What were major events in Australia from 1950-1959?

- The Australian Automobile Association is formed.

- Holden HQ debuts.

- Prime Minister Robert Menzies proposes an Australian flag referendum, which is unsuccessful.

- The Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) is formed to assist the French Army in the First Indochina War.

- The Snowy Mountains Scheme is inaugurated, a major construction project to generate hydroelectricity in the Snowy Mountains.

1951

- The Snowy Mountains Agreement is signed between the Australian and New Zealand governments.

- The Australian National Anthem is officially adopted.

- Television broadcasting begins in Sydney and Melbourne.

- The Liberal Party of Australia is formed.

1952

- The Olympic Games are held in Melbourne, the first time the event is held in Australia.

- Queen Elizabeth II visits Australia for the first time.

- The Menzies government is re-elected.

1953

- The Korean War armistice is signed.

- The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) deploys to Malaysia to support British operations against the Malayan Emergency.

1954

- The Australian federal election results in a hung parliament, with the Labor Party of Australia led by H.V. Evatt winning the most seats but not a majority. Robert Menzies forms a minority government with support from the Country Party.

- John Kerr is appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.

1955

- The Petrov Affair, a Cold War-era spy scandal, begins when Soviet diplomat Vladimir Petrov and his wife defect to Australia.

- The Australian Men's Cricket Team completes its first tour of India, winning the only Test match by an innings and 238 runs.

1956

- The Melbourne Olympics massacre occurs when a lone gunman kills three athletes and wounds seven others at the Olympic Village in Melbourne.

- The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is established.

- The Suez Crisis begins, with Australian involvement initially limited to diplomatic support for the United Kingdom.

1957

- Prime Minister Robert Menzies announces that Australia will send troops to Malaya in support of the British against the Malayan Emergency.

- The Great Barrier Reef is declared a Commonwealth Marine Reserve.

- The first Holden station wagon is released, the Holden Special Utility (Ute).

- The Reserve Bank of Australia is established as Australia's central bank.

- The Australian Labor Party (ALP) splits over the issue of the Petrov Affair, with the breakaway group forming the Democratic Labor Party (DLP).

1958

- The Menzies government is re-elected.

- The Australian economy enters a recession, sparked by the collapse of the wool market.

- The Australian Government establishes the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) as an independent authority for scientific research.

1959

- The Antarctic Treaty is signed, reserving the Antarctic continent for scientific research and prohibiting military activity.

- The first Holden FC model is released, replacing the Holden FB.

- The Chifley Royal Commission is established to investigate corruption in the New South Wales Labor Party.