Second Curtin ministry

See also: Curtin government

Second Curtin ministry
30th Ministry of Australia
Group photo of members of the Second Curtin ministry
Date established	21 September 1943
Date dissolved	6 July 1945
Leadership and composition
Monarch	George VI
Prime Minister	John Curtin
No. of ministers	19
Member party	Labor
Status in legislature	Majority government
Opposition party	United Australia/Liberal–Country coalition
Opposition leader	Arthur Fadden Robert Menzies
Formation and history
Election	21 August 1943
Legislature term	17th
Predecessor	First Curtin ministry
Successor	Forde ministry

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.

Frank Forde, who died in 1983, was the last surviving member of the Second Curtin ministry; Forde was also the last surviving minister of the Scullin government, First Curtin ministry, Forde government, and the First Chifley ministry.

Ministry

Party		Minister	Portrait	Portfolio
	Labor	John Curtin (1885–1945) MP for Fremantle (1934–1945)		Prime Minister Leader of the Labor Party Minister for Defence
		Frank Forde (1890–1983) MP for Capricornia (1922–1946)		Deputy Leader of the Labor Party Minister for the Army
		Ben Chifley (1885–1951) MP for Macquarie (1940–1951)		Treasurer Minister for Postwar Reconstruction (to 2 February 1945)
		H. V. Evatt (1894–1965) MP for Barton (1940–1958)		Attorney-General Minister for External Affairs
		Jack Beasley (1895–1949) MP for West Sydney (1928–1946)		Minister for Supply and Shipping (to 2 February 1945) Vice-President of the Executive Council (from 2 February 1945)
		Norman Makin (1889–1982) MP for Hindmarsh (1919–1946)		Minister for the Navy Minister for Munitions Minister for Aircraft Production (from 2 February 1945)
		Richard Keane (1881–1946) Senator for Victoria (1938–1946)		Minister for Trade and Customs Leader of the Government in the Senate
		Jack Holloway (1875–1967) MP for Melbourne Ports (1931–1951)		Minister for Labour and National Service
		Arthur Drakeford (1878–1957) MP for Maribyrnong (1934–1955)		Minister for Air Minister for Civil Aviation
		William Scully (1883–1966) MP for Gwydir (1937–1949)		Minister for Commerce and Agriculture
		Bill Ashley (1881–1958) Senator for New South Wales (1937–1958)		Postmaster-General (to 2 February 1945) Vice-President of the Executive Council (to 2 February 1945) Minister for Supply and Shipping (from 2 February 1945)
		John Dedman (1896–1973) MP for Corio (1940–1949)		Minister in charge of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Minister for War Organisation (to 19 February 1945) Minister for Postwar Reconstruction (from 2 February 1945)
		Joe Collings (1865–1955) Senator for Queensland (1932–1950)		Minister for the Interior
		Eddie Ward (1899–1963) MP for East Sydney (1932–1963)		Minister for Transport Minister for External Territories
		James Fraser (1889–1961) Senator for Western Australia (1938–1959)		Minister for Health Minister for Social Services
		Charles Frost (1882–1964) MP for Franklin (1934–1946)		Minister for Repatriation Minister in charge of War Service Homes
		Bert Lazzarini (1884–1952) MP for Werriwa (1934–1952)		Minister for Home Security Minister for Works (from 2 February 1945)
		Don Cameron (1878–1962) Senator for Victoria (1938–1962)		Minister for Aircraft Production (to 2 February 1945) Postmaster-General (from 2 February 1945)
		Arthur Calwell (1896–1973) MP for Melbourne (1940–1972)		Minister for Information

See also

• First Curtin Ministry