First Chifley ministry

32nd ministry of government of Australia

First Chifley ministry

32nd Ministry of Australia
Group photo of the First Chifley ministry
Date formed13 July 1945
Date dissolved1 November 1946
People and organisations
MonarchGeorge VI
Governor-GeneralThe Duke of Gloucester
Prime MinisterBen Chifley
No. of ministers20
Member partyLabor
Status in legislatureMajority government
Opposition partyLiberal–Country coalition
Opposition leaderRobert Menzies
History
Outgoing election28 September 1946
Legislature term(s)17th
PredecessorForde ministry
SuccessorSecond Chifley ministry
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Ben Chifley
  • Member for Macquarie (1928–1931)
  • Member for Macquarie (1940–1951)

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The First Chifley ministry (Labor) was the 32nd ministry of the Government of Australia. It was led by the country's 16th Prime Minister, Ben Chifley. The First Chifley ministry succeeded the Forde ministry, which dissolved on 13 July 1945 following the election of Chifley as Labor leader after the death of former Prime Minister John Curtin. The ministry was replaced by the Second Chifley ministry on 1 November 1946 following the 1946 federal election.[1]

Frank Forde, who died in 1983, was the last surviving member of the First Chifley ministry; Forde was also the last surviving minister of the Scullin government, the Curtin government, and the Forde government.

Ministry

Party Minister Portrait Portfolio
  Labor (Rt) Hon Ben Chifley
(1885–1951)

MP for Macquarie
(1940–1951)

  Rt Hon Frank Forde
(1890–1983)

MP for Capricornia
(1922–1946)

  Rt Hon Dr H. V. Evatt KC
(1894–1965)

MP for Barton
(1940–1958)

  (Rt) Hon Jack Beasley
(1895–1949)

MP for West Sydney
(1928–1946)

  • Minister for Defence (to 14 August 1946)
  Hon Norman Makin
(1889–1982)

MP for Hindmarsh
(1919–1946)

  Hon Richard Keane
(1881–1946)

Senator for Victoria
(1938–1946)

  • Minister for Trade and Customs (to 26 April 1946)
  • Leader of the Government in the Senate (to 26 April 1946)
  Hon Jack Holloway
(1875–1967)

MP for Melbourne Ports
(1931–1951)

  • Minister for Labour and National Service
  Hon Arthur Drakeford
(1878–1957)

MP for Maribyrnong
(1934–1955)

  • Minister for Air
  • Minister for Civil Aviation
  • Minister for the Navy (from 15 August 1946)
  Hon William Scully
(1883–1966)

MP for Gwydir
(1937–1949)

  • Minister for Commerce and Agriculture
  Hon Bill Ashley
(1881–1958)

Senator for New South Wales
(1937–1958)

  Hon John Dedman
(1896–1973)

MP for Corio
(1940–1949)

  • Minister in charge of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
  • Minister for Postwar Reconstruction
  • Minister for Trade and Customs (from 29 April 1946 to 18 June 1946)
  • Minister for Munitions (from 15 August 1946)
  • Minister for Aircraft Production (from 15 August 1946)
  Hon Joe Collings
(1865–1955)

Senator for Queensland
(1932–1950)

  Hon Eddie Ward
(1899–1963)

MP for East Sydney
(1932–1963)

  Hon James Fraser
(1889–1961)

Senator for Western Australia
(1938–1959)

  Hon Charles Frost
(1882–1964)

MP for Franklin
(1934–1946)

  • Minister for Repatriation
  Hon Bert Lazzarini
(1884–1952)

MP for Werriwa
(1934–1952)

  Hon Don Cameron
(1878–1962)

Senator for Victoria
(1938–1962)

  • Postmaster-General
  Hon Arthur Calwell
(1896–1973)

MP for Melbourne
(1940–1972)

  • Minister for Information
  • Minister for Immigration
  Hon Herbert Johnson
(1889–1962)

MP for Kalgoorlie
(1940–1958)

  Hon Nick McKenna
(1895–1974)

Senator for Tasmania
(1944–1968) (in Ministry from 18 June 1946)

Notes

  1. ^ "Ministries and Cabinets". Parliamentary Handbook. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
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