# Second Curtin ministry

* This article is part of a series about John Curtin
Early life
Early political career
Victorian Socialist Party
Member for Fremantle (1928–1931)
Member for Fremantle (1934–1945)
1935 Labor leadership spill
Prime Minister of Australia
Term of government (1941–1945)
Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942
Department of Post-War Reconstruction
Domestic policies
WWII leadership
Ministries
First
Second
Elections
1937
1940
1943 :
vte :
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 | Portfolio |
| Labor | Rt Hon John Curtin (1885–1945) MP for Fremantle (1934–1945) | Prime Minister Leader of the Labor Party Minister for Defence |
| Labor | (Rt) Hon Frank Forde (1890–1983) MP for Capricornia (1922–1946) | Deputy Leader of the Labor Party Minister for the Army |
| Labor | Hon Ben Chifley (1885–1951) MP for Macquarie (1940–1951) | Treasurer Minister for Postwar Reconstruction (to 2 February 1945) |
| Labor | Rt Hon Dr H. V. Evatt KC (1894–1965) MP for Barton (1940–1958) | Attorney-General Minister for External Affairs |
| Labor | Hon 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) |
| Labor | Hon Norman Makin (1889–1982) MP for Hindmarsh (1919–1946) | Minister for the Navy Minister for Munitions Minister for Aircraft Production (from 2 February 1945) |
| Labor | Hon Richard Keane (1881–1946) Senator for Victoria (1938–1946) | Minister for Trade and Customs Leader of the Government in the Senate |
| Labor | Hon Jack Holloway (1875–1967) MP for Melbourne Ports (1931–1951) | Minister for Labour and National Service |
| Labor | Hon Arthur Drakeford (1878–1957) MP for Maribyrnong (1934–1955) | Minister for Air Minister for Civil Aviation |
| Labor | Hon William Scully (1883–1966) MP for Gwydir (1937–1949) | Minister for Commerce and Agriculture |
| Labor | Hon 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) |
| Labor | Hon 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) |
| Labor | Hon Joe Collings (1865–1955) Senator for Queensland (1932–1950) | Minister for the Interior |
| Labor | Hon Eddie Ward (1899–1963) MP for East Sydney (1932–1963) | Minister for Transport Minister for External Territories |
| Labor | Hon James Fraser (1889–1961) Senator for Western Australia (1938–1959) | Minister for Health Minister for Social Services |
| Labor | Hon Charles Frost (1882–1964) MP for Franklin (1934–1946) | Minister for Repatriation Minister in charge of War Service Homes |
| Labor | Hon Bert Lazzarini (1884–1952) MP for Werriwa (1934–1952) | Minister for Home Security Minister for Works (from 2 February 1945) |
| Labor | Hon Don Cameron (1878–1962) Senator for Victoria (1938–1962) | Minister for Aircraft Production (to 2 February 1945) Postmaster-General (from 2 February 1945) |
| Labor | Hon Arthur Calwell (1896–1973) MP for Melbourne (1940–1972) | Minister for Information |