Page Ministry

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See also: Earle Page

Page Ministry
Flag of Australia.svg
24th Ministry of Australia
Date formed7 April 1939
Date dissolved26 April 1939
People and organisations
MonarchGeorge VI
Governor-GeneralLord Gowrie
Prime MinisterSir Earle Page
No. of ministers13
Member partyCountry–United Australia coalition
Status in legislatureMajority government
Opposition partyLabor
Opposition leaderJohn Curtin
History
Legislature term(s)15th
PredecessorFourth Lyons Ministry
SuccessorFirst Menzies Ministry

The Page Ministry (Country–United Australia Coalition) was the 24th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 11th Prime Minister, Sir Earle Page. The Page Ministry succeeded the Fourth Lyons Ministry, which dissolved on 7 April 1939 following the death of former Prime Minister Joseph Lyons - the first of three occasions where a sitting Prime Minister died in office. Since Page was the head of the Country Party, it was a caretaker ministry until the senior partner in the Coalition, the United Australia Party, could elect a new leader. Former Attorney-General Robert Menzies was ultimately elected on 18 April 1939. However, due to the Country Party withdrawing from the Coalition after relations between Page and Menzies broke down, Menzies along with his ministry was not sworn in until 26 April 1939.[1]

John McEwen, who died in 1980, was the last surviving member of the Page Ministry; McEwen was also the last surviving member of the Fourth Lyons Ministry. Robert Menzies was the last surviving UAP minister.

Ministry[]

Party Minister Portrait Portfolio
Country Rt Hon Sir Earle Page GCMG
(1880–1961)

MP for Cowper
(1919–1961)

Earle Page - Falk Studios (cropped).jpg
United Australia Rt Hon Billy Hughes KC
(1862–1952)

MP for North Sydney
(1922–1949)

Billy Hughes 1939 (cropped).jpg
United Australia Hon Richard Casey DSO MC
(1890–1976)

MP for Corio
(1931–1940)

Richard Casey 1939 (cropped).jpg
Country Hon Harold Thorby
(1888–1973)

MP for Calare
(1931–1940)

Harold Thorby 1940 (cropped).jpg
  • Deputy Leader of the Country Party
  • Minister for Works
  • Minister for Civil Aviation
United Australia Hon John Perkins
(1878–1954)

MP for Eden-Monaro
(1931–1943)

John Arthur Perkins.jpg
  • Minister for Trade and Customs
United Australia Hon Geoffrey Street MC
(1894–1940)

MP for Corangamite
(1934–1940)

Geoffrey Street 1940 (cropped).jpg
Country Hon John McEwen
(1900–1980)

MP for Indi
(1937–1949)

John McEwen 1930s.jpg
  • Minister for the Interior
United Australia Hon George McLeay
(1892–1955)

Senator for South Australia
(1935–1947)

George McLeay.jpg
United Australia Hon Harry Foll
(1890–1977)

Senator for Queensland
(1917–1947)

Harry Foll 1940.jpg
Country Hon Archie Cameron
(1895–1956)

MP for Barker
(1934–1956)

Archie Cameron 1940.jpg
  • Postmaster-General
United Australia Hon Eric Harrison
(1892–1974)

MP for Wentworth
(1931–1956)

Eric John Harrison.jpg
  • Minister without portfolio administering external territories
  • Minister without portfolio assisting the Prime Minister
United Australia Hon Allan MacDonald
(1892–1978)

Senator for Western Australia
(1935–1947)

Allan MacDonald - Clarke Studio (cropped).jpg
  • Minister without portfolio assisting the Treasurer
Country Hon Victor Thompson
(1885–1968)

MP for New England
(1922–1940)

Victor Thompson.jpg
  • Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ "Ministries and Cabinets". Parliamentary Handbook. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
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