The Fifth Menzies Ministry held term from 11 May until 11 January 1956. The Sixth Menzies Ministry held term from 11 January 1956 until 10 December 1958. This series documents Cabinet's response to submissions on major issues affecting the governing of Australia during the second half of the Fifth Ministry and the Sixth Ministry, from July 1954 to October 1958.
Ministers prepared submissions on issues that required a political or policy decision from Cabinet. Cabinet met to consider the submissions and agree on a course of action. On behalf of Cabinet, the Cabinet Secretariat produced a decision document for each submission, briefly outlining Cabinet's decision. Copies of the decision documents were distributed by the Secretariat to Ministers affected by the decision.
Sometimes Ministers presented oral submissions to Cabinet, particularly on urgent or important issues. All of the decision documents in this series are on matters for which no written submission was prepared. For those decisions written in response to a specific submission, see CRS A4906 Fifth Menzies Ministry - folders of Cabinet submissions (first system), and CRS a4926 Sixth Menzies Ministry - folder of Cabinet submissions. The decisions cover an extremely wide range of subjects and address many of the significant events and issues of the time.
In July 1954, when Prime Minister Menzies reformed the Cabinet system and reduced the number of standing Cabinet committees, the Cabinet Secretariat also made changes to its recordkeeping procedures. This date marks the end of what is referred to as the first system used during the Fifth Menzies Ministry (see CRS A4909), and the beginning of the second system.
The second system is reflected in this series, with decisions of Committees appearing in the same numerical sequence with the letter symbol of the Committee as a suffix in brackets to the decision number. This system developed further with the start of the Sixth Menzies Ministry with three categories of decision-making becoming apparent.
The Ministry as a whole was the widest grouping, being all Ministers. Decisions made by this grouping are identified by the suffix "(MIN)".
An inner-Cabinet of senior Ministers, with occasional co-option of others, formed the second grouping. Decisions made by the Cabinet are identified by decision number only.
The third category was Committees of Cabinet, specialist groupings of Ministers who dealt with matters affecting their portfolios. Decisions made by these groups are identified by the letter symbol for the Committee as a suffix to the decision number. The name of the Committee is also cited, after the heading "Cabinet Minutes". Details of meetings of these Committees can be found in CRS A4944 Fifth, Sixth and Seventh (first series) Menzies Ministries - 'index to meeting records' (volumes summarising business of Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings).
The decisions appear on a separate sheet(s) for each decision. The submission number is quoted where applicable, and the title and text of the decision are given. This is followed by the stamped annotation "certified true copy" and the stamp of the Secretary to Cabinet's signature, or the signature of the Committee Secretary.