# Frontbench of Ben Chifley

The Frontbench of Ben Chifley was the federal Australian Labor Party frontbench from 13 July 1945 until Chifley's death on 13 June 1951. It was opposed by the Liberal-Country Coalition led by Robert Menzies.
Ben Chifley was appointed Prime Minister of Australia upon his election as leader of the Australian Labor Party on 12 July 1945 and his frontbench formed the Australian Government until Labor's defeat at the 1949 election. Chifley subsequently served as Leader of the Opposition until his death.

## First ministry (1945-1946)

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Labor | (Rt) Hon Ben Chifley (1885–1951) MP for Macquarie (1940–1951) | Prime Minister Leader of the Labor Party Treasurer |
| Labor | Rt Hon Frank Forde (1890–1983) MP for Capricornia (1922–1946) | Deputy Leader of the Labor Party (to 28 September 1946) Minister for the Army Minister for Defence (from 15 August 1946) |
| Labor | Rt Hon Dr H. V. Evatt KC (1894–1965) MP for Barton (1940–1958) | Deputy Leader of the Labor Party (from 31 October 1946) Attorney-General Minister for External Affairs |
| Labor | (Rt) Hon Jack Beasley (1895–1949) MP for West Sydney (1928–1946) | Minister for Defence (to 14 August 1946) |
| Labor | Hon Norman Makin (1889–1982) MP for Hindmarsh (1919–1946) | Minister for the Navy (to 15 August 1946) Minister for Munitions (to 15 August 1946) Minister for Aircraft Production (to 15 August 1946) |
| Labor | 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) |
| Labor | Hon Jack Holloway (1875–1967) MP for Melbourne Ports (1931–1951) | Minister for Labour and National Service |
| Labor | 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) |
| Labor | Hon William Scully (1883–1966) MP for Gwydir (1937–1949) | Minister for Commerce and Agriculture |
| Labor | Hon Bill Ashley (1881–1958) Senator for New South Wales (1937–1958) | Minister for Supply and Shipping Leader of the Government in the Senate (from 17 June 1946) |
| Labor | 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) |
| Labor | Hon Joe Collings (1865–1955) Senator for Queensland (1932–1950) | Vice-President of the Executive Council |
| Labor | Hon Eddie Ward (1899–1963) MP for East Sydney (1932–1963) | Minister for Transport Minister for External Territories |
| Labor | Hon James Fraser (1889–1961) Senator for Western Australia (1938–1959) | Minister for Health (to 18 June 1946) Minister for Social Services (to 18 June 1946) Minister for Trade and Customs (from 18 June 1946) |
| Labor | Hon Charles Frost (1882–1964) MP for Franklin (1934–1946) | Minister for Repatriation |
| Labor | Hon Bert Lazzarini (1884–1952) MP for Werriwa (1934–1952) | Minister for Home Security (to 1 February 1946) Minister for Works and Housing |
| Labor | Hon Don Cameron (1878–1962) Senator for Victoria (1938–1962) | Postmaster-General |
| Labor | Hon Arthur Calwell (1896–1973) MP for Melbourne (1940–1972) | Minister for Information Minister for Immigration |
| Labor | Hon Herbert Johnson (1889–1962) MP for Kalgoorlie (1940–1958) | Minister for the Interior Minister assisting the Minister for Works and Housing |
| Labor | Hon Nick McKenna (1895–1974) Senator for Tasmania (1944–1968) (in Ministry from 18 June 1946) | Minister for Health (from 18 June 1946) Minister for Social Services (from 18 June 1946) |

## Second ministry (1946-1949)

| Party | Minister | Portfolio |
| Labor | Rt Hon Ben Chifley (1885–1951) MP for Macquarie (1940–1951) | Prime Minister Leader of the Labor Party Treasurer |
| Labor | Rt Hon Dr H. V. Evatt KC (1894–1965) MP for Barton (1940–1958) | Deputy Leader of the Labor Party Attorney-General Minister for External Affairs |
| Labor | Hon Jack Holloway (1875–1967) MP for Melbourne Ports (1931–1951) | Minister for Labour and National Service |
| Labor | Hon Arthur Drakeford (1878–1957) MP for Maribyrnong (1934–1955) | Minister for Air Minister for Civil Aviation |
| Labor | Hon William Scully (1883–1966) MP for Gwydir (1937–1949) | Vice-President of the Executive Council |
| Labor | Hon Bill Ashley (1881–1958) Senator for New South Wales (1937–1958) | Minister for Supply and Shipping (to 6 April 1948) Minister for Shipping and Fuel (from 6 April 1948) Leader of the Government in the Senate |
| Labor | Hon John Dedman (1896–1973) MP for Corio (1940–1949) | Minister for Defence Minister for Postwar Reconstruction Minister in charge of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research |
| Labor | Hon Eddie Ward (1899–1963) MP for East Sydney (1932–1963) | Minister for Transport Minister for External Territories |
| Labor | Hon Don Cameron (1878–1962) Senator for Victoria (1938–1962) | Postmaster-General |
| Labor | Hon Arthur Calwell (1896–1973) MP for Melbourne (1940–1972) | Minister for Information Minister for Immigration |
| Labor | Hon Herbert Johnson (1889–1962) MP for Kalgoorlie (1940–1958) | Minister for the Interior |
| Labor | Hon Nick McKenna (1895–1974) Senator for Tasmania (1944–1968) | Minister for Health Minister for Social Services |
| Labor | Hon Reg Pollard (1894–1981) MP for Ballaarat (1937–1949) | Minister for Commerce and Agriculture |
| Labor | Hon Nelson Lemmon (1908–1989) MP for Forrest (1943–1949) | Minister for Works and Housing |
| Labor | Hon John Armstrong (1908–1977) Senator for New South Wales (1938–1962) | Minister for Munitions (to 6 April 1948) Minister for Supply and Development (from 6 April 1948) |
| Labor | Hon Cyril Chambers (1898–1975) MP for Adelaide (1943–1958) | Minister for the Army |
| Labor | Hon Ben Courtice (1881–1972) Senator for Queensland (1937–1962) | Minister for Trade and Customs |
| Labor | Hon Bill Riordan (1908–1973) MP for Kennedy (1936–1966) | Minister for the Navy |
| Labor | Hon Claude Barnard (1890–1957) MP for Bass (1934–1949) | Minister for Repatriation |

## Caucus Executive (1950-1951)

The following were members of the ALP Caucus Executive from 21 February 1950 to 20 June 1951:
* Rt Hon. Ben Chifley MP - Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labor Party
* Rt Hon. H. V. Evatt QC MP - Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
* Senator Hon. Bill Ashley - Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
* Senator Hon. Nick McKenna - Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
* Kim Beazley Sr. MP
* Tom Burke MP
* Hon. Arthur Calwell MP
* Hon. Cyril Chambers MP
* Hon. Percy Clarey MP
* Senator Joe Cooke
* Senator Hon. Ben Courtice
* Hon. Reg Pollard MP
* Sol Rosevear MP
* Hon. Eddie Ward MP