Fadden government

Last updated

Fadden government
Coat of Arms of Australia.svg
FaddenPEO.jpg
In office
29 August – 7 October 1941
Monarch George VI
Prime Minister Arthur Fadden
Deputy Robert Menzies
Parties Country
UAP
OriginResignation of Robert Menzies
DemiseLost confidence motion
Predecessor Menzies government (I)
Successor Curtin government

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).

Contents

Background

The newly formed United Australia Party stewarded Australia's recovery from the Great Depression and entry into World War II, generally in coalition with the Country Party. The Lyons government was led by the popular Joseph Lyons from 1932 to 1939, but his sudden death in 1939 saw the Governor General appoint Country Party leader Earle Page as caretaker Prime Minister pending the election of a new UAP leader. The UAP turned to Robert Menzies, who became Prime Minister and led the first Menzies government in the final months before the outbreak of World War Two in Europe and through the first two years of Australia's war effort. Menzies and Page had an openly antagonistic relationship and would not work together in coalition.

John Curtin was first elected leader of the opposition Australian Labor Party in 1935. Defence issues were becoming increasingly dominant in public affairs with the rise of fascism in Europe and militant Japan in Asia. Curtin led Labor to the 1937 election against Joseph Lyons' United Australia Party which resulted in a comfortable victory to the UAP. [1]

Arthur Fadden

Fadden was a Queenslander who had begun his working life as a cane-cutters' offsider. After a time as a member of the Queensland Parliament he entered Federal Parliament in 1936. He disassociated himself from Earle Page's attacks on Menzies and became leader of the Country Party, following the resignation of Page in 1939. Intended as a stop-gap, he was elected Deputy Leader and appointed acting-leader because Archie Cameron and John McEwen had tied in a vote for the leadership. When Menzies formed a Coalition with the Country Party in March 1940, Fadden became Minister Assisting the Treasurer and Minister of Supply and Development. Later he was appointed Minister for Air and Civil Aviation. Following the 1940 Election, Fadden became Treasurer, In March 1941, the Country Party finally confirmed him as their leader. [2]

War

On 3 September 1939, Prime Minister Menzies announced Australia's declaration of war on Nazi Germany. Australia had entered World War II, following the Nazi invasion of Poland. The Labor Party declined to enter a war cabinet led by Menzies, though Curtin offered co-operation – though not to the extent of supporting conscription for overseas service. [3] The Labor Party experienced a split along pro and anti Communist lines over policy towards the Soviet Union for its co-operation with Nazi Germany in the invasion of Poland and Labor narrowly lost the September 1940 Election. The Menzies government UAP–Country Party coalition and the Labor parties won 36 seats each and the Menzies was forced to rely upon the support of two Independents, Alex Wilson and Arthur Coles to continue in office. New Country Party leader Arthur Fadden became Treasurer and Menzies unhappily conceded to allow Earle Page back into his ministry.

In Europe, the Phoney War gave way to a succession of Allied defeats, as Germany overran the Low Countries, Norway and France. By June 1940, the British Empire stood alone against Germany. In the Pacific, Australia feared Japanese intentions.

Curtin took a seat on the newly created Advisory War Council in October 1940 and agreed to a plan by Menzies to travel to Washington and London. In January 1941, Menzies flew to Britain to discuss the weakness of Singapore's defences and sit with Winston Churchill's British War Cabinet. In Menzies' absence, Curtin co-operated with Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Fadden in preparing Australia for the expected Pacific War. After four months, Menzies returned to Australia to face a lack of enthusiasm for his global travels and a war-time minority government full of intrigue and under ever increasing strain. With the threat of Japan imminent and with the Australian army suffering badly in the Greek and Crete campaigns, Menzies re-approached the Labor Party to form a War Cabinet. Menzies had planned a further trip to Britain to influence the conduct of the Allied campaign. Unable to secure Curtin's support, and with an unworkable parliamentary majority, Menzies resigned as Prime Minister.

The UAP-Country Party Coalition would hold office for another month with Fadden as prime minister. [4]

Term in office

Menzies resigned on 28 August 1941 and a joint United Australia Party–Country Party meeting chose Arthur Fadden, leader of the Country Party, to be his successor as Prime Minister of Australia. Fadden had just 13 party supporters in a Parliament of 75, but with the UAP in disarray, he assumed the Prime Ministership. [2] [5] The Coalition survived with the support of two independents – Alex Wilson and Arthur Coles. Fadden was Prime Minister from 29 August to 7 October 1941. [4]

Menzies declared loyalty to Fadden and served as Minister for Defence Co-ordination. The destabilising Earle Page was despatched to England as "Special Envoy" to the British War Cabinet.

Australia marked 2 years of war on 7 September 1941 with a day of prayer, on which Prime Minister Fadden broadcast to the nation an exhortation to be united in the ‘supreme task of defeating the forces of evil in the world". With the Pacific on the brink of war, Opposition leader John Curtin offered friendship and co-operation to Fadden, but refused to join in an all-party wartime national government. [4]

Four Prime Ministers in 1945: Labor Prime Minister John Curtin (left) shares a joke with the Governor General Prince Henry (in uniform) with former Country Party Prime Minister Arthur Fadden, Nationalist Prime Minister Billy Hughes and UAP Prime Minister Robert Menzies. Curtin GGPrinceHenry Fadden Hughes Menzies.jpg
Four Prime Ministers in 1945: Labor Prime Minister John Curtin (left) shares a joke with the Governor General Prince Henry (in uniform) with former Country Party Prime Minister Arthur Fadden, Nationalist Prime Minister Billy Hughes and UAP Prime Minister Robert Menzies.

According to political historian Brian Carroll, Fadden "did no better than Menzies in getting the country organized for the war. He ruled for only 40 days and came to grief largely because he did not like Arthur Coles and made no effort to win his support". Coles persuaded the other independent, Alex Wilson, to support him in crossing the floor and then advised Opposition Leader Curtin of their intention. On 3 October, Curtin moved that the Government reduce the budget by 1 pound. The independents, Coles and Wilson, voted with the Opposition in the House of Representatives to reject Fadden's budget and therefore the Fadden government. [2] Fadden resigned. To date, this is the last occasion on which a government was defeated as a result of losing the confidence of the House of Representatives. Curtin was sworn in as Prime Minister on 7 October 1941. [4] Eight weeks later, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

Aftermath

Fadden became leader of the Opposition and the UAP elected the 79-year-old Billy Hughes as leader in place of Menzies. [2] Curtin proved a popular leader, rallying the nation in the face of the danger of invasion by the Japanese after Japan's entry into the war in December 1941. The Labor government seemed more effective than its unsettled predecessor, and the UAP and the Country Party, in opposition, made little political mileage against it. In the 1943 federal election, the Fadden-Hughes Coalition suffered a massive defeat. The UAP was reduced to 14 members, and the Country Party to just nine. Menzies became leader of the UAP and Opposition Leader, with Fadden as deputy. [2]

The United Australia Party disintegrated after suffering a heavy defeat in the election. Robert Menzies called a conference of conservative parties and other groups opposed to the ruling Australian Labor Party which met in Canberra on 13 October 1944, and again in Albury in December 1944. [6] [7] The formation of a new party – the Liberal Party of Australia  – was formally announced at Sydney Town Hall on 31 August 1945. [7]

After an initial loss to Labor at the 1946 election, Menzies led the Liberals to victory in coalition with the Country Party at the 1949 election against the incumbent Labor government led by Ben Chifley. Fadden became Treasurer. The new Liberal-Country Party Coalition was to remain in office for a record 23 years.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earle Page</span> Australian politician (1880–1961)

Sir Earle Christmas Grafton Page was an Australian politician and surgeon who was the 11th prime minister of Australia, holding office for 19 days after the death of Joseph Lyons in 1939. He was the leader of the Country Party from 1921 to 1939, and was the most influential figure in its later years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberal Party of Australia</span> Australian centre-right political party

The Liberal Party of Australia is a centre-right political party in Australia. The party is one of the two major parties in Australian politics, the other being the Australian Labor Party. The Liberal Party was founded in 1944 as the successor to the United Australia Party. Historically the most successful political party in Australia's history, the party is now in opposition at a federal level and does not hold government in any Australian state or territory with the exception of the island state of Tasmania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Menzies</span> 12th prime minister of Australia (1939–1941; 1949–1966)

Sir Robert Gordon Menzies was an Australian politician and lawyer who served as the 12th prime minister of Australia from 1939 to 1941 and 1949 to 1966. He held office as the leader of the United Australia Party (UAP) in his first term, and subsequently as the inaugural leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, which he was responsible for establishing and defining in policy and political outreach. He is the longest-serving prime minister in Australian history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Australia Party</span> Former Australian political party (1931–1945)

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: Joseph Lyons (1932–1939) and Robert Menzies (1939–1941).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Fadden</span> Prime Minister of Australia in 1941

Sir Arthur William Fadden was an Australian politician and accountant 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 and served as treasurer of Australia from 1940 to 1941 and 1949 to 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Coles</span> Australian businessman and philanthropist

Sir Arthur William "A.W." Coles was a prominent Australian businessman and philanthropist, a son of St James, Victoria shopkeeper George W. Coles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coalition (Australia)</span> Group of centre-right political parties in Australia

The Liberal–National Coalition, commonly known simply as the Coalition or the LNP, is an alliance of centre-right to right-wing political parties that forms one of the two major groupings in Australian federal politics. The two partners in the Coalition are the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia. Its main opponent is the Australian Labor Party (ALP); the two forces are often regarded as operating in a two-party system. The Coalition was last in government from 2013 to 2022. The group is led by Peter Dutton, who succeeded Scott Morrison after the 2022 federal election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fadden ministry</span> 28th ministry of government of Australia

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1943 Australian federal election</span> Australian federal election

The 1943 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 21 August 1943. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Labor Party, led by Prime Minister John Curtin, defeated the opposition Country–UAP coalition led by Arthur Fadden in a landslide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1940 Australian federal election</span> Australian federal election

The 1940 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 21 September 1940. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Coalition, consisting of the United Australia Party led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies and the Country Party led by Archie Cameron, defeated the opposition Labor Party under John Curtin despite losing the overall popular vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Collins (Australian politician)</span> Australian politician and stock and station agent

Thomas Joseph Collins was an Australian politician and businessman. He was a member of the Country Party and served in the House of Representatives from 1931 to 1943. He briefly served as Postmaster-General of Australia in 1941.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Harrison</span> Australian politician

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian home front during World War II</span> History of domestic conditions of Australia during World War II

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menzies government (1949–1966)</span> Australian federal executive government

The Menzies government (1949–1966) refers to the second period of federal executive government of Australia led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies. It was made up of members of a Liberal–Country Party coalition in the Australian Parliament from 1949 to 1966. Menzies led the Liberal–Country Coalition to election victories in 1949, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1961 and 1963. Robert Menzies was Australia's longest serving prime minister. He had served a previous term as prime minister as leader of the United Australia Party from 1939 to 1941. Although he would retire in 1966, his party would remain in office until 1972, an unprecedented 23 years of government from nine consecutive election victories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chifley government</span>

The Chifley government was the federal executive government of Australia led by Prime Minister Ben Chifley. It was made up of members of the Australian Labor Party in the Australian Parliament from 1945 to 1949.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtin government</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menzies government (1939–1941)</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lyons government</span> Government of Australia (1932–1939)

The Lyons government was the federal executive government of Australia led by Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. It was made up of members of the United Australia Party in the Australian Parliament from January 1932 until the death of Joseph Lyons in 1939. Lyons negotiated a coalition with the Country Party after the 1934 Australian federal election. The Lyons government stewarded Australia's recovery from the Great Depression and established the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The history of the Australian Labor Party has its origins in the Labour parties founded in the 1890s in the Australian colonies prior to federation. Labor tradition ascribes the founding of Queensland Labour to a meeting of striking pastoral workers under a ghost gum tree in Barcaldine, Queensland in 1891. The Balmain, New South Wales branch of the party claims to be the oldest in Australia. Labour as a parliamentary party dates from 1891 in New South Wales and South Australia, 1893 in Queensland, and later in the other colonies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1941 United Australia Party leadership election</span>

The United Australia Party (UAP) held a leadership election on 9 October 1941, following the resignation of Robert Menzies on the same day. Billy Hughes was elected as his replacement.

References

  1. "After office – Joseph Lyons – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers". Primeministers.naa.gov.au. 7 April 1939. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Brian Carroll; From Barton to Fraser; Cassell Australia; 1978
  3. "Before office – John Curtin – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers". Primeministers.naa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "In office – Arthur Fadden – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers". Primeministers.naa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 24 August 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  5. "After office – William Morris Hughes – Australia's PMs – Australia's Prime Ministers". Primeministers.naa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 26 June 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  6. "Formation of the Liberal Party of Australia". Party History. Liberal Party of Australia – Queensland Division. Archived from the original on 26 April 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
  7. 1 2 Ian Hancock. "The Origins of the Modern Liberal Party". Harold White Fellowships. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 11 April 2007.