As Treasurer, he kept Australia solvent and financially viable during the Second World War. This was a hell of a task as he established Australia as a self sufficient manufacturing nation, making most of our own munitions (a situation that has been slowly destroyed by the Prime Ministers who followed him).
As Prime Minister after the war he had to rebuild the nation, find jobs for returning servicemen and establish an affordable system of social security, as well as causing Australia’s first car, The Holden, to be built.
Above all, he was a humble man from a poor family, having earned his living as a train driver. For the whole of his life as an MP, Minister, and Prime Minister he shunned the Parliamentary Dining Room and Bar, to enjoy sandwiches and tea at his desk while working long hours.
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When told of Ben Chifley’s death, his Parliamentary rival, Robert Menzies, broke down and wept.
Others did great things.
Barton and Deakin founded the nation and passed hugely important legislation that has served Australia well to this day.
Curtin saved Australia from invasion, while Menzies provided the nation with sixteen years of stability in which the office of Prime Minister was respected, unlike today.
Hawke and Keating organised an economic revolution and the Howard years were ones of prosperity.
The three who deserve honourable mention ruled Australia in difficult circumstances. Fisher was a reformer, Scullin laid the foundations for Australia to survive the Great Depression, while Gillard was our first female Prime Minister who showed us how a minority government could survive for three years despite copping huge personal abuse from Abbott and Rudd.
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The rest will be forgotten by history and few will lament.
Right now, two key question confront us.
The first relates to Turnbull’s ability to improve his ranking.
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