McBride was Assistant Minister for Commerce from April 1939 to September 1940 ; he resigned several directorships at the time of his promotion to avoid conflicts of interest . In the wake of the death of senior minister Geoffrey Street in the 1940 Canberra air disaster , McBride was assigned Street 's portfolios of Minister for the Army and Minister for Repatriation . However , following the 1940 federal election in October , he was shifted to the role of Minister for Munitions and Minister for Supply and Development , the latter being a ministry that he had campaigned to create . He was a member of the War Cabinet from 1940 and the Advisory War Council from 1941 . Following the UAP 's defeat in parliament in 1941 and Labor leader John Curtin 's accession as Prime Minister , McBride was made Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate , but was defeated at the 1943 election , his term expiring in June 1944
1940 Canberra air disaster
1940 Canberra air disaster
Philip McBride