", ▁whose ▁number ▁included ▁future ▁prime ▁minister ▁Robert ▁M enz ies . ▁In ▁parliament ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁though ▁still ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁A LP , ▁Ly ons ▁supported ▁a ▁no ▁confidence ▁motion ▁against ▁the ▁Sc ull in ▁Labor ▁government . ▁ ▁He ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁A LP ▁soon ▁after ward , ▁along ▁with ▁Trade ▁Minister ▁James ▁F ent on ▁and ▁four ▁other ▁right - wing ▁A LP ▁MP s . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁Australia ▁Party ▁was ▁then ▁formed ▁from ▁a ▁mer ger ▁of ▁the ▁six ▁Labor ▁diss idents , ▁the ▁opposition ▁National ist ▁Party ▁of ▁Australia , ▁and ▁several ▁citizens ' ▁groups . ▁Ly ons ▁became ▁the ▁new ▁party ' s ▁leader , ▁and ▁hence ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition , ▁with ▁John ▁L ath am , ▁the ▁last ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁National ists , ▁as ▁his ▁deput y . ▁The ▁presence ▁of ▁the ▁working - class ▁Ly ons ▁as ▁leader ▁allowed ▁the ▁U AP ▁to ▁port ray ▁itself ▁as ▁the ▁party ▁of ▁national ▁unity , ▁even ▁though ▁at ▁bottom ▁it ▁was ▁an ▁upper - ▁and ▁middle - class ▁conserv ative ▁party . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁Lang ▁Labor ▁diss idents ▁chose ▁to ▁challenge ▁the ▁Sc ull in ▁Labor ▁government ▁and ▁align ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁Australia ▁Party ▁O pp osition ▁to ▁pass ▁a ▁' no ▁confidence ' ▁and ▁the ▁government ▁fell . ▁ ▁E lections ▁ ▁With ▁Australia ▁still ▁suffering ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁De