Conservative politician and 13th Prime Minister of Australia. The son of a Queensland police officer, Arthur Fadden started his working life as a clerk in Mackay, eventually rising to the position of Town Clerk. His passion for rugby league saw him co-found the North Queensland Rugby League in 1919. He also served as the organisation's founding secretary. Although politically active with the Country Party during its foundation era, Fadden spent much of the 1920s establishing a successful accountancy firm (with offices in Brisbane and Townsville). In 1932, however, he turned his attention to politics and found himself elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly. Although defeated at the next elections (1935) he remained undeterred and subsequently contested and won the federal seat of Darling Downs in a 1936 by-election.
In 1940 Fadden was chosen to lead the Country Party and in quick succession was appointed by Prime Minister Robert Menzies (United Australia Party) to the positions of Minister for Supply and Development, Minister for Air, and finally Treasurer. Following Menzies's resignation in 1941 Fadden became Prime Minister, even though his party was the minor partner in the coalition. He was forced to relinquish the office soon afterwards, however, when two independent MPs voted against his budget. This allowed the Labor Party under John Curtin to take control of the country during the critical war years. Fadden continued to lead the opposition but resigned as leader following his party's crushing defeat at the 1943 elections. He nevertheless remained leader of the Country Party. When Robert Menzies won back government in 1949 with his newly formed Liberal Party Fadden was restored to Treasurer.
Knighted in 1951, Arthur Fadden retired from political life seven years later. He is remembered in Canberra through the suburb named after him, while a similar honour was bestowed upon him in Queensland through the federal electorate that also bears his name.
