The Murdoch's have been influencing Australia Earlier then the 60's. It goes back to WWI, Keith Murdoch - Rupert's father made his name reporting on World War I, especially The Gallipolli campaign. He was hugely influential in shaping how the campaign was viewed and received in Australia.

It would later come out that there was exaggerations and embellishments in his reporting (https://insidestory.org.au/the-myth-of-keith-murdochs-gallip...)

In Australia, Gallipolli and the ANZAC mythos became part of our national identity. It is hard to explain to non-Australians the impact of the "Anzac legacy" on our culture it was like Australia's Gettysburg or Waterloo etc. Anzac Day is still celebrated and observed more than 100 years later it is a major patriotic celebration.

Murdoch also tried to use his influence to block the advancement of Sir John Monash (arguably the greatest allied general of WWI and the last person to ever be knighted on the battlefield).