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Though born in Victoria, John Curtin’s achievements while living in WA make a strong case that he is still the greatest West Australian — or at the very least among the top few.

Curtin is one of 100 people who shaped our State to feature in a special 48-page souvenir magazine, presented by Roy Hill and supported by BHP and Rio Tinto, celebrating 190 years of The West Australian newspaper.

David Black’s biography of Curtin for the university which bears his name says Curtin became an active member of the Labor Party and union official in Victoria before, battling an alcohol problem, he moved to WA to become editor of the Westralian Worker in 1917.

He became a leading figure in the labour movement in the west. In 1928 he was elected Federal MHR for Fremantle, lost the seat in 1931 and regained it in 1934, and was chosen as Federal Labor Party leader in 1935.

He restored party unity and as the international security situation deteriorated he argued for greater selfreliance .

As the dangers grew in World War II, Curtin was sworn in on October 7, 1941 as prime minister , and after Japan attacked the US base at Pearl Harbor, made his famous declaration that “Australia looks to America, free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom”.

He withstood fierce pressure from British PM Winston Churchill in 1942 and brought back Australian troops from the Middle East to face a feared Japanese invasion.

On the home front, the economy was converted to the needs of total war; women joined the workforce in huge numbers and clothing and food was rationed.

At war’s end an exhausted world moved towards a new future.

Curtin never made it. Also exhausted, he died in office on July 5, 1945 — just weeks before the war ended.