    the united australia party (uap) was an australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. it was the political successor to the nationalist party of australia (1917â1931) and predecessor to the liberal party of australia (1945). the party governed australia for much of the 1930s, through australia's recovery from the great depression under joseph lyons and into the early stages of world war ii under robert menzies. ==history== ===background===     during the formation and early success of the united australia party, australia was grappling with the immense challenges of the great depression. founding leader joseph lyons began his political career as an australian labor party politician and served as premier of tasmania. lyons was elected to the australian federal parliament in 1929 and served in prime minister james scullin's labor cabinet. lyons became acting treasurer in 1930 and helped negotiate the government's strategies for dealing with the great depression. with scullin temporarily absent in london, lyons and acting prime minister james fenton clashed with the labor cabinet and caucus over economic policy, and grappled with the differing proposals of the premier's plan, lang labor, the commonwealth bank and british adviser otto niemeyer. while health minister frank anstey supported premier of new south wales jack lang's bid to default on debt repayments, lyons advocated orthodox fiscal management. when labor reinstated the more radical ted theodore as treasurer in 1931, lyons and fenton resigned from cabinet.{{cite web|url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/lyons/before-office.aspx |title=before office - joseph lyons - australia's pms - australia's prime ministers |publisher=primeministers.naa.gov.au |date= |a
1931_establishments_in_Australia 1945_disestablishments_in_Australia Australian_Labor_Party_breakaway_groups Defunct_political_parties_in_Australia Political_parties_disestablished_in_1945 Political_parties_established_in_1931 United_Australia_Party