Arthur Fadden

The Right Honourable Sir Arthur Fadden GCMG
Fadden in 1940
13th Prime Minister of Australia
In office 29 August 1941 – 7 October 1941
Monarch	George VI
Governor‑General	Lord Gowrie
Deputy	Robert Menzies
Preceded by	Robert Menzies
Succeeded by	John Curtin
Leader of the Opposition
In office 7 October 1941 – 23 September 1943
Prime Minister	John Curtin
Deputy	Billy Hughes
Preceded by	John Curtin
Succeeded by	Robert Menzies
Treasurer of Australia
In office 28 October 1940 – 7 October 1941
Prime Minister	Robert Menzies Arthur Fadden
Preceded by	Percy Spender
Succeeded by	Ben Chifley
In office 19 December 1949 – 9 December 1958
Prime Minister	Robert Menzies
Preceded by	Ben Chifley
Succeeded by	Harold Holt
Leader of the Country Party
In office 12 March 1941 – 26 March 1958
Deputy	John McEwen
Preceded by	Archie Cameron
Succeeded by	John McEwen
Deputy Leader of the Country Party[a]
In office 16 October 1940 – 12 March 1941
Leader	Vacant
Preceded by	Harold Thorby
Succeeded by	John McEwen
Federal electorates Member of Parliament for McPherson In office 10 December 1949 – 14 October 1958 Preceded by New seat Succeeded by Charles Barnes Member of Parliament for Darling Downs In office 6 November 1936 – 10 December 1949 Preceded by Littleton Groom Succeeded by Reginald Swartz
State electorates Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Kennedy In office 11 June 1932 – 11 May 1935 Preceded by Harry Bruce Succeeded by Cecil Jesson
Personal details
Born	Arthur William Fadden (1894-04-13)13 April 1894 Ingham, Queensland Colony
Died	21 April 1973(1973-04-21) (aged 79) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Resting place	Mount Thompson Crematorium
Political party	Country (from 1936)
Other political affiliations	CPNP (until 1936)
Spouse	Ilma Thornber ​ (m. 1916)​
Children	4
Education	Walkerston State School
Occupation	Accountant

Sir Arthur William Fadden GCMG (13 April 1894 – 21 April 1973) 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.

Fadden was born in Ingham, Queensland, to Irish immigrant parents. He was raised in Walkerston, and left school at the age of 15. He was appointed town clerk of Mackay in 1916, but following the 1918 cyclone moved to Townsville and opened an accountancy firm. He was elected to the Townsville City Council in 1930, and in 1932 was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly for the Country and Progressive National Party. Fadden lost his seat in 1935, but the following year won a by-election to the federal Division of Darling Downs.

In March 1940, Fadden was named a minister without portfolio in the government of Robert Menzies, who led the United Australia Party in a coalition with the Country Party. A few months later, following the deaths of three senior ministers in an air crash, he took over as Minister for Air and Minister for Civil Aviation. In October 1940, Fadden was elected acting leader of the Country Party as a compromise candidate, following a deadlocked leadership vote between Earle Page and John McEwen. He became the de facto deputy prime minister and was promoted by Menzies to treasurer.

Fadden was acting prime minister for four months early in 1941 (while Menzies was away in Europe), and became popular for his conciliatory manner. He became the official leader of the Country Party following a ballot in March 1941. In August 1941, Menzies resigned as prime minister after losing the confidence of his ministry. Fadden was elected leader of the UAP–Country coalition in his place, and consequently became prime minister. However, he held office for just 39 days before being replaced by John Curtin, whose Labor Party had successfully moved a motion of no confidence. After losing the prime ministership, Fadden continued on as leader of the opposition for two more years. In that capacity, he eventually resigned in favour of Menzies following the coalition's massive defeat at the 1943 election.

When Menzies returned as prime minister in 1949, Fadden became treasurer and de facto deputy prime minister for a second time, holding office until his retirement from politics in 1958. Only Peter Costello has served in the position for longer. Fadden enjoyed one of the most rapid rises in Australian political history, moving from private citizen to the prime ministership in just 11 years. He was the first prime minister born in Queensland, and the first and only member of the Country Party to become prime minister with his own mandate (rather than just serving as a caretaker after the death of a predecessor).

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