Geoffrey Street

Geoffrey Street
Minister for the Army
In office
13 November 1939 – 13 August 1940
Prime MinisterRobert Menzies
Preceded byNew title
Succeeded byPercy Spender
Minister for Repatriation
In office
14 March 1940 – 13 August 1940
Prime MinisterRobert Menzies
Preceded byEric Harrison
Succeeded byPhilip McBride
Minister for Defence
In office
7 November 1938 – 13 November 1939
Prime MinisterJoseph Lyons
Earle Page
Robert Menzies
Preceded byHarold Thorby
Succeeded byRobert Menzies (Defence Co-ordination)
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Corangamite
In office
15 September 1934 – 13 August 1940
Preceded byWilliam Gibson
Succeeded byAllan McDonald
Personal details
Born(1894-01-21)21 January 1894
Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia
Died13 August 1940(1940-08-13) (aged 46)
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Political partyUnited Australia Party
Spouse
Evora Francis Currie
(m. 1918)
RelationsStreet family
ChildrenTony Street
EducationUniversity of Sydney
ProfessionPastoralist
Military service
AllegianceAustralia
Branch/serviceAustralian Imperial Force
Citizens Military Force
Years of service1914–1919
1931–1940
RankBrigadier
Commands3rd Cavalry Brigade
4th Light Horse Regiment
Battles/wars
AwardsMilitary Cross

Geoffrey Austin Street, MC (21 January 1894 – 13 August 1940) was an Australian army officer and politician. He was a member of the United Australia Party (UAP) and served as Minister for Defence (1938–1939), the Army (1939–1940) and Repatriation (1940) in the early years of Australia's involvement in the Second World War.

Street enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on the outbreak of the First World War. He served in the Gallipoli Campaign and on the Western Front, winning the Military Cross and ending the war with the rank of major; he was later promoted to brigadier in the reserve of officers. Street subsequently farmed near Lismore, Victoria, entering politics with the support of Robert Menzies. He won the Division of Corangamite at the 1934 federal election and was promoted to cabinet in 1938 by Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. Following Lyons' death the following year, Menzies became prime minister and Street oversaw an expansion of the military. He was killed in the 1940 Canberra air disaster along with two cabinet colleagues and the head of the army.