Fadden was active in local and state government as a young man, and he was a member of Parliament (1936–58) and leader of the Country Party (1941–58). As a member of the cabinet he held the position of minister for air and civil aviation (1940) and of treasurer (1940–41, 1949–58); he also served for five weeks as prime minister upon the resignation of Robert Gordon Menzies (later Sir Robert Menzies). He was knighted in 1951 and retired from politics in 1958.