▁interest ▁rates ▁to ▁stim ulate ▁exp end iture . ▁Another ▁point ▁of ▁difference ▁was ▁the ▁issue ▁of ▁establish ing ▁national ▁un emp loyment ▁ins urance . ▁Deb ate ▁on ▁this ▁issue ▁became ▁stra ined ▁with ▁the ▁Country ▁Party ▁oppos ing ▁the ▁plan . ▁On ▁this ▁issue , ▁deput y ▁leader ▁Robert ▁M enz ies ▁and ▁Country ▁Party ▁leader ▁Ear le ▁Page ▁would ▁have ▁a ▁public ▁falling ▁out . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁author ▁Brian ▁Car roll , ▁Ly ons ▁had ▁been ▁under est im ated ▁when ▁he ▁assumed ▁office ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁and ▁as ▁leader ▁he ▁demonstrated : ▁" a ▁combination ▁of ▁hon esty , ▁native ▁sh rew d ness , ▁tact , ▁administrative ▁ability , ▁common ▁sense , ▁good ▁luck ▁and ▁good ▁hum our ▁that ▁kept ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁job ▁longer ▁than ▁any ▁previous ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁except ▁Hugh es ". ▁Ly ons ▁was ▁assist ed ▁in ▁his ▁campaign ing ▁by ▁his ▁polit ically ▁active ▁wife , ▁En id ▁Ly ons . ▁She ▁had ▁a ▁busy ▁official ▁role ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁and , ▁following ▁her ▁husband ' s ▁death , ▁stood ▁for ▁Parliament ▁herself , ▁becoming ▁Australia ' s ▁first ▁female ▁Member ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁and ▁later ▁first ▁woman ▁in ▁Cab inet , ▁joining ▁the ▁M enz ies ▁Cab inet ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁ ▁Pre par ation ▁for ▁war ▁ ▁Def ence ▁issues ▁became ▁increasing ly ▁dominant ▁in ▁public ▁affairs ▁with ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁fasc