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The passenger train Southern Aurora collides head-on with a freight train on the new Melbourne to Sydney train line. Nine people are killed.
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Sir Paul Hasluck becomes Governor-General of Australia after the retirement of Lord Casey.
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The 1969 Tasmanian election is held, resulting in a hung parliament with the ALP and Liberals winning 17 seats each. The deadlock is broken when Kevin Lyons of the Centre Party forms a coalition government with the Liberals and becomes Deputy Premier under Angus Bethune.
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Melbourne-Evans collision – The Royal Australian Navy aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne collides with the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Frank E. Evans in the South China Sea. Frank E. Evans is cut in half and sinks, killing 74 crew.
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The Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission rules that equal pay for women doing the same work as men must be phased in by 1972.
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Apollo 11 is sent to space to land on the moon
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The apollo 16 is launched by NASA to land on the moon
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Apollo 11 lands on the moon and becomes one of the greatest achievement for mankind
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A federal election is held. The incumbent Coalition government led by John Gorton defeats the Australian Labor Party led by Gough Whitlam.
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Prime Minister John Gorton announces that a withdrawal of Australian Army troops from the Vietnam War would begin in 1970.