▁the ▁popular ▁Joseph ▁Ly ons ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁but ▁his ▁sudden ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁saw ▁the ▁Governor ▁General ▁appoint ▁Country ▁Party ▁leader ▁Ear le ▁Page ▁as ▁care t aker ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁pending ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁U AP ▁leader . ▁The ▁U AP ▁turned ▁to ▁Robert ▁M enz ies , ▁who ▁became ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁first ▁M enz ies ▁Government ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁months ▁before ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁Two ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁through ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁years ▁of ▁Australia ' s ▁war ▁effort . ▁M enz ies ▁and ▁Page ▁had ▁an ▁open ly ▁ant agon istic ▁relationship ▁and ▁would ▁not ▁work ▁together ▁in ▁coal ition . ▁ ▁John ▁Curt in ▁was ▁first ▁elected ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁opposition ▁Australian ▁Labor ▁Party ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁Def ence ▁issues ▁were ▁becoming ▁increasing ly ▁dominant ▁in ▁public ▁affairs ▁with ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁fasc ism ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁milit ant ▁Japan ▁in ▁Asia . ▁Curt in ▁led ▁Labor ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁election ▁against ▁Joseph ▁Ly ons ' ▁United ▁Australia ▁Party ▁which ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁comfortable ▁victory ▁to ▁the ▁U AP . ▁ ▁Arthur ▁F ad den ▁ ▁F ad den ▁was ▁a ▁Queensland er ▁who ▁had ▁begun ▁his ▁working ▁life ▁as ▁a ▁can e - cut ters ' ▁off s ider . ▁After ▁a ▁time ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Queensland ▁Parliament ▁he ▁entered ▁Federal ▁Parliament ▁in ▁ 1 9