John Curtin vs Malcolm Turnbull

John Curtin became Prime Minister of Australia on October 7, 1941, leading a Labor government. He took office during World War II, just weeks before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which brought the war to the Pacific.

In December 1941, following the fall of Singapore, Curtin issued a historic statement declaring Australia's reliance on the United States for defense, shifting from traditional dependence on Britain. This led to a close alliance with the US and the arrival of General Douglas MacArthur.

Curtin's government introduced conscription for military service in the South-West Pacific area in 1942, extending the previous limit to include territories under Australian control. This was a controversial move within the Labor Party, which had opposed overseas conscription.

John Curtin died in office on July 5, 1945, from a heart condition, just weeks before the end of World War II. He was widely mourned and is regarded as one of Australia's greatest prime ministers for his wartime leadership.

As Opposition Leader, Malcolm Turnbull supported the Rudd government's apology to the Stolen Generations. He spoke in Parliament in favor of the apology, emphasizing the need for bipartisan support for Indigenous reconciliation.

Turnbull, as Communications Minister and later PM, oversaw the rollout of the National Broadband Network. He shifted from the original fiber-to-the-premises model to a mixed-technology approach, which reduced costs but drew criticism for slower speeds.

Turnbull's government conducted a voluntary postal plebiscite on same-sex marriage, which returned a 61.6% 'Yes' vote. He then facilitated the passage of legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in Australia, despite internal party opposition.

Turnbull was ousted as Prime Minister in a Liberal Party leadership spill, losing to Scott Morrison. The spill was triggered by poor polling and internal divisions over energy policy, ending his tenure after 15 months.