Marjorie Gillespie. The last person who ever see him alive. Oh no. I never see that dick alive. I'm so sorry. I've all done a bad jick joke now. Dick joke.

Um, mine was pretty good. Uh, but Gillespie wasn't the only one. Talking of Gillespie years later, according to Holt's wife, she was one of the queue formed on the right. It went on all the time saying that he had lovers in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Hong Kong and Portsy. Oh, Holt, you dog. Wow.

And Portsy. Did you know about that? I didn't know. All I knew about was that he drowned. Yeah, that's all I know about him. And that, I don't know if you'll mention it, that there's a pool and Melbourne named after him. No, I won't mention that.

I'll leave that to all the comedians, the touring comedians who come to Melbourne. Yeah. I said it... What do you like, Melbourne? I said it to my mum when I was 13, because we had our school swimming carnival at the Harold Holt Pool,

because it's not far from... That will be interesting to some listeners who don't know that. Yeah, there's a local pool. Where is it? It's in the base? I think it's in the southeast. Yeah, it's like quite near where I grew up.

Somewhere in Caulfield or something. There was a pool named after the Prime Minister that disappeared at sea, touring comedians and it's also like a frequent touchstone for like a hack joke to make about Australia. Sort of saying has been, yeah, the number one hack joke of Australia. But I made it to my mum when I was a teenager, like a kid. I'm sure.

When you first hear it, it is an amazingly funny thing. It's outrageous. Even my mum just went, like she looked at me and said, he was a really passionate swimmer, Jess. And I was like, Mom, I get it. But appreciate. Too soon, Jess. But you're 12 year old. It's just made quite a funny observation.

Your mum's like, hack. Exactly. My mom, she heckled me. And ever since then, I have just, I have striven to write a joke that my mother would appreciate. Striven's great, if that's a real word. Keeps driven. Is it a word? Keeps driven.

You keep out of it. I like it. I'm not saying it's not. Just keep striven. I like it either way. So that sort of, that ends his life. It's crazy because I just wanted to say, imagine the. media, I would love to see at the time, the Prime Minister has disappeared the front page

of the newspaper, people are probably expecting that they'll find him. Yes. And they never do. They never do. What a hectic thing. I can't imagine that would just, obviously that was the biggest news story in Australia, but also huge across the world. It's a real life mystery episode.

And then after a few days, people accept that he's not going to, like, that's it. Yeah, they're like, oh, we'll scale this down. But because there was a body was never found, under the law at the law at the the time, there was no official inquest. They needed to have a body to do an inquest. So there was no state sanctioned. Wow, that is weird. And this led to many conspiracy theories about what happened to Holt. These include, here's a few of my favourites. Scott Cooper wrote a book that claims Holt was killed accidentally in a botched kidnapping that was related to his plan to increase troops

troop numbers in Vietnam so accidentally killed him and then they covered it up which I love because that would mean that those four people

who tell the stories of watching him go out swim out there and spending the weekend playing tennis with him and stuff they were all in on it as well another theory

claims Holt faked his own death so that he could get away and live with one of his mistresses okay in Hong Kong or Portsy which is much closer to where he drowned there are also

many theories obviously that he was taken by a UFO. That's my vote. Obviously. Valentich came along with his upside-down plane. Brisbane man Gary Simmons, Gary, so I'm already on board this one. Brisbane man, Gary Simmons says that Holt was murdered the night before, and he knows this as he was tasked with getting rid of the body,

which he did by towing it out to sea to a waiting fishing boat. And I think he says that he did so on the orders from the government or something like that. All right, Gary. So he's towed it out to sea. He's got tied a rope around the leg and just dragged it on the back of the boat. That is a weird phrasing. A jet ski.

How are you doing back to Herald? Oh yeah, you're dead. He put him on skis. Weekender Bernie. Well, that's what I was going to say. If he was killed the night before, who's that man walking out into the surf? He's just on wires.

Yeah. Being pulled out. That's what it was. That was him towing him out. He's like old school puppeteering and saying, I know this surf like the back of my hand. And then the people are like, there was something strange about Howard that day.

I just can't quite get my finger on. What was going on? The fact that he was face down to the surf traveling along 60 kilometres and out into the horizon. It was just something strange about it. He's bloody fast. I read that one on this website called Mysterious Universe.org.

And this one also comes directly from there. This is a quote, John Keel, who you might remember from a previous episode, wrote in his 1970 book Operation Trojan Horse that Elementals had foretold of Holt's death in conjunction with the Point Pleasant Silver Bridge collapsed just a year earlier. Oh my goodness.

Mothman. Kills connecting of Holt and the Mothman prophecies has prompted others to speculate that Holt may have been an alien representative on Earth. The article goes on to say whether that reasoning bears fruit or not, I'll leave that up to you. No.

Look, I'm sorry, America, and there were a lot of listeners who were aghast at how unsuriously we took the mothman. What the fuck? I love the mothman. It's so good. Big mothman fan. Some people are like, wow, I'd never heard people that, like, you know, didn't buy into it before.

It's like, really? A moth man? We're the first people to question that? What is wrong with your country? In some ways, it was probably in my delivery of the report. If someone else came in, you know, like that guy who told you. talks about animals or something came in. It was like...

Steve Irwin. Steve Irwin came in. How dare you say that name. Richard Roxburgh. No, what's his name? We did an episode about David Attenborough. Richard Roxburgh. But maybe the most famous theory was published in a book written by Anthony Gray, a British writer,

called The Prime Minister was a spy. Oh, my God. The theory was, and this was told to him in a big, chunky manuscript by an ex-naval officer of Australia, the theory was that Holt had been a Chinese spy for over 30 years. He was not Chinese. And then he... I'm sorry to shuddle over this theory. There's a 700-page manuscript and you just debunked it with two words.

Two words into that, he's not a Chinese spy. He's not Chinese. I mean, that's the part of his spy. Oh, he's a spy for China. Yes. Well, you should have been more clear. It's like saying sushi is a Chinese dish. No, it's not.

It's like, yeah, it's just like that. You can get it in China, but you wouldn't want to, because it wouldn't be as good. He wasn't a Chinese spy. He wasn't a Chinese spy. He was a spy for China. The theory was that he'd been a Chinese spy for 30 years. How'd he? And then he swam out to be picked up by a submarine and taken back to China.

Taken back to China where he was originally from? Yes. Because he's Chinese. Yes. How do you know he? he wasn't Chinese. You hardly heard of him before today, apart from he drowned.

So you were saying you've seen pictures of him? Yeah. I mean, I don't mean to assume race. Matt's not quick to judge like you, Jess. I don't think. I'm not quick to judge. Matt doesn't crush people's dreams. He doesn't tell people who is and who isn't Chinese. Harold Holt could be Chinese if he

wanted to be. Thank you. That's all I wanted to hear. And it's the theory that he swam out to the submarine and live. inside the submarine. Well, he was taken back to the submarine. He just swammed a very strong swimmer. A pretty strong swimmer. How do you get into a submarine from the outside?

It goes above the water. I understand, but somebody would have seen it. Oh no, he swam out. And duck dived. I think it was about 1,400 kilometers. And then he just duck dived. And they picked him up on the other side of Antarctica or something. I don't know how far things are.

He swam to China. How far is that? That can't be that far. His wife Zara A little bit of a wag She laughed off the theory saying That he didn't even like Chinese cooking Let alone China is spying

I assume that's how she finished that sentence And then she took another drink of her rosé I don't know Have you seen the Cohen brothers film Hail Caesar There's a scene where they Swim out and meet a submarine Yeah Based on Holt

Documents Is it based on Hull? I never really put the connection together That's cool Definitely is. In 2005, the Victorian coroner finally opened up an inquiry into Holt's disappearance. The state coroner, Graham Johnston, found that Harold Holt drowned at Cheviot Beach, and that his body had been either swept out to sea or taken by sharks.

Taken. Where did they take it? To the submarine. To China. Shark, lead us to the body. Where have you buried him? There was another theory. Give us back, Harold.

And coroner interviewed every shark in the area. One of the early theories that came from an Indian man, and it became a conversation between the Indian government and the Australian government, and there was a specific spot where they said they'd find the body buried under the sea and the sand. Well, that came to nothing either. So, you know, the official story is that he drowned, because it was super tough conditions. According to the Smithsonian article, this is a direct quote, Holt had been given special permission to access the beach with his friends in privacy,

and though he was an experienced swimmer, he had also been taking pain medications for a shoulder injury at the time. So both under medication also, he's got a shoulder injury. And just six months earlier, he'd almost drowned at the same spot while snorkeling with friends. Oh gosh.

He's got bloody form. He's also Chinese. So that is the story of Harold Holt. That is cool because as Australians, you grow up, sorry, clap, clap, clap, clap. Great report. I will say that was really good. As Aussies, you grow up knowing the hell would hot drown, but that's about it, to be honest.

Yeah, that is the only thing I knew about it. That was a really cool story of his life. And I just, although there was a few of those little side track bits that I was just like, I'll put this in. I mean, really, the topic would have been suggested for the drowning, and I could potentially have done the whole thing about that. But I don't know, I just found all that. Yeah.

His political career fascinating. I just didn't know a lot of those things. Even like I would have had no 17th Prime Minister, I'm like, what was that in the 20s or the? Ninies? I don't know. Have we had 17 yet? But yeah, I didn't really... We went through all these ones like caretaker, prime ministers and that sort of stuff. And who did suggest this topic?

It was actually suggested by Angus Maxfield via email. The only one to suggest it. But it's a good name. Real solid name. Thank you, Angus. I should say, I don't know if this sort of slightly wraps up something from before, but not really. But following Holt's death, the next three prime ministers were all conservative. John McHughan was sort of like a caretaker.

Then John Gerton. then John Gorton, sorry, and then William McMahon, who was the father of that actor who was in Niptuck. Anyway, that doesn't matter. And then after that... Julian. Julian McMahon, yeah. I did not know that.

Good fact. And then, so they were kind of the last of the Menzies, protegees, kind of. They were all from that cabinet. And then McMahon was beaten, or the following Prime Minister, was Goff Whitlam, who broke through as the first Labour PM in nearly 23 years.

So you know, talking about growing up thinking John How was the only, like, not knowing Labor governments, kids then were full adults who did not have a year. Yeah, true. Which is pretty amazing. Anyway, so yeah, that's a little addendum. Well, thank you for your report, Matthew. Very interesting. We do thank you.

Hey? Who's clever? Who's a good boy? Maddie's a good boy. We also like to thank people that support the show via Patreon. Yes. Including everyone that of course voted for this topic. It's cool that the Sydney-Shireberg Deluxe package people were keen on this topic.

Yes, I found that interesting because I think they are mainly international. Yes, that's kind of cool. Yeah, so that is cool. And we would like to thank them, but also if you support the show via Patreon, patreon.com slash do-go on pod, you can get bonus episodes and extra little things, but also we'd like to thank some of you on the show. At first I'm like, Jess wanted to tell us how these guys are going to mysterious die.

But you could, if you're not, maybe not that, maybe you want to give them a ministry. At one point, Holt was the minister for trade and for something like that.

All right. Great. Thanks for a fun one. And it was the treasurer. But it could be anything. Okay. Limit it only by your imagination. Right.

Well, first person that I would like to thank, has one of the coolest names we've heard? I say that a lot, but this is a cool name. From Lake Wales in Florida. I'd like to thank. Odie,

The Minister for Transport. He could be anything. Wow. That is quite an important portfolio. Sorry, Odie, but trains are cool. Trains are great. I mean, you're not just, and it's not just trains. Planes and automobiles. Hovercrafts, hoverboards, surfboards, jet skis,

walking. Chairman of the board. Yeah, you've got everything. And then I would also like to thank from Port St. Lucy, also in Florida. What? No, that's crazy, isn't that? Another amazing name, Elvis Nalasco.

That is plenty. We attract the best names. Minister for rock and roll. Oh, yeah. The king. Nailed it. And thank you. Elvis.

Elvis. That is sick. Pretty good. That is cool. One of what his favorite rock star is. Prince? Prince. I was thinking Prince.

Matchbox 20. Wow. Really? Wow. That is surprising. I've seen them live. I reckon that would have broken his parents' heart. Imagine the parents call him Elvis.

He's going to be a cool rock kid. I love Rob Thomas. But I also love it when Rob Thomas went solo and went in with Santana. I did that song about being smooth, called Smooth. And I went, you're smooth. And that's the minister for rock and roll. All right. Thank you.

Thank you, Odie and Elvis. You've disappointed your parents, Elvis, in this act out. Anyway, I would like to thank all the way from New Mexico, Jonathan Dooley. Jonathan Dooley, I like it. Let's see the Minister for getting down. Wow, okay. That's odd. Jonathan Dooley.

What are his responsibilities in that? What is he looking after? That's still also planes and trains. Right. Just underground tunnels. Yeah, yeah. He gets down on the platform. Submarines.

Yep, great. So thanks Jonathan Dooley. And I would also like to thank from Brisbane, to bringing it back to the city that we will be visiting in two and a half weeks, to send him a second, get your tickets. Isabel Cox. Isabel Cox. Minister for

Sexpo Okay Wow The sexual expo Wow How have you come to that I don't know It just something

Something came from that So thank you Isabel Cox Isabel Cox Hopefully we'll see you there At the Brisbane show Not now What Sexpo is a very big event

Cool It needs a minister It needs to be Plutty Everyone Close your legs Don't do that to a marriage Robert Menzies's way

That's the Menzies frenzy That's the Minister Don't do it Ah Hey guys Would you mind if I thanked From Edmonton Alberta

In Canada Dave Drayden Who of course As we all know Any name With the same first And surname Having the same initial

Is a superhero Altarigo Do you know that Oh yeah So Would he be the super The super minister? He is the minister.

He's the super, the minister of the supernatural powers. Cool. And also education. Wow, double portfolio. Double portfolio. But of course they put the most important one first.

Yes. He's like, he's very good friends with the doctor, Professor Xavier. Dr. Professor Exavia. Excellent. Is it? I don't know. Jess is owned out here.

I'd also like to thank from Waverly, New South Wales. Novokovich. Novakovich? Novakovic. Novakovic. I reckon it's one of those three. And Tom is the minister for... Tom is the minister for douche.

Daesh. No, he's gone wrong. No, no. Dush means shower in France. He's the minister for waterways. Oh, thanks, Tom. Thanks, Tom. We need water.

We all do. But we also need Sexpo, so thank God for us. And, yeah, obviously. just in the times of drought, don't use too much water. Thanks. Keep your showers to four minutes and shower with a friend,

shower with the neighbour. Good on you. Don't shower with your neighbours. That's Tom's message. That was his platform. I'd vote for him. I have. In my mind.

Well, that just about brings us to the end of this week's episode. We thank you, Matt, for your report. Thank everyone that supports the show at Patreon. One more time. Patreon.com slash do go on pod. And if you want to get in contact and suggest a topic at do go on Pod on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook,

and email. We can email us anytime on do go on pod at gmail.com. Please do. Please. We'd love to hear from you. Even if it's not a suggestion, just a hello would be very nice. Just say good-day. Or a review on iTunes.

That really helps the show. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Yeah. And if you're going out into the beach this weekend and you feel the ocean's a bit too much for you, And you've just, you know, maybe hurt your shoulder and nearly died in the same spot a month earlier.

Just don't go. Swim between the flags. I'd agree with that. Absolutely. Or not, bloody, just go for it. Let's get out of you. Thanks so much, guys. Until next time, I will say goodbye.

Later. Bye. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbicasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. I mean, if you want. It's up to you. I'm jealous of all the country bakeries You'll be experiencing with people that are not me

It's my favourite thing, country bakeries They are lovely Definitely to be going for a few Neenish tarts or vanilla slices I love a jelly slice Oh yeah my mum makes a mean jelly slice Do you reckon you could hook me up Absolutely

I stopped at a bakery on the way I was in a polybow over the weekend And I was driving home I stopped at a bakery in lawn And it was sort of late in the day But they still had some salad rolls there And I said oh give us a cheese and salad roll She goes, no problem.

It doesn't have any mayo on it. Do you want to pop someone? I said, that would be Ripper. It's the service in country bakeries. Oh, that is. You wouldn't get that in a city bakery. That is unheard of. That is.

Here's the mayonnaise. Punch to the face. Get the fuck out of the shop. Yeah. Fuck you, they'll say. As soon as you walk in. I can I have a fuck you. Get out.

Your bloody scumbag. That's what they say. None of them have gone out of business somehow. This city talk. Jess, you know what you've just done? You've just given me a beautiful. post-credit story. That is a great secret track.

People are going to be like, what a lovely way to finish the show. Aw, that's nice. Happy to help. Don't forget to sign up to our tour mailing list so we know where in the world you are and we can come and tell you when we're coming there. Wherever we go, we always hear six months later,

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