Fact sheet 82 – Joseph Benedict Chifley

Prime Minister of Australia 1945–49

Born in Bathurst (NSW) in 1885, Joseph Benedict (Ben) Chifley joined the state railways and in 1913 became a railway engine driver. With a developing interest in union affairs, the Australian Labor Party and local politics, he entered local government as an Abercrombie Shire Councillor during the 1920s. He entered federal politics as Member for Macquarie in 1928. A junior but well-regarded backbench member of the Scullin government (1929–31), he served as Minister for Defence from March 1931 until the downfall of the government later that year.

Chifley lost his seat in Labor's devastating loss in 1931 and did not re-enter parliament until the general election of 1940. When the Labor government of John Curtin came to power in 1941 Chifley was appointed Treasurer, a position he held until Curtin's death in 1945. He was also a member of the Advisory War Council and the War Cabinet.

Following Curtin's death on 5 July 1945, Chifley was elected leader of the Australian Labor Party and became Prime Minister on 13 July 1945. He remained Prime Minister and Treasurer until his government was defeated in the general election held in December 1949.

Ben Chifley died while still leader of the Labor Party in 1951.

Records relating to Ben Chifley held by the National Archives

The National Archives holds a collection of Chifley's personal records in Canberra. It is listed below. The Archives also holds many records about Ben Chifley and the issues he was involved in during his years in government. A selection of these records, and of those held by the Australian War Memorial, is listed overleaf.

In the tables below, reference numbers direct you to the item or series in RecordSearch, the Archives database. There you can find more information. In many cases you can view entire digitised records. The information will appear in a new browser window.

Personal records of Ben Chifley
SeriesCorrespondence maintained as Director of Labour Supply and Regulation1940M1414 
SeriesCorrespondence relating to portfolio matters1943–49M1457 
SeriesCorrespondence to and from the Prime Minister and his parliamentary office1945–49M1455 
SeriesGeneral correspondence from various political organisations, and representative groups1945–49M1458 
SeriesSubject files, single number system1945–49M1459 
SeriesCopies of replies to correspondence, maintained by the Private Secretary1948–49M1456 

Other records relating to Ben Chifley – in Canberra
ItemGovernments – Curtin and Chifley Ministry1941–45A461, AP4/1/3 
ItemPress file – Political – Statements by Mr Chifley1943–47A5954, 2210/1 
ItemHousing Commission – Correspondence with Minister for Post War Reconstruction (JB Chifley)1944A11676, HC1944/15 
Item27th Commonwealth Ministry – Chifley Ministry1945–46A5447, 43 
ItemChifley Ministry1945–47A461, BA4/1/3 Part 1 
ItemPrime Ministers – Rt Hon. JB Chifley1945–50A461, V4/1/12 
ItemEconomic outlook – Statement by JB Chifley, PM1946–47A571, 1947/455 
Item28th Commonwealth Ministry – 2nd Chifley Ministry1946–49A5447, 44 
ItemPersonal correspondence from Rt Hon. JB Chifley1946–51A5954, 49/10 
ItemParliamentary and Ministerial press statements by the Prime Minister, Rt Hon. JB Chifley1947–48A1068, PI47/5/2/2 
ItemLegislative and administrative record of the Curtin and Chifley governments1948A432, 1948/25 
ItemPress statements by Mr Chifley1948–49A5954, 2210/2 
ItemFederal Elections, December 1949 – Speeches and statements by the Prime Minister (Mr JB Chifley, MP)1949A5954, 2315/5 
ItemCurtin and Chifley Led the Way (Newspaper Cuttings)1963–66A5954, 1213/16 
Other records relating to Ben Chifley – in Sydney
ItemChifley, JB – Declaration of Peace – Sydney, 15 August 1945 (audio tape – ABC radio broadcast – Australian political)1945C102, POL31 
ItemEvatt, Dr HV – Tribute to JB Chifley (audio tape)1951C102, POL50 
ItemTribute to JB Chifley (by: Menzies, Evatt, Rodgers, Spratt, Fadden) (audio tape – radio broadcast)1951C102, POL52 

Further information

link to the National Archives Australian Prime Ministers Portal Website

RecordSearch, the Archives database, will help you locate more records on this Prime Minister. You can also use it to identify the agencies that created the records. PhotoSearch may also contain photos pertaining to your subject. Both RecordSearch and PhotoSearch are available online and in all Archives reading rooms. Reference staff there can help you, or you can email ref@naa.gov.au.

The Archives has also published a series of research guides about prime ministers. You can download them as PDFs, or order the published versions from the Archives shop. See Prime Ministers Guides.

Australia's Prime Ministers portal website

The National Archives of Australia has developed a new portal website on Australia's 25 prime ministers. It features short biographies of the prime ministers and their wives, a ready reference called Fast Facts, photographs, original documents and more.

The portal's research map enables you to find Australian and overseas collections with archives on Australia's prime ministers. Visit primeministers.naa.gov.au.

As part of this new portal website, we have made a suite of new webpages about prime ministerial records in the National Archives.

Comments or other feedback can be sent to archives@naa.gov.au

updated June 2003