Portrait of Prime Minister Ben Chifley

About this record

This is a black-and-white photograph of the Rt Hon. Ben Chifley, Australia's sixteenth Prime Minister. It shows him looking down towards the camera while holding a smoking pipe. Chifley rose to power when he was elected leader of the Australian Labor Party after John Curtin died in July 1945. He was a man of significant development, introducing the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme and the assisted immigration program, as well as pushing for the nationalisation of private banks, allowing for further federal government control over the economy. Information about Chifley's life before, during and after office can be found by clicking the links below.

Educational value

The National Archives has an extensive collection of photographs and documents relating to Ben Chifley. Here are some links to help you get started:

Information about Ben Chifley before, during and after his term as Prime Minister
The RecordSearch online database allows searching of the National Archives' collection

Acknowledgments

Learning resource text © Education Services Australia Limited and the National Archives of Australia 2010.

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