The bust commemorates John Curtin, a Prime Minister of Australia and former resident of Charlton.

John Joseph Curtin, Australian politician, served as the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. Labor under Curtin formed a minority government in 1941 after the crossbench consisting of two independent MPs crossed the floor in the House of Representatives, bringing down the Coalition minority government of Robert Menzies which resulted from the 1940 election.

Curtin led Australia when the Australian mainland came under direct military threat during the Japanese advance in World War Two. He is widely regarded as one of the country's greatest Prime Ministers.