"The Brisbane Line was it fact or was it a myth?" Topic

"The so called "Brisbane Line" became a public issue when Eddie Ward, the member for East Sydney, accused the previous Menzies government of having a plan to abandon northern Australia to the Japanese should they invade from the north. This was a view held widely by many civilians in north Queensland during World War II.

The concept of the Brisbane Line were reportedly devised by Lieutenant General Sir Iven Giffard Mackay, General Officer Commanding in Charge, Home Forces of Australia from 1941 to 1942. In a letter to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Fadden in May 1943, Prime Minister John Curtin advised that after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Lieutenant General Iven Mackay, who had been appointed by the Menzies government, submitted a defence plan to the present Minister for the Army, Mr Forde, which related to the defence of Australia. This plan concentrated on the defence of the vital parts of Australia, involving holding what is known as the "Brisbane Line". The Government rejected the submission and took steps to defend the whole of Australia. Included in these steps were the recall of Sir Thomas Blamey from overseas to take the post of Commander-in-Chief in Australia and the recall of A.I.F. Divisions abroad, the appointment of General Douglas MacArthur as Commander-in-Chief of the Southwest Pacific Area and representations for the despatch of naval, land, and air forces to the SWPA, together with aircraft and other supplies for the equipment and expansions of the Australian forces…"
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