In October 1941, Arthur Coles and Alexander Wilson, the two independent MPs who had been keeping the Coalition ( led first by Menzies, then by Fadden ) in power since 1940, joined Labor in defeating Fadden's budget and brought the government down.

Gair tried to gain Country Party support, but talks with Nicklin broke down when federal Country Party leader Arthur Fadden told Nicklin that he had a chance to become Premier himself.

The band returned to its original name and its country roots in 1982 with the lineup paring down to Hanna, Fadden, McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson rejoining for recording sessions in Nashville, Tennessee for the album Let's Go, which yielded the success " Dance Little Jean " which was a Top 10 country hit.

Indeed, in the lead up to the 1949 federal election, Fadden played a key role in the defeat of the Chifley Labor government, frequently making 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 ".

Four Prime Ministers in 1945: Labor Prime Minister John Curtin ( left ) shares a joke with the Governor General Prince Henry ( in uniform ) with former Country Party Prime Minister Arthur Fadden, Nationalist Prime Minister Billy Hughes and UAP Prime Minister Robert Menzies.

The Labor government seemed more effective than its predecessor, and Fadden and Hughes were unable to get the better of Curtin.

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 ".

An incomplete understanding of this proposal and other planned responses to invasion led Labor minister Eddie Ward to publicly allege that the previous government ( a United Australia Party-Country Party coalition under Robert Menzies and Arthur Fadden ) had planned to abandon most of northern Australia to the Japanese.

In October 1942, Labor politician Eddie Ward, the Minister for Labour and National Service under Prime Minister John Curtin, alleged at a town hall meeting in Preston that the preceding government under Prime Minister Robert Menzies ( and his successor, Prime Minister Arthur Fadden ) had prepared plans to abandon the majority of the continent as soon as the Japanese invaded, and concentrate defensive efforts on the south-eastern region.

He was replaced by the Country Party leader Arthur Fadden.

The coalition was re-formed under Archie Cameron in 1940, and continued until October 1941 despite the election of Arthur Fadden as leader after the 1940 Election.

The UAP was so bereft of leadership at this time that the Country Party leader Arthur Fadden was invited to become prime minister, although the Country Party was the smaller of the two coalition parties.

However, the nearly 78-year-old Hughes decided to let the Country Party leader, Arthur Fadden, become Prime Minister even though the Country Party was the nominal junior partner in the Coalition.

New Country Party leader Arthur Fadden became Treasurer and Menzies unhappily conceded to allow Earle Page back into his ministry.

With the Pacific on the brink of war, Opposition leader John Curtin offered friendship and co-operation to Fadden, but refused to join in an all-party wartime national government.

In 1940 when Archie Cameron resigned as Country Party leader he contested the leadership ballot against Sir Earle Page: the ballot was tied and Arthur Fadden was chosen as a compromise.

In 1958 Fadden retired and McEwen succeeded him as Country Party leader.

He would later lead the United Australia Party to the 1943 election, though Arthur Fadden served as Coalition leader.

However, Hughes was deemed too old and too frail to be a wartime Prime Minister, and he was forced to yield the leadership of the UAP-Country Coalition -- and the Prime Ministership -- to Country Party leader Arthur Fadden.

His Prime Ministerial predecessor and 1943 election Coalition leader, Arthur Fadden of the Country Party wrote: " I do not care who knows it but in my opinion there was no greater figure in Australian public life in my lifetime than Curtin.

The UAP, senior partner in the non-Labor Coalition, was so bereft of leadership that Arthur Fadden, leader of the Country Party, became Prime Minister.

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.

After the 1940 election, however, the Country Party tired of Cameron's domineering style, and replaced him as leader with Arthur Fadden.

Country Party leader Arthur Fadden gave this broadcast against the motion.

Weekend / Fill-ins: Evelyn Kay, Kevin Steele, Chris Carter, Kim Fitz, John Mc Fadden

John McEwen had served as Prime Minister prior to being appointed Deputy Prime Minister, as had the unofficial deputies Joseph Cook, Billy Hughes, and Arthur Fadden.

This has not occurred since the title has been created as a portfolio, however the previous unofficial deputies Arthur Fadden and Frank Forde both briefly served as Prime Minister on this basis ( following Robert Menzies ' resignation and John Curtin's death, respectively ).

Dargie painted the Duke of Edinburgh in 1956, as well as official portraits of two Australian Prime Ministers: Sir Arthur Fadden and Sir John McEwen.

In Menzies's absence, Curtin had co-operated with Fadden in preparing Australia for the expected Pacific War.

The Coalition sank into near-paralysis in opposition, and Fadden was unable to get the better of Curtin.

Curtin did little to quell Ward's attacks, and Ward continued to claim that Menzies and Fadden were responsible for the " defeatist " and " treacherous " plan.

* 1973 – Arthur Fadden, Australian politician, 13th Prime Minister of Australia ( b. 1894 )

In December 1958, following the retirement of Arthur Fadden, Holt was appointed Treasurer.

He delivered his first Budget in August 1959 and his achievements included major reforms to the banking system ( originated by Fadden ) including the establishment of the Reserve Bank of Australiaand the planning and preparation for the introduction of decimal currency.

Sir Arthur Fadden Prime Minister of Australia 1941.

Fadden was well regarded within conservative circles and proved to be a loyal deputy to Menzies in the difficult circumstances of 1941.

After that loss, Fadden became deputy Leader of the Opposition under Menzies, a role that continued after Menzies folded the UAP into the Liberal Party of Australia in 1944.

Fadden remained a loyal partner of Menzies, though he was still keen to assert the independence of his party.

In 1949, Fadden became Treasurer in the second Menzies government and remained so until his retirement in 1958.

Menzies was very bitter about what he saw as this betrayal by his colleagues, and almost left politics before being persuaded to become Minister for Defence Co-ordination in the Fadden government.

Fadden was named as Leader of the Opposition, and Menzies moved to the backbench.

Fadden yielded the post of Opposition Leader back to Menzies as well.

Tom Yawkey, the Red Sox owner, then sent Jack Fadden to Williams ' Florida home to talk to Williams.

Williams later thanked Fadden for saving his career.

Under the circumstances, a joint UAP – Country Party meeting chose Fadden to be his successor as Prime Minister, even though the Country Party was nominally the junior partner in the coalition.

On 3 October, the independents, Arthur Coles and Alex Wilson, voted with the Opposition in the House of Representatives to reject Fadden ’ s budget and the government fell -- to date, the last time a sitting government has been defeated in the House.