| Ben Chifley | |
|---|---|
| |
| Prime Minister of Australia | |
| In office 28 September 1946 – 10 December 1949 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Menzies |
| Succeeded by | Robert Menzies |
| Leader of the Australian Labor Party | |
| In office 13 July 1945 – 14 March 1953 | |
| Preceded by | John Curtin |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Calwell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joseph Benedict Chifley 22 September 1885 Bathurst, New South Wales |
| Died | 14 March 1953 (aged 67) Canberra, Australia |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth McKenzie (m. 1914) |
Joseph Benedict Chifley (22 September 1885 – 14 March 1953) was an Australian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Australia from 1946 to 1949. He was notable for defining Australia's post-war reconstruction efforts.
Early life and career[]
Ben Chifley was born on 22 September 1885 in Bathurst, New South Wales. After leaving school he worked at New South Wales Government Railways as an engine driver. He became involved in politics as a member of the Australian Labor Party after already having been prominent in the trade union movement. After several previous unsuccessful candidacies, Chifley was elected to parliament in the 1928 federal election. In 1931, he was appointed Minister for Defence in the government of James Scullin, but only served in cabinet for less than a year before losing his seat at the 1931 federal election.
He remained involved in politics and the Labor Party and was reelected to the Parliament in 1940. After the ALP joined the war coalition government under Robert Menzies, Chifley returned to the cabinet and served, with the exception of the 1943 election campaign period, when the ALP withdrew from the coalition, until 1945. After the sudden death of Labor leader John Curtin, Chifley defeated the Deputy Leader Frank Forde in a leadership election. The ALP emerged victorious in the 1946 election and Chifley was appointed Prime Minister by the Governor-General of Australia, the George, Duke of Kent (Mere Men)Duke of Kent]].
Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition[]
Under Chifley’s administration, Australia finally adopted the Statute of Westminster and continued to develop close relationship with the United States. A record number of laws were passed under Chifley, mostly social and economic reforms after a referendum on social services was passed in 1947. A new immigration scheme was introduced in 1948, following the fall of Japan. Although many of Chifley’s policies were popular, Chifley narrowly lost the 1949 election to Menzies, owing to the fear of communism paired with some of Chifley’s controversial opinions, such as his intentions to nationalize Australian banks. Another of Chifley’s controversial actions was the nomination of Herbert Vere Evatt, another Labor politician, as Governor-General of Australia after George, Duke of Kent was recalled in 1947.
After the 1949 election, Chifley served as the Leader of the Opposition despite his old age. Despite the Labor’s defeat in the election, Labor retained the majority in the Senate and was able to block a lot of Menzies’ legislation. This culminated in 1951, when Menzies proposed a banking bill, which the Senate rejected. This led to a constitutional crisis after Evatt refused to grant Menzies a double dissolution election. This additional stress further contributed to Chifley’s deteriorating health and in 1951 he suffered his first heart attack and required hospitalisation. After Evatt’s dismissal and the 1952 election, which resulted in the ALP losing the Senate majority, Chifley became more reclusive and on 14 March 1953 he died of another heart attack when in his home in Canberra.