# First Chifley ministry

* This article is part of a series about Ben Chifley
Early life
1917 general strike
Member for Macquarie (1928–1931)
Member for Macquarie (1940–1951)
Scullin Ministry
First Curtin Ministry
Second Curtin Ministry
1945 Labor Party leadership election
Prime Minister of Australia
Term of government (1945–1949)
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
1946 14 Powers referendum
QANTAS nationalisation
1946 Social Services referendum
Commonwealth Employment Service
Bank nationalisation
1948 rents and prices referendum
Snowy Mountains Scheme
1949 Australian coal strike
Ministries
First
Second
Elections
1946
1949
The light on the hill :
vte :
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.
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 | 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) |