Australia's 14th Prime Minister is widely regarded as one of the greatest. John Curtin's achievement rests on his leadership of the nation during much of World War II. Curtin's rejection of the British strategy for Australian troops enabled the successful defence of New Guinea. And, in a remarkable move, he put US General Douglas MacArthur in charge of Australia's defence forces. Although he had been a strong opponent of conscription during World War I, as leader during the 1939-45 conflict, Curtin made the decision to send conscripted troops to serve outside Australia.

Curtin was born and educated in Melbourne. After a period as secretary of the Timber workers' Union, he first came to public notice in 1916 as Victorian secretary of the Anti-Conscription League. He then went to Perth to edit the Labor paper, Westralian Worker, and in 1928 entered the House of Representatives, winning the seat of Fremantle. He lost his seat in the 1932 election when Labor was defeated. Returning to parliament in 1934, he replaced Scullin as Labor Party and opposition leader in 1935.

When World War II started in late 1939, the coalition government of Robert Menzies was divided by personal rivalries. These developed to the point where the independents who held the balance of power believed Australia's war effort was being adversely affected. In October 1941 they agreed to transfer their support to Labor and so Curtin became prime minister.

He proved a capable war leader, appealing to the United States for help in the face of his realisation that Australia was deemed dispensable by Britain. In the following disputes with British prime minister, Winston Churchill, Curtin was able to turn the results in his favour, as in his decision to recall Australian troops from the Middle East to defend Australia. With Japanese planes bombing northern Australian ports, he mobilised the entire nation, instituting military conscription which he had so strongly opposed in World War I.

Curtin was also intent on ensuring that Australia emerge from the war free from the unemployment problems of the 1930s. He aimed for a policy of work for all who wanted it, arguing this could be achieved in peacetime as it had in war.

John Curtin died in office, on 5 July 1945, just six weeks before the end of the war in the Pacific