Arthur Fadden
Encyclopedia
Sir Arthur William Fadden, GCMG
(13 April 1894 –21 April 1973) was an Australian politician and, briefly, the 13th Prime Minister of Australia
.
, on 13 April 1894 the son of a Presbyterian police officer. He was educated at state schools, and later studied accountancy while working as a clerk. Once he had qualified he became assistant Town Clerk of Mackay
, then Town Clerk. In 1919 Fadden helped form the North Queensland Rugby League, and served as its founding secretary. In the 1920s he established a successful accountancy firm with offices in Brisbane
and Townsville. He was active in the Country Party
from its foundation.
In 1932 Fadden was elected for one term to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
. He was defeated in 1935. The following year, though, he won a by-election in the federal seat of Darling Downs
. He was a blunt, effective debate
r and soon made an impression. When Archie Cameron
resigned suddenly as Country Party leader in 1940, there was a deadlock between Earle Page
and John McEwen
in the ballot to select a new leader, and Fadden was chosen as a compromise candidate. He was appointed Minister for Supply and Development, then Minister for Air, then Treasurer
(finance minister).
In August 1941 Robert Menzies
resigned as Prime Minister. So bereft of leadership had the United Australia Party
(UAP) become by this time that Fadden was invited to become Prime Minister, although the Country Party was the smaller of the two anti-Labor
parties.
He did not last long in the top office. On 3 October, the two independent parliamentarians who were keeping the government in office, Arthur Coles
and Alex Wilson
, voted against Fadden's budget. Coles and Wilson had been so disgusted with how Menzies had been treated that they refused to support the Coalition any longer. Due to this loss of supply
, Fadden submitted his government's resignation to the Governor-General Lord Gowrie
later the same day. This was the last occasion to date on which an Australian government was forced to resign after being defeated on the floor of the House of Representatives. Fadden joked that he was like the Flood: he had "reigned for 40 days and 40 nights".
Gowrie then summoned Coles and Wilson and demanded that, if he commissioned opposition leader John Curtin
as Prime Minister, they would support him and end the instability in government. Coles and Wilson agreed to this, so Curtin's Labor ministry was sworn in on 7 October.
There was some dispute over whether Menzies or Fadden should become Leader of the Opposition, but most of the UAP supported Fadden even though the UAP was nominally senior coalition partner. Menzies resigned as UAP leader, and was replaced by former Prime Minister Billy Hughes
. The Coalition sank into near-paralysis in opposition, and Fadden was unable to get the better of Curtin. The Coalition suffered a crushing defeat in the 1943 election
. He then handed the Opposition leadership back to Menzies, who had resumed the UAP leadership.
After the 1946 election
, Fadden resumed his political partnership with Robert Menzies. Two years earlier, Menzies had folded the UAP into the new Liberal Party of Australia
. There was some speculation that the Country Party would be included in the merger (as had already happened in several states), but Fadden was keen to assert the independence of his party.
Always an outspoken conservative, in the late 1940s he became a strong anti-communist
, urging Menzies to ban the Communist Party
if he ever came to power. Indeed, in the lead up to the 1949 federal election
, Fadden often made inflammatory claims about the "socialist" nature of the Labor Party which Menzies could then "clarify" or repudiate as he saw fit, thus appearing more "moderate". His often extreme views were concealed behind a jolly public manner and he enjoyed his nickname "Artie."
The Coalition won a massive victory in that election, and Fadden became Treasurer in the second Menzies government. Although inflation
was very high in the early 1950s, forcing him to impose several "horror budgets," he generally presided over a booming economy, with times especially good for farmers. He retired before the 1958 election
and lived quietly until his death in Brisbane
in 1973.
(KCMG) in 1951, and in 1958 was raised to Knight Grand Cross (GCMG) of the order. The honour was conferred upon Fadden by King George VI in London on 31 January 1952, only a week before the King's death. The Canberra
suburb of Fadden
and the Division of Fadden
are named after him.
In 1975 he was honoured on a postage stamp
bearing his portrait issued by Australia Post
.
29 August 1941 to 7 October 1941
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(13 April 1894 –21 April 1973) was an Australian politician and, briefly, the 13th Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
.
Introduction
Fadden was born in Ingham, QueenslandIngham, Queensland
Ingham is a town in the Great Green Way region of North Queensland, Australia. The town was founded in 1864, gazetted a shire in 1879, and is the service centre for many sugarcane plantations, pioneered in the 1870s by William Ingham, for whom the town is named...
, on 13 April 1894 the son of a Presbyterian police officer. He was educated at state schools, and later studied accountancy while working as a clerk. Once he had qualified he became assistant Town Clerk of Mackay
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
, then Town Clerk. In 1919 Fadden helped form the North Queensland Rugby League, and served as its founding secretary. In the 1920s he established a successful accountancy firm with offices in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and Townsville. He was active in the Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
from its foundation.
In 1932 Fadden was elected for one term to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
. He was defeated in 1935. The following year, though, he won a by-election in the federal seat of Darling Downs
Division of Darling Downs
The Division of Darling Downs was an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was created at Federation in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It was abolished in 1984 when it was replaced by the Division of Groom...
. He was a blunt, effective debate
Debate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
r and soon made an impression. When Archie Cameron
Archie Cameron
Archie Galbraith Cameron , was an Australian politician. He was Leader of the Country Party 1939-40, and Speaker of the House of Representatives 1950-56.-Biography:...
resigned suddenly as Country Party leader in 1940, there was a deadlock between Earle Page
Earle Page
Sir Earle Christmas Grafton Page, GCMG, CH was the 11th Prime Minister of Australia, and is to date the second-longest serving federal parliamentarian in Australian history, with 41 years, 361 days in Parliament.-Early life:...
and John McEwen
John McEwen
Sir John "Black Jack" McEwen, GCMG, CH , was an Australian politician and the 18th Prime Minister of Australia...
in the ballot to select a new leader, and Fadden was chosen as a compromise candidate. He was appointed Minister for Supply and Development, then Minister for Air, then Treasurer
Treasurer of Australia
The Treasurer of Australia is the minister in the Government of Australia responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. He is the head of the Department of the Treasury. The Treasurer plays a key role in the economic policy of the government...
(finance minister).
In August 1941 Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
resigned as Prime Minister. So bereft of leadership had the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
(UAP) become by this time that Fadden was invited to become Prime Minister, although the Country Party was the smaller of the two anti-Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
parties.
He did not last long in the top office. On 3 October, the two independent parliamentarians who were keeping the government in office, Arthur Coles
Arthur Coles
Sir Arthur William Coles was a prominent Australian businessman and philanthropist.With his brothers Coles founded the Coles Variety Stores in the 1920s, which were to become one of the two largest supermarket chains in Australia now known as Coles Group...
and Alex Wilson
Alexander Wilson (Australian politician)
Alexander Wilson was an Australian wheat farmer and politician.-Biography:Born in County Down, Ireland, he was educated at Belfast and migrated to Australia in 1908, becoming a farmer at Ultima, Victoria. He was prominent as a leader of Victorian wheatgrowers...
, voted against Fadden's budget. Coles and Wilson had been so disgusted with how Menzies had been treated that they refused to support the Coalition any longer. Due to this loss of supply
Loss of Supply
Loss of supply occurs where a government in a parliamentary democracy using the Westminster System or a system derived from it is denied a supply of treasury or exchequer funds, by whichever house or houses of parliament or head of state is constitutionally entitled to grant and deny supply. A...
, Fadden submitted his government's resignation to the Governor-General Lord Gowrie
Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie
Brigadier General Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie VC, GCMG, CB, DSO & Bar, PC was a British soldier and colonial governor and the tenth Governor-General of Australia. Serving for 9 years and 7 days, he is the longest serving Governor-General in Australia's history...
later the same day. This was the last occasion to date on which an Australian government was forced to resign after being defeated on the floor of the House of Representatives. Fadden joked that he was like the Flood: he had "reigned for 40 days and 40 nights".
Gowrie then summoned Coles and Wilson and demanded that, if he commissioned opposition leader John Curtin
John Curtin
John Joseph Curtin , Australian politician, served as the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. Labor under Curtin formed a minority government in 1941 after the crossbench consisting of two independent MPs crossed the floor in the House of Representatives, bringing down the Coalition minority...
as Prime Minister, they would support him and end the instability in government. Coles and Wilson agreed to this, so Curtin's Labor ministry was sworn in on 7 October.
There was some dispute over whether Menzies or Fadden should become Leader of the Opposition, but most of the UAP supported Fadden even though the UAP was nominally senior coalition partner. Menzies resigned as UAP leader, and was replaced by former Prime Minister Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
. The Coalition sank into near-paralysis in opposition, and Fadden was unable to get the better of Curtin. The Coalition suffered a crushing defeat in the 1943 election
Australian federal election, 1943
Federal elections were 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 Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin easily defeated the opposition Country Party led...
. He then handed the Opposition leadership back to Menzies, who had resumed the UAP leadership.
After the 1946 election
Australian federal election, 1946
Federal elections were held in Australia on 28 September 1946. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
, Fadden resumed his political partnership with Robert Menzies. Two years earlier, Menzies had folded the UAP into the new Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
. There was some speculation that the Country Party would be included in the merger (as had already happened in several states), but Fadden was keen to assert the independence of his party.
Always an outspoken conservative, in the late 1940s he became a strong anti-communist
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
, urging Menzies to ban the Communist Party
Communist Party of Australia
The Communist Party of Australia was founded in 1920 and dissolved in 1991; it was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Australia, which then renamed itself, becoming the current Communist Party of Australia. The CPA achieved its greatest political strength in the 1940s and faced an attempted...
if he ever came to power. Indeed, in the lead up to the 1949 federal election
Australian federal election, 1949
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1949. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives, and 42 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, where the single transferable vote was introduced...
, Fadden often made inflammatory claims about the "socialist" nature of the Labor Party which Menzies could then "clarify" or repudiate as he saw fit, thus appearing more "moderate". His often extreme views were concealed behind a jolly public manner and he enjoyed his nickname "Artie."
The Coalition won a massive victory in that election, and Fadden became Treasurer in the second Menzies government. Although inflation
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
was very high in the early 1950s, forcing him to impose several "horror budgets," he generally presided over a booming economy, with times especially good for farmers. He retired before the 1958 election
Australian federal election, 1958
Federal elections were held in Australia on 22 November 1958. All 122 seats in the House of Representatives, and 32 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election...
and lived quietly until his death in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 1973.
Honours
Fadden was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(KCMG) in 1951, and in 1958 was raised to Knight Grand Cross (GCMG) of the order. The honour was conferred upon Fadden by King George VI in London on 31 January 1952, only a week before the King's death. The Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
suburb of Fadden
Fadden, Australian Capital Territory
Fadden is a suburb in the Canberra, Australia district of Tuggeranong. The postcode is 2904. The suburb is named after Sir Arthur Fadden, Prime Minister of Australia briefly in 1941. It was gazetted on 5 August 1975. Its streets are named after Queensland politicians...
and the Division of Fadden
Division of Fadden
The Division of Fadden is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland.The division was created in 1977 and is named for Sir Arthur Fadden, Prime Minister of Australia in 1941. When it was created it included a large area south of Brisbane, but today it is located in the northern Gold Coast area,...
are named after him.
In 1975 he was honoured on a postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
bearing his portrait issued by Australia Post
Australia Post
Australia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...
.
Fadden Ministry
- Rt Hon Arthur Fadden, MP: Prime Minister, Treasurer (CP)
- Rt Hon William Morris HughesBilly HughesWilliam Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
, MP: Attorney-General, Minister for the Navy (UAP) - Rt Hon Robert MenziesRobert MenziesSir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
, KC MP: Minister for Defence Co-ordination (UAP) - Hon Percy SpenderPercy SpenderSir Percy Claude Spender, KCVO, KBE, QC, , was an Australian politician. diplomat and jurist.Spender was born in Sydney and educated at the prestigious Fort Street High School and later the University of Sydney. He joined the Commonwealth Public Service in 1915...
, KC MP: Minister for the Army (UAP) - Senator Hon George McLeayGeorge McLeayGeorge McLeay was an Australian politician and senior minister in the Menzies Liberal government.McLeay was born in Port Clinton, South Australia and educated at Port Clinton Public School until 1906 when he was sent to Adelaide where he continued his education at Unley Public School...
: Vice-President of the Executive Council, Minister for Supply and Development (UAP) - Hon John McEwenJohn McEwenSir John "Black Jack" McEwen, GCMG, CH , was an Australian politician and the 18th Prime Minister of Australia...
, MP: Minister for Air, Minister for Civil Aviation (CP) - Senator Hon Hattil Foll: Minister for the Interior, Minister for Information (UAP)
- Rt Hon Sir Earle PageEarle PageSir Earle Christmas Grafton Page, GCMG, CH was the 11th Prime Minister of Australia, and is to date the second-longest serving federal parliamentarian in Australian history, with 41 years, 361 days in Parliament.-Early life:...
, GCMG MP: Minister for Commerce (CP) - Hon Sir Frederick StewartFrederick Stewart (Australian politician)Sir Frederick Harold Stewart was an Australian businessman, politician and government minister. His continuing political commitment was to the establishment of a national insurance scheme and the shortening of working hours to improve social conditions during the Great Depression, despite the...
, MP: Minister for External Affairs, Minister for Health, Minister for Social Services (UAP) - Senator Hon Philip McBridePhilip McBrideSir Philip Albert Martin McBride KCMG was an Australian politician.McBride was born into a well-known pastoral family and educated at Burra Public School and Prince Alfred College in Adelaide. In 1931, he was elected as the member for Grey in the Australian House of Representatives, representing...
: Minister for Munitions (UAP) - Hon Eric HarrisonEric HarrisonSir Eric John Harrison KCMG KCVO was an Australian politician who became the first Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia....
, MP: Minister for Trade and Customs (UAP) - Hon Harold HoltHarold HoltHarold Edward Holt, CH was an Australian politician and the 17th Prime Minister of Australia.His term as Prime Minister was brought to an early and dramatic end in December 1967 when he disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria, and was presumed drowned.Holt spent 32 years...
, MP: Minister for Labour and National Service (UAP) - Senator Hon Herbert CollettHerbert CollettHerbert Brayley Collett CMG DSO was an Australian politician, librarian and soldier.Collett was born in St. Peter Port, Guernsey and arrived with his family in Western Australia in October 1884. He was educated at Perth Grammar School and became a librarian at the Victoria Public Library in 1891...
: Minister for Repatriation (UAP) - Hon Thomas CollinsThomas Collins (Australian politician)Thomas Joseph "Tom" Collins was an Australian politician and stock and station agent, born at Yass, New South Wales to storekeeper John Collins and Mary, née Hartigan. In 1902, having attended the local Catholic school, he enlisted in the 5th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, to fight in...
, MP: Postmaster-General (CP) - Senator Hon John LeckieJohn Leckie (Australian politician)John William Leckie was an Australian farmer turned politician.Leckie was born at Alexandra, Victoria and educated at Scotch College, Melbourne. He played Australian rules football for Fitzroy Football Club in 1895...
: Minister for Aircraft Production (UAP) - Hon Larry AnthonyHubert Lawrence AnthonyHubert Lawrence "Larry" Anthony , Australian politician, founded the only three-generation dynasty in the history of the Australian House of Representatives....
, MP: Minister for Transport (CP) - Hon Eric SpoonerEric SpoonerEric Sydney Spooner was an Australian politician.Spooner was born in the Sydney suburb of Waterloo and educated at Christ Church St Laurence School. At 14 he became a telegraph messenger and studied at night at the University of Sydney to gain a diploma in economics and commerce. He married...
, MP: Minister for War Organisation of Industry (UAP) - Hon Joe Abbott, MP: Minister for Home Security (CP)
- Hon Allan MacDonaldAllan MacDonaldAllan Nicoll MacDonald was an Australian politician and government minister.MacDonald was born at Lochee, Forfarshire, Scotland and educated at Arbroath High School. He migrated to Western Australia in 1911 and worked at Collie before moving to Perth in 1914, where he was employed as an accountant...
, MP: Minister for External Territories (UAP)
Further reading
- Fadden, Arthur (1969), They Called Me Artie, Jacaranda Press
- Hughes, Colin AColin HughesColin Anfield Hughes is an Australian academic specializing in electoral politics and government.He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Columbia University and his Ph.D from the London School of Economics. In 1966, along with John S...
(1976), Mr Prime Minister. Australian Prime Ministers 1901-1972, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Victoria, Ch.14. ISBN 0-19-550471-2