The United Australia Party (UAP) was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. The party won four federal elections in that time, usually governing in coalition with the Country Party. It provided two Prime Ministers of Australia – Joseph Lyons (1932–1939) and Robert Menzies (1939–1941).
John Curtin was an Australian politician who served as the 14th prime minister of Australia from 1941 until his death in 1945. He led the country for the majority of World War II, including all but the last few weeks of the war in the Pacific. He was the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1935 to 1945, and its longest serving leader until Gough Whitlam.
Francis Michael Forde was an Australian politician who served as prime minister of Australia from 6 to 13 July 1945. He was the deputy leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1932 to 1946. He served as prime minister in a caretaker capacity after the death of John Curtin, and is the shortest-serving prime minister in Australia's history.
Sir Arthur William Fadden, was an Australian politician who served as the 13th Prime Minister of Australia from 29 August to 7 October 1941. He was the leader of the Country Party from 1940 to 1958.
The Scullin Ministry (Labor) was the 19th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 9th Prime Minister, James Scullin. The Scullin Ministry succeeded the Third Bruce Ministry, which dissolved on 22 October 1929 following the federal election that took place on 12 October which saw Labor defeat Stanley Bruce's Nationalist–Country Coalition. The ministry was replaced by the First Lyons Ministry on 6 January 1932 following the federal election that took place in December which saw the United Australia Party defeat Labor. As of 2020, it remains the most recent government to have lost an election after a single term in office.
The First Menzies Ministry was the 25th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 12th Prime Minister, Robert Menzies. The First Menzies Ministry succeeded the Page Ministry, which dissolved on 26 April 1939 following the election of Menzies as UAP leader after the death of former Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. However, due to the Country Party withdrawing from the Coalition after relations between caretaker Prime Minister Sir Earle Page and Menzies broke down, the First Menzies Ministry was composed solely of UAP ministers, and was effectively a minority government. The ministry was replaced by the Second Menzies Ministry on 14 March 1940 after Menzies took the Country Party back into his government - now led by Archie Cameron.
The Second Menzies Ministry was the 26th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 12th Prime Minister, Robert Menzies. The Second Menzies Ministry succeeded the First Menzies Ministry, which dissolved on 14 March 1940 after Menzies entered into a formal Coalition with Archie Cameron and his Country Party. The ministry was replaced by the Third Menzies Ministry on 28 October 1940 following the 1940 federal election.
The Third Menzies Ministry was the 27th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 12th Prime Minister, Robert Menzies. The Third Menzies Ministry succeeded the Second Menzies Ministry, which dissolved on 28 October 1940 following the federal election that took place in September. However, as a result of that election the government was reduced to minority status, and were forced to rely on the votes of independent crossbenchers Alexander Wilson and Arthur Coles to survive. The ministry was replaced by the Fadden Ministry on 28 August 1941 following the resignation of Menzies.
The Fadden Ministry was the 28th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 13th Prime Minister, Arthur Fadden. The Fadden Ministry succeeded the Third Menzies Ministry, which dissolved on 28 August 1941 following the resignation of Robert Menzies as Prime Minister. A subsequent joint meeting of the Coalition parties elected Country leader Fadden as Menzies' successor. The ministry was replaced by the First Curtin Ministry on 7 October 1941 after the independent crossbenchers Alexander Wilson and Arthur Coles withdrew their support for the Fadden Government and voted with John Curtin and his Labor Party to bring the government down in a de facto no-confidence motion.
The Second Curtin Ministry (Labor) was the 30th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 14th Prime Minister, John Curtin. The Second Curtin Ministry succeeded the First Curtin Ministry, which dissolved on 21 September 1943 following the federal election that took place in August. The ministry was replaced by the Forde Ministry on 6 July 1945 following the death of Curtin - the second of three occasions where a sitting Prime Minister died in office.
The Forde Ministry (Labor) was the 31st ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 15th Prime Minister, Frank Forde. The Forde Ministry succeeded the Second Curtin Ministry, which dissolved on 6 July 1945 following the death of former Prime Minister John Curtin - the second of three occasions where a sitting Prime Minister died in office. Since Forde was the deputy Labor leader, it was a caretaker ministry until the Labor caucus could elect a new leader. Treasurer Ben Chifley was ultimately elected over Forde on 12 July 1945, and he was sworn in as Prime Minister along with his ministry the following day.
The First Chifley Ministry (Labor) was the 32nd ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 16th Prime Minister, Ben Chifley. The First Chifley Ministry succeeded the Forde Ministry, which dissolved on 13 July 1945 following the election of Chifley as Labor leader after the death of former Prime Minister John Curtin. The ministry was replaced by the Second Chifley Ministry on 1 November 1946 following the 1946 federal election.
The Fourth Menzies Ministry was the 34th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 12th Prime Minister, Robert Menzies. The Fourth Menzies Ministry succeeded the Second Chifley Ministry, which dissolved on 19 December 1949 following the federal election that took place on 10 December which saw the Coalition defeat Ben Chifley's Labor Party. The ministry was replaced by the Fifth Menzies Ministry on 11 May 1951 following the 1951 federal election.
The McEwen Ministry was the 43rd ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 18th Prime Minister, John McEwen. The McEwen Ministry succeeded the Second Holt Ministry, which dissolved on 19 December 1967 following the disappearance of former Prime Minister Harold Holt - the third and most recent occasion where a sitting Prime Minister died in office. Since McEwen was the head of the Country Party, it was a caretaker ministry until the senior partner in the Coalition, the Liberal Party, could elect a new leader. John Gorton was ultimately elected on 9 January 1968, and he was sworn in as Prime Minister along with his ministry the following day.
Sir Eric John Harrison, was an Australian politician and diplomat. He was the inaugural deputy leader of the Liberal Party (1945–1956), and a government minister under four prime ministers. He was later High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1956 to 1964.
Although most Australian civilians lived far from the front line, the Australian home front during World War II played a significant role in the Allied victory and led to permanent changes to Australian society.
The Curtin government was the federal executive government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Curtin. It was made up of members of the Australian Labor Party in the Australian Parliament from 1941 to 1945.
The Menzies government (1939–1941) refers to the federal executive government of Australia led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies. Menzies led the United Australia Party in the Australian Parliament from 1939 to 1941. Menzies served a later and longer term as prime minister as leader of a successor party, the Liberal Party of Australia from 1949 to 1966.
The Fadden government was the federal executive government of Australia led by Prime Minister Arthur Fadden, as leader of the Country Party. He was appointed prime minister on 29 August 1941, during World War II, following the resignation of Robert Menzies of the United Australia Party (UAP). Fadden continued the coalition government between the Country Party and the UAP, but after just over one month in office the government was defeated on a confidence motion. Fadden was succeeded as prime minister on 7 October 1941 by John Curtin of the Australian Labor Party (ALP).
This page details numerous records and characteristics of individuals who have held the office of Prime Minister of Australia.
