State politics thumb|Menzies as Deputy Premier of Victoria In 1928, Menzies entered state parliament as a member of the Victorian Legislative Council from East Yarra Province, representing the Nationalist Party of Australia. He stood for constitutional democracy, the rule of law, the sanctity of contracts and the jealous preservation of existing institutions. Suspicious of the Labor Party, Menzies stressed the superiority of free enterprise except for certain public utilities such as the railways. His candidacy was nearly defeated when a group of ex-servicemen attacked him in the press for not having enlisted, but he survived this crisis. Within weeks of his entry to parliament, he was made a minister without portfolio in a new minority Nationalist State government led by Premier William McPherson. The new government had formed when the previous Labor government lost the support of the cross-bench Country Progressives. The following year he shifted to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the member for the Electoral district of Nunawading. In 1929, he founded the Young Nationalists as his party's youth wing and was its first president. Holding the portfolios of Attorney-General and Minister for the Railways, Menzies was Deputy Premier of Victoria from May 1932 until July 1934.
state PoliticS thUmb|meNzies as dePUTY pRemIer oF vICtoriA In 1928, menzies eNTered statE ParliaMEnt as a mEmbeR of thE VicTorIan LEGislative cOUncil fRom east yaRRa proVinCE, rEPResentiNG THe nationalist paRty of aUstraLia. He stooD for COnsTituTioNAL DEmoCracy, the ruLe Of law, tHe sAnctiTy oF coNTracTs and thE jEaloUs PREserVAtIoN of eXiStiNG InsTiTUTions. sUspIcIouS OF the laboR party, menzies strESsed the supeRioritY Of FReE enterPrISe excEpt for cErtain pUblic Utilities suCh AS thE raiLways. hIS CandiDAcy waS neaRLY DEFeAted when a grouP of Ex-sErViCeMen attaCkED Him In The press foR not having EnListED, but hE Survived this CrIsIs. withIn weekS of his entRy to parLiament, he was Made a miNiSter wiTHoUt PoRtfoliO In A new MINoRiTY nationALisT statE government LeD By premier wiLlIam McPheRsON. the nEw GoveRnment hAd forMed when the prEVIoUs labor GOVernMenT lOst tHE suppOrt of the cross-Bench CounTRy progrEssiveS. THe fOlLowiNg yeaR hE SHiFTeD to the ViCtorian legiSlAtiVe AssembLy as tHe mEMber fOr the ElecTorAl diStRict oF NunawaDing. in 1929, he fOunDED tHE yoUng NationalistS as hIs partY's yOuTh Wing And Was iTs FiRSt presiDent. holDing tHe portfOlios of atTorney-gEneRaL aND ministEr fOr THe railwaYs, meNzies Was dEpuTy prEMieR of vICtOriA from MAy 1932 until july 1934.