James Menzies (Australian politician) James Menzies (Australian politician) James Menzies (9 August 18621 November 1945) was an Australian businessman and politician who served in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1911 to 1920, representing the district of Lowan. Before entering politics, he ran the general store in Jeparit, Victoria. He was the father of Robert Menzies, the longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia. Menzies was born in Ballarat West, Victoria, one of the nine surviving children of Elizabeth (née Band) and Robert Menzies. His parents were both Scottish immigrants, meeting soon after their arrival in Australia in 1854 and marrying the following year. His father –
Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, owner of three private TV channels, founded Forza Italia (Forward Italy) party and won the elections, becoming one of Italy's most important political and economic figures for the next decade. Berlusconi is also the longest serving Prime Minister in the history of the Italian Republic and third-longest serving in the whole history after Mussolini and Giolitti. Ousted after a few months of government, Berlusconi returned to power in 2001, lost the 2006 general election five years later to Romano Prodi and his Union coalition, but he won the 2008 general election and was elected Prime Minister again for