curtin appointed a royal commission to determine if such documents had existed, and if the menzies administration had made such plans. the commission reported in july 1943 that there was no evidence supporting an official plan to abandon most of australia to invading forces, and that the files for the time in question were complete. the royal commission and the brisbane line controversy contributed to curtin and the labor party winning the 1943 federal election by a significant margin, but ward was effectively demoted by being assigned the portfolios of transport (the assets of which were under direct army control) and external territories (most of which had been captured by the japanese).