Ben Chifley

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Rt Hon Ben Chifley

In office
13 July 1945 – 19 December 1949
Preceded by Frank Forde
Succeeded by Robert Menzies

Born 22 September 1885
Bathurst, New South Wales
Died 13 June 1951
Political party Labor

Joseph Benedict Chifley (22 September 188513 June 1951) was the 16th Prime Minister of Australia. He won the leadership after the death of John Curtin in 1945. His government tried to take ownership of all Australia's banks. This was not popular and the High Court said that it could not be done. Opposition leader, Robert Menzies said that Chifley and the Labor Party was soft on Communism. This is one of the main reasons why Chifley lost the 1949 election. He died soon after losing the 1951 election to Menzies.

Prime Ministers of Australia
Barton | Deakin | Watson | Reid | Fisher | Cook | Hughes | Bruce | Scullin | Lyons | Page | Menzies | Fadden | Curtin | Forde | Chifley | Holt | McEwen | Gorton | McMahon | Whitlam | Fraser | Hawke | Keating | Howard