Forde ministry

{{Short description|none}}

{{see also|Frank Forde}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{Infobox government cabinet

| cabinet_name = Forde ministry

| cabinet_type = Ministry

| cabinet_number = 31st

| jurisdiction = Australia

| flag = Flag of Australia.svg

| flag_border = true

| incumbent =

| image = {{multiple image |align=center |border=infobox |caption_align=center |image_style=border:0; |total_width=300

| image1 = Frank Forde 1945.jpg| alt1 = photograph of Forde

| caption1 = {{larger|Frank Forde}}

| image2 = Benchifley.jpg | alt2 = photograph of Chifley

| caption2 = {{larger|Ben Chifley}}

}}

| date_formed = 6 July 1945

| date_dissolved = 13 July 1945

| government_head = Frank Forde

| government_head_history =

| deputy_government_head =

| state_head = George VI

| governor_general = The Duke of Gloucester

| members_number = 18

| former_members_number =

| total_number =

| political_party = Labor

| legislature_status = Majority government

| opposition_cabinet =

| opposition_party = Liberal–Country coalition

| opposition_leader = Robert Menzies

| election =

| last_election =

| legislature_term = 17th

| budget =

| advice_and_consent1 =

| incoming_formation =

| outgoing_formation =

| predecessor = Second Curtin ministry

| successor = First Chifley ministry

| state_head_title = Monarch

| government_head_title = Prime Minister

}}

The Forde ministry (Labor) was the 31st ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 15th prime minister, Frank Forde. The Forde Ministry succeeded the Second Curtin ministry, which dissolved on 6 July 1945 following the death of former prime minister John Curtin - the second of three occasions where a sitting prime minister died in office. Since Forde was the deputy Labor leader, it was a caretaker ministry until the Labor caucus could elect a new leader. Treasurer Ben Chifley was ultimately elected over Forde on 12 July 1945, and he was sworn in as prime minister along with his ministry the following day.{{cite web

|title = Ministries and Cabinets

|work = Parliamentary Handbook

|publisher = Parliament of Australia

|url = http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;page=0;query=Scullin%20Ministry%20(ALP);rec=0;resCount=Default

|access-date = 17 September 2010

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = 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

|archive-date = 8 October 2012

}}

Frank Forde, who died in 1983, was the last surviving member of the Forde Ministry; Forde was also the last surviving minister of the Scullin government, the Curtin government, and the First Chifley ministry.