 Menzies used the speech to outline the values and constituency that would form the basis of the Liberal Party of Australia.Menzies had previously served as Prime Minister as leader of the United Australia Party from 1939-1941.From 1942 onward, Menzies had maintained his public profile with his series of "Forgotten People" radio talks, similar to Franklin Roosevelt's "fireside chats" of the 1930s, in which he spoke of the middle class as the "backbone of Australia" but as nevertheless having been "taken for granted" by political parties and of being effectively powerless because of lack of wealth on the one hand, and lack of organisation on the other.