title: First Menzies ministry
text: # First Menzies ministry
  
  * This article is part of a series about Robert Menzies
  
  Early life
  
  State politics
  
  Member for Kooyong (1934-1966)
  
  1938 Dalfram dispute
  
  United Australia Party spills
  
  1939
  
  1943
  
  Prime Minister of Australia
  
  First term of government (1939–1941)
  
  Entry into WW2
  
  Advisory War Council
  
  Liberal Party foundation
  
  Second term of government (1949–1966)
  
  ANZUS
  
  Communist Party ban
  
  1951 Communist Party ban referendum
  
  Petrov Affair
  
  Royal Commission on Espionage
  
  Entry into Vietnam War
  
  Ministries
  
  First
  
  Second
  
  Third
  
  Fourth
  
  Fifth
  
  Sixth
  
  Seventh
  
  Eighth
  
  Ninth
  
  Tenth
  
  Elections
  
  1940
  
  1946
  
  1949
  
  1951
  
  1953 (Half-Senate)
  
  1954
  
  1955
  
  1958
  
  1961
  
  1963
  
  1964 (Half-Senate)
  
  The Forgotten People :
  
  vte :
  
  The First Menzies ministry (United Australia) was the 25th ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 12th Prime Minister, Robert Menzies. The First Menzies ministry succeeded the Page ministry, which dissolved on 26 April 1939 following the election of Menzies as UAP leader after the death of former Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. However, due to the Country Party withdrawing from the Coalition after relations between caretaker Prime Minister Sir Earle Page and Menzies broke down, the First Menzies ministry was composed solely of UAP ministers, and was effectively a minority government. The ministry was replaced by the Second Menzies ministry on 14 March 1940 after Menzies took the Country Party back into his government - now led by Archie Cameron.
  
  Percy Spender, who died in 1985, was the last surviving member of the First Menzies ministry; Spender was also the last surviving minister of the Second Menzies ministry, Third Menzies ministry, Fadden ministry, and the Fourth Menzies ministry.
  
  ## Ministry
  
  | Party | Minister | Portfolio |
  | - | - | - |
  | United Australia | Rt Hon Robert Menzies KC (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong (1934–1966) | Prime Minister Leader of the United Australia Party Treasurer Minister for Defence Co-ordination (from 13 November 1939) Minister for Trade and Customs (from 23 February 1940) |
  | United Australia | Rt Hon Billy Hughes KC (1862–1952) MP for North Sydney (1922–1949) | Attorney-General Minister for Industry |
  | United Australia | Hon Geoffrey Street MC (1894–1940) MP for Corangamite (1934–1940) | Minister for Defence (to 13 November 1939) Minister for the Army (from 13 November 1939) |
  | United Australia | Hon Richard Casey DSO MC (1890–1976) MP for Corio (1931–1940) | Minister for Supply and Development (to 26 January 1940) |
  | United Australia | Hon Sir Henry Gullett KCMG (1878–1940) MP for Henty (1925–1940) | Minister for External Affairs Minister for Information (from 12 September 1939) |
  | United Australia | Hon George McLeay (1892–1955) Senator for South Australia (1935–1947) | Minister for Commerce Leader of the Government in the Senate |
  | United Australia | Hon John Lawson (1897–1956) MP for Macquarie (1931–1940) | Minister for Trade and Customs (to 23 February 1940) |
  | United Australia | Hon Eric Harrison (1892–1974) MP for Wentworth (1931–1956) | Postmaster-General Minister for Repatriation |
  | United Australia | Hon James Fairbairn (1897–1940) MP for Flinders (1933–1940) | Minister for Civil Aviation Vice-President of the Executive Council (to 26 January 1940) Minister for Air (from 13 November 1939) |
  | United Australia | Hon Sir Frederick Stewart (1884–1961) MP for Parramatta (1931–1946) | Minister for Health Minister for Social Services Minister for the Navy (from 13 November 1939) Minister for Supply and Development (from 26 January 1940) |
  | United Australia | Hon Harry Foll (1890–1977) Senator for Queensland (1917–1947) | Minister for the Interior |
  | United Australia | Hon Percy Spender KC (1897–1985) MP for Warringah (1937–1951) | Minister without portfolio assisting the Treasurer (to 3 November 1939) Vice-President of the Executive Council (from 26 January 1940) |
  | United Australia | Hon John Perkins (1878–1954) MP for Eden-Monaro (1931–1943) | Minister without portfolio administering external territories |
  | United Australia | Hon Herbert Collett CMG DSO VD (1877–1947) Senator for Western Australia (1933–1947) | Minister without portfolio administering War Service Homes |
  | United Australia | Hon Harold Holt (1908–1967) MP for Fawkner (1935–1949) | Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Supply and Development Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Trade and Customs (from 23 February 1940) |
  | United Australia | Hon Philip McBride (1892–1982) Senator for South Australia (1937–1944) | Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce |
  