▁the ▁government ▁down . ▁F ad den ▁stood ▁down ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁Labor ▁leader ▁John ▁Curt in . ▁ ▁The ▁F ad den - led ▁Co al ition ▁made ▁almost ▁no ▁head way ▁against ▁Curt in , ▁and ▁was ▁sever ely ▁defeated ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁election . ▁ ▁After ▁that ▁loss , ▁F ad den ▁became ▁deput y ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition ▁under ▁M enz ies , ▁a ▁role ▁that ▁continued ▁after ▁M enz ies ▁fol ded ▁the ▁U AP ▁into ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁of ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁F ad den ▁remained ▁a ▁loyal ▁partner ▁of ▁M enz ies , ▁though ▁he ▁was ▁still ▁keen ▁to ▁assert ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁his ▁party . ▁Indeed , ▁in ▁the ▁lead ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁federal ▁election , ▁F ad den ▁played ▁a ▁key ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁defeat ▁of ▁the ▁Ch if ley ▁Labor ▁government , ▁frequently ▁making ▁infl am mat ory ▁claims ▁about ▁the ▁" social ist " ▁nature ▁of ▁the ▁Labor ▁Party , ▁which ▁M enz ies ▁could ▁then ▁" clar ify " ▁or ▁rep udi ate ▁as ▁he ▁saw ▁fit , ▁thus ▁appearing ▁more ▁" mod er ate ". ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁F ad den ▁became ▁Tre as urer ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁M enz ies ▁government ▁and ▁remained ▁so ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁His ▁successful ▁partners hip ▁with ▁M enz ies ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁elements