title: Page ministry
text: # Page ministry
  
  The Page ministry (Country–United Australia Coalition) was the 24th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 11th Prime Minister, Sir Earle Page. The Page ministry succeeded the Fourth Lyons ministry, which dissolved on 7 April 1939 following the death of former Prime Minister Joseph Lyons - the first of three occasions where a sitting Prime Minister died in office. Since Page was the head of the Country Party, it was a caretaker ministry until the senior partner in the Coalition, the United Australia Party, could elect a new leader. Former Attorney-General Robert Menzies was ultimately elected on 18 April 1939. However, due to the Country Party withdrawing from the Coalition after relations between Page and Menzies broke down, Menzies along with his ministry was not sworn in until 26 April 1939.
  
  John McEwen, who died in 1980, was the last surviving member of the Page ministry; McEwen was also the last surviving member of the Fourth Lyons ministry. Robert Menzies was the last surviving UAP minister.
  
  ## Ministry
  
  | Party | Minister | Portfolio |
  | - | - | - |
  | Country | Rt Hon Sir Earle Page GCMG (1880–1961) MP for Cowper (1919–1961) | Prime Minister Leader of the Country Party Minister for Commerce |
  | United Australia | Rt Hon Billy Hughes KC (1862–1952) MP for North Sydney (1922–1949) | Minister for External Affairs Attorney-General Minister for Industry |
  | United Australia | Hon Richard Casey DSO MC (1890–1976) MP for Corio (1931–1940) | Treasurer |
  | Country | Hon Harold Thorby (1888–1973) MP for Calare (1931–1940) | Deputy Leader of the Country Party Minister for Works Minister for Civil Aviation |
  | United Australia | Hon John Perkins (1878–1954) MP for Eden-Monaro (1931–1943) | Minister for Trade and Customs |
  | United Australia | Hon Geoffrey Street MC (1894–1940) MP for Corangamite (1934–1940) | Minister for Defence |
  | Country | Hon John McEwen (1900–1980) MP for Indi (1937–1949) | Minister for the Interior |
  | United Australia | Hon George McLeay (1892–1955) Senator for South Australia (1935–1947) | Vice-President of the Executive Council Leader of the Government in the Senate |
  | United Australia | Hon Harry Foll (1890–1977) Senator for Queensland (1917–1947) | Minister for Health Minister for Repatriation |
  | Country | Hon Archie Cameron (1895–1956) MP for Barker (1934–1956) | Postmaster-General |
  | United Australia | Hon Eric Harrison (1892–1974) MP for Wentworth (1931–1956) | Minister without portfolio administering external territories Minister without portfolio assisting the Prime Minister |
  | United Australia | Hon Allan MacDonald (1892–1978) Senator for Western Australia (1935–1947) | Minister without portfolio assisting the Treasurer |
  | Country | Hon Victor Thompson (1885–1968) MP for New England (1922–1940) | Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce |
  