Editing Harold Holt (section)

==Early political career==
[[File:Holt and Menzies 1939.jpg|thumb|Holt with [[Robert Menzies]] on 26 April 1939, the day Menzies first became prime minister|left|217x217px]]
In 1933, Holt joined the [[Nationalist Party (Australia)#Young_Nationalists_Organisation|Young Nationalists]], the youth wing of the [[United Australia Party]].<ref name="frame9" /> He cultivated a friendship with [[Mabel Brookes]], and through Brookes became acquainted with senior members of the influential [[Australian Women's National League]] (AWNL). He also secured the patronage of [[Robert Menzies]], with whom he shared a similar background and political views.<ref name=p11>Frame (2005), p. 11.</ref> At the [[1934 Australian federal election|1934 federal election]], Holt stood for the UAP in the [[Division of Yarra]]. It was a [[safe seat]] for the [[Australian Labor Party|Labor Party]], held by the party's leader (and former prime minister) [[James Scullin]]. Holt lost heavily, as was expected, but was praised for his campaigning.<ref name="frame9"/> Early the following year, he contested [[Electoral district of Clifton Hill|Clifton Hill]]&nbsp;– another safe Labor seat&nbsp;– at the [[1935 Victorian state election|Victorian state election]], losing to [[Bert Cremean]].<ref>Frame (2005), p. 10.</ref> Holt was eventually elected to parliament on his third attempt, winning [[1935 Fawkner by-election|a federal by-election]] for the seat of [[Division of Fawkner|Fawkner]] in August 1935; his predecessor, [[George Maxwell (Australian politician)|George Maxwell]], had died in office. He won UAP [[preselection]] against five other candidates, a victory which ''[[Smith's Weekly]]'' attributed to his "political godmothers" in the AWNL.<ref name=p11/><ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/234615406 Political Godmothers Rule U.A.P. With Haughty Mien], ''[[Smith's Weekly]]'', 10 August 1935.</ref> His new seat was centred on Melbourne's wealthy inner-eastern suburbs.<ref>Frame (2005), p. 12.</ref>

Holt was twenty-seven years old when he entered parliament, making him its youngest member. He kept a relatively low profile in his first few years, but spoke on a wide range of topics.<ref>Frame (2005), pp. 12–15.</ref> When Robert Menzies became prime minister in April 1939, he made Holt one of four [[minister without portfolio|ministers without portfolio]]. His inclusion was made possible by the collapse of [[Coalition (Australia)|the coalition]] with the [[National Party of Australia|Country Party]]&nbsp;– previously a certain number of positions had been reserved for Country MPs, but [[First Menzies Ministry|the new ministry]] was composed solely of UAP members.<ref>Frame (2005), p. 16.</ref> Although Holt officially had no portfolio, he effectively was an assistant minister to [[Richard Casey, Baron Casey|Richard Casey]], who headed the [[Department of Supply & Development (1939-1942)|Department of Supply & Development]]. He was given responsibility for the [[CSIRO|Council for Scientific and Industrial Research]] (CSIR),<ref>Frame (2005), p. 17.</ref> and also acted for periods as [[Minister for Trade (Australia)|Minister for Trade and Customs]] and [[Minister for Air (Australia)|Minister for Civil Aviation and Air]] while the incumbents were overseas.<ref>Frame (2005), p. 18.</ref> Holt's first stint as a government minister came to an end in March 1940, when the coalition with the Country Party was reinstituted. His replacement was [[Arthur Fadden]], another future prime minister.<ref>Frame (2005), p. 19.</ref>