Popular culture By zoeschneider Period: Jan 1, 1940 to Dec 31, 2000 Popular culture Jan 1, 1945 World War 2 ends Jan 1, 1946 Arthur Calwell introduces a new immigration scheme, this will have a major impact on Australia and its culture Jan 1, 1948 General Motors produces a Holden "Australia's own car" Sep 1, 1956 Austalia airs its first television broadcast Nov 1, 1956 Australia host the Olympics in Melbourne Jan 1, 1960 First ever televised political debate = John F Kennedy vs Richard Nixon Jan 1, 1962 Australia wins 38 medals at the Commonwealth games, the highest medal tally in the histroy of the games Jan 1, 1963 John F Kennedy assassinated in Dallas Texas Jan 1, 1964 Beatlemania touches down in Australia Jan 1, 1965 Prime Minister Menzies commits Australia troops to fight in Vietnam Feb 1, 1967 Ronald Ryan becomes the last person to be executed in Australia May 1, 1967 More thsn 90% of Australians vote in favour of including Indigenous Australians on the census Dec 1, 1967 Harold Holt, Australian's 17th prime minister, disappears while swimming and is presumed dead Jan 1, 1968 Dr Martin Luther King Jnr is assassinated, triggering triots across America Jan 1, 1974 Australia qaulifies for the FIFA World Cup Jan 1, 1980 AC/DC release thie album back in black; sells 49million copies; third highest selling album of all time Jan 1, 1985 Neighbours first airs Jan 1, 2000 Sydeny hosts the Olyimpics