Fourth Lyons ministry explained

See also: Lyons government.

Cabinet Name:	Fourth Lyons ministry
Cabinet Type:	Ministry
Cabinet Number:	23rd
Jurisdiction:	Australia
Flag:	Flag of Australia.svg
Flag Border:	true
Date Formed:	29 November 1937
Date Dissolved:	7 April 1939
Government Head:	Joseph Lyons
Governor General:	Lord Gowrie
Members Number:	17
Political Party:	United Australia–Country coalition
Legislature Status:	Majority government
Opposition Party:	Labor
Opposition Leader:	John Curtin
Election:	23 October 1937
Legislature Term:	15th
Predecessor:	Third Lyons ministry
Successor:	Page ministry
State Head Title:	Monarch
Government Head Title:	Prime Minister

The Fourth Lyons ministry (United Australia–Country Coalition) was the 23rd ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 10th Prime Minister, Joseph Lyons. The Fourth Lyons ministry succeeded the Third Lyons ministry, which dissolved on 29 November 1937 following the federal election that took place in October. The ministry was replaced by the Page ministry on 7 April 1939 following the death of Lyons - the first of three occasions where a sitting Prime Minister died in office.^[1]

John McEwen, who died in 1980, was the last surviving member of the Fourth Lyons ministry; McEwen was also the last surviving member of the Page ministry. Robert Menzies was the last surviving UAP minister.

Ministry

Party		Minister	Portrait	Portfolio
		United Australia	Rt Hon Joseph Lyons for Wilmot		Prime Minister Leader of the United Australia Party
		Country	Rt Hon (Sir) Earle Page for Cowper		Leader of the Country Party Minister for Commerce Minister for Health (to 7 November 1938)
		United Australia	Rt Hon Robert Menzies for Kooyong		Deputy Leader of the United Australia Party (to 20 March 1939) Attorney-General (to 20 March 1939) Minister for Industry (to 20 March 1939)
		United Australia	Hon Alexander McLachlan Senator for South Australia		Postmaster-General (to 7 November 1938) Leader of the Government in the Senate (to 7 November 1938)
		United Australia	Hon Thomas White for Balaclava		Minister for Trade and Customs (to 8 November 1938)
		United Australia	Hon Richard Casey for Corio		Treasurer Minister in charge of Development and Scientific and Industrial Research (to 7 November 1938)
		United Australia	Rt Hon Billy Hughes for North Sydney		Minister for External Affairs Vice-President of the Executive Council (to 7 November 1938) Minister in charge of Territories (to 7 November 1938) Attorney-General (from 20 March 1939) Minister for Industry (from 20 March 1939)
		Country	Hon Harold Thorby for Calare		Deputy Leader of the Country Party Minister for Defence (to 7 November 1938) Minister for Works (from 7 November 1938) Minister for Civil Aviation (from 7 November 1938)
		United Australia	Hon Harry Foll Senator for Queensland		Minister in charge of War Service Homes (to 7 November 1938) Minister for Repatriation (from 7 November 1938) Minister for Health (from 7 November 1938)
		Country	Hon John McEwen for Indi		Minister for the Interior
		Country	Hon Archie Cameron for Barker		Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce (to 7 November 1938) Postmaster-General (from 7 November 1938)
		Country	Hon Victor Thompson for New England		Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce
		United Australia	Hon Allan MacDonald Senator for Western Australia		Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce (to 7 November 1938) Minister without portfolio assisting the Treasurer (from 7 November 1938)
		United Australia	Hon George McLeay Senator for South Australia (in Ministry from 7 November 1938)		Chief Government Whip in the Senate (to 29 November 1937) Vice-President of the Executive Council (from 7 November 1938) Leader of the Government in the Senate (from 7 November 1938)
		United Australia	Hon Geoffrey Street for Corangamite (in Ministry from 7 November 1938)		Minister for Defence (from 7 November 1938)
		United Australia	Hon John Perkins for Eden-Monaro (in Ministry from 7 November 1938)		Minister without portfolio administering external territories (from 7 November 1938 to 8 November 1938) Minister without portfolio assisting the Prime Minister (from 7 November 1938 to 8 November 1938) Minister for Trade and Customs (from 8 November 1938)
		United Australia	Hon Eric Harrison for Wentworth (in Ministry from 8 November 1938)		Minister without portfolio administering external territories (from 8 November 1938) Minister without portfolio assisting the Prime Minister (from 8 November 1938)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ministries and Cabinets . Parliamentary Handbook . . 17 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121008065519/http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p%3Bpage%3D0%3Bquery%3DScullin%20Ministry%20%28ALP%29%3Brec%3D0%3BresCount%3DDefault . 8 October 2012.