List of prime ministers of Australia by age

Last updated

Living as of 13:14, Thursday, October 28, 2021 ( UTC )
Prime MinisterDate of birthPrime Minister
John Howard 26 July 1939 (age 82)19962007
Paul Keating 18 January 1944 (age 77)19911996
Malcolm Turnbull 24 October 1954 (age 67)20152018
Kevin Rudd 21 September 1957 (age 64)20072010, 2013
Tony Abbott 4 November 1957 (age 63)20132015
Julia Gillard 29 September 1961 (age 60)20102013
Scott Morrison 13 May 1968 (age 53)2018

This is a list of prime ministers of Australia by age, including when they were born, what age they were when they were appointed prime minister, what age were they when they left the office and the age at which they died, or their current age as of 28 October 2021 if they are still alive. The table can be sorted by each different category.

Contents

The date of appointment as prime minister is the date on which they were sworn in by the Governor-General for their first term. The day on which they departed office is the final day of their final term. This is either the day a new prime minister was appointed or their date of death if they died whilst in office.

Overview

The median age of a prime minister on the first day of their first term is 52 years, and 353 days which falls between Joseph Cook and Billy Hughes. The youngest person to assume the office was Chris Watson (age 37 years, 18 days). The oldest person to assume office was John McEwen (age 67 years, 265 days).

The oldest living former prime minister is John Howard, born 26 July 1939 (age 82 years, 94 days). The youngest living former prime minister is Julia Gillard, born 29 September 1961, (age 60 years, 29 days). The youngest living prime minister is the incumbent Scott Morrison, born 13 May 1968, (age 53 years, 168 days).

The longest-lived prime minister was Gough Whitlam who died on 21 October 2014 at the age of 98 years, 102 days. Frank Forde was the second longest-lived prime minister, at the age of 92 years, 194 days. Whitlam surpassed Forde's lifespan on 21 January 2009. The oldest living prime minister, John Howard, will tie Whitlam if he lives to 5 November 2037. The shortest-lived prime minister was Harold Holt, at the age of 59 years, 134 days (See footnote below explaining his disappearance).

The prime minister with the longest retirement is Gough Whitlam. He left office on 11 November 1975, and died 38 years, and 344 days later on 21 October 2014. The prime minister with the shortest retirement is Ben Chifley, who died on 13 June 1951, 1 year and 176 days after leaving office on 19 December 1949.

Ages of prime ministers

#Prime MinisterBornTook officeAgeLeft officeAgeDiedLength of retirementLifespan
1 Edmund Barton 18 January 18491 January 190151 years, 348 days24 September 190354 years, 249 days7 January 192016 years, 105 days70 years, 354 days
2 Alfred Deakin 3 August 185624 September 190347 years, 52 days29 April 191053 years, 269 days7 October 19199 years, 161 days63 years, 65 days
3 Chris Watson 9 April 186727 April 190437 years, 18 days18 August 190437 years, 131 days18 November 194137 years, 92 days74 years, 223 days
4 George Reid 25 February 184518 August 190459 years, 175 days5 July 190560 years, 130 days12 September 191813 years, 69 days73 years, 199 days
5 Andrew Fisher 29 August 186213 November 190846 years, 76 days27 October 191553 years, 59 days22 October 192812 years, 361 days66 years, 54 days
6 Joseph Cook 7 December 186024 June 191352 years, 199 days17 September 191453 years, 284 days30 July 194732 years, 316 days86 years, 235 days
7 Billy Hughes 25 September 186228 October 191553 years, 33 days9 February 192360 years, 137 days28 October 195229 years, 262 days90 years, 33 days
8 Stanley Bruce 15 April 18839 February 192339 years, 300 days22 October 192946 years, 190 days25 August 196737 years, 307 days84 years, 132 days
9 James Scullin 18 September 187622 October 192953 years, 34 days6 January 193255 years, 110 days28 January 195321 years, 22 days76 years, 132 days
10 Joseph Lyons 15 September 18796 January 193252 years, 113 days7 April 1939 [1] 59 years, 204 days7 April 193959 years, 204 days
11 Earle Page 8 August 18807 April 193958 years, 242 days26 April 193958 years, 261 days20 December 196122 years, 238 days81 years, 134 days
12 Robert Menzies 20 December 189426 April 193944 years, 127 days26 January 196671 years, 37 days15 May 197812 years, 109 days83 years, 146 days
13 Arthur Fadden 13 April 189429 August 194147 years, 138 days7 October 194147 years, 177 days21 April 197331 years, 196 days79 years, 8 days
14 John Curtin 8 January 18857 October 194156 years, 272 days5 July 1945 [1] 60 years, 178 days5 July 194560 years, 178 days
15 Frank Forde 18 July 18906 July 194554 years, 353 days13 July 194554 years, 360 days28 January 198337 years, 199 days92 years, 194 days
16 Ben Chifley 22 September 188513 July 194559 years, 294 days19 December 194964 years, 88 days13 June 19511 year, 176 days65 years, 264 days
17 Harold Holt 5 August 190826 January 196657 years, 174 days17 December 1967 [2] 59 years, 134 days17 December 1967 [2] 59 years, 134 days
18 John McEwen 29 March 190019 December 196767 years, 265 days10 January 196867 years, 287 days20 November 198012 years, 315 days80 years, 236 days
19 John Gorton 9 September 191110 January 196856 years, 123 days10 March 197159 years, 182 days19 May 200231 years, 70 days90 years, 252 days
20 William McMahon 23 February 190810 March 197163 years, 15 days5 December 197264 years, 286 days31 March 198815 years, 117 days80 years, 37 days
21 Gough Whitlam 11 July 19165 December 197256 years, 147 days11 November 197559 years, 123 days21 October 201438 years, 344 days98 years, 102 days
22 Malcolm Fraser 21 May 193011 November 197545 years, 174 days11 March 198352 years, 294 days20 March 201532 years, 9 days84 years, 303 days
23 Bob Hawke 9 December 192911 March 198353 years, 92 days20 December 199162 years, 11 days16 May 201927 years, 147 days89 years, 158 days
24 Paul Keating 18 January 194420 December 199147 years, 336 days11 March 199652 years, 53 days25 years, 231 days77 years, 283 days
25 John Howard 26 July 193911 March 199656 years, 229 days3 December 200768 years, 130 days13 years, 329 days82 years, 94 days
26 Kevin Rudd 21 September 19573 December 200750 years, 73 days18 September 201355 years, 362 days8 years, 40 days64 years, 37 days
27 Julia Gillard 29 September 196124 June 201048 years, 268 days27 June 201351 years, 271 days8 years, 123 days60 years, 29 days
28 Tony Abbott 4 November 195718 September 201355 years, 318 days15 September 201557 years, 315 days6 years, 43 days63 years, 358 days
29 Malcolm Turnbull 24 October 195415 September 201560 years, 326 days24 August 201863 years, 304 days3 years, 65 days67 years, 4 days
30 Scott Morrison 13 May 196824 August 201850 years, 103 daysIncumbentIncumbentIncumbent53 years, 168 days

Timeline of living prime ministers

This is a chronological list of all who served as the prime minister of Australia and were still living, at different periods in history. There has been one time period each when there was either one, two, or three living prime ministers, beginning with the appointment of Edmund Barton in 1901 and ending with the appointment of George Reid in 1904.

There have been two time periods when 9 living current or former prime ministers co-existed. The earliest period was from the October 1941 appointment of John Curtin to the November 1941 death of Chris Watson. The most recent and the longest period was a two-year period beginning with the July 1945 appointment of Ben Chifley to the July 1947 death of Joseph Cook.

If one includes future prime ministers as well as past and current prime ministers, there has been only one time period when 21 different prime ministers co-existed. (see Statistics)

Color key:Pre-UAP ConservativesUAP / Liberal PartyCountry PartyLabor Party
Number of prime ministers alive at each date in Australian history
StartEndStart eventIntervalEnd eventLiving PMs
1 January 190124 September 1903Appointment of Edmund Barton2 years, 266 daysAppointment of Alfred Deakin1Barton
24 September 190327 April 1904Appointment of Alfred Deakin216 daysAppointment of Chris Watson2Barton

Deakin

27 April 190418 August 1904Appointment of Chris Watson113 daysAppointment of George Reid3Barton

Deakin

Watson

18 August 190413 November 1908Appointment of George Reid4 years, 87 daysAppointment of Andrew Fisher4Barton

Deakin

Watson

Reid

13 November 190824 June 1913Appointment of Andrew Fisher4 years, 223 daysAppointment of Joseph Cook5Barton

Deakin

Watson

Reid

Fisher

24 June 191327 October 1915Appointment of Joseph Cook2 years, 125 daysAppointment of Billy Hughes6Barton

Deakin

Watson

Reid

Fisher

Cook

27 October 191512 September 1918Appointment of Billy Hughes2 years, 320 daysDeath of George Reid7Barton

Deakin

Watson

Reid

Fisher

Cook

Hughes

12 September 19187 October 1919Death of George Reid1 year, 25 daysDeath of Alfred Deakin6Barton

Deakin

Watson

Fisher

Cook

Hughes

7 October 19197 January 1920Death of Alfred Deakin92 daysDeath of Edmund Barton5Barton

Watson

Fisher

Cook

Hughes

7 January 19209 February 1923Death of Edmund Barton3 years, 33 daysAppointment of Stanley Bruce4Watson

Fisher

Cook

Hughes

9 February 192322 October 1928Appointment of Stanley Bruce5 years, 256 daysDeath of Andrew Fisher5Watson

Fisher

Cook

Hughes

Bruce

22 October 192822 October 1929Death of Andrew Fisher1 year, 0 daysAppointment of James Scullin4Watson

Cook

Hughes

Bruce

22 October 19296 January 1932Appointment of James Scullin2 years, 76 daysAppointment of Joseph Lyons5Watson

Cook

Hughes

Bruce

Scullin

6 January 19327 April 1939Appointment of Joseph Lyons7 years, 91 daysDeath of Joseph Lyons6Watson

Cook

Hughes

Bruce

Scullin

Lyons

7 April 193926 April 1939Appointment of Earle Page19 daysAppointment of Robert Menzies6Watson

Cook

Hughes

Bruce

Scullin

Page

26 April 193929 August 1941Appointment of Robert Menzies2 years, 125 daysAppointment of Arthur Fadden7Watson

Cook

Hughes

Bruce

Scullin

Page

Menzies

29 August 19417 October 1941Appointment of Arthur Fadden39 daysAppointment of John Curtin8Watson

Cook

Hughes

Bruce

Scullin

Page

Menzies

Fadden

7 October 194118 November 1941Appointment of John Curtin42 daysDeath of Chris Watson9Watson

Cook

Hughes

Bruce

Scullin

Page

Menzies

Fadden

Curtin

18 November 19415 July 1945Death of Chris Watson3 years, 229 daysDeath of John Curtin8Cook

Hughes

Bruce

Scullin

Page

Menzies

Fadden

Curtin

5 July 194513 July 1945Appointment of Frank Forde8 daysAppointment of Ben Chifley8Cook

Hughes

Bruce

Scullin

Page

Menzies

Fadden

Forde

13 July 194530 July 1947Appointment of Ben Chifley2 years, 17 daysDeath of Joseph Cook9Cook

Hughes

Bruce

Scullin

Page

Menzies

Fadden

Forde

Chifley

30 July 194713 June 1951Death of Joseph Cook3 years, 318 daysDeath of Ben Chifley8Hughes

Bruce

Scullin

Page

Menzies

Fadden

Forde

Chifley

13 June 195128 October 1952Death of Ben Chifley1 year, 137 daysDeath of Billy Hughes7Hughes

Bruce

Scullin

Page

Menzies

Fadden

Forde

28 October 195228 January 1953Death of Billy Hughes92 daysDeath of James Scullin6Bruce

Scullin

Page

Menzies

Fadden

Forde

28 January 195320 December 1961Death of James Scullin8 years, 326 daysDeath of Sir Earle Page5Bruce

Page

Menzies

Fadden

Forde

20 December 196126 January 1966Death of Earle Page4 years, 37 daysAppointment of Harold Holt4Bruce

Menzies

Fadden

Forde

26 January 196625 August 1967Appointment of Harold Holt1 year, 211 daysDeath of Stanley Bruce5Bruce

Menzies

Fadden

Forde

Holt

25 August 196717 December 1967Death of Stanley Bruce114 daysDeath of Harold Holt4Menzies

Fadden

Forde

Holt

17 December 196710 January 1968Appointment of John McEwen24 daysAppointment of John Gorton4Menzies

Fadden

Forde

McEwen

10 January 196810 March 1971Appointment of John Gorton3 years, 59 daysAppointment of William McMahon5Menzies

Fadden

Forde

McEwen

Gorton

10 March 19715 December 1972Appointment of William McMahon1 year, 270 daysAppointment of Gough Whitlam6Menzies

Fadden

Forde

McEwen

Gorton

McMahon

5 December 197221 April 1973Appointment of Gough Whitlam137 daysDeath of Arthur Fadden7Menzies

Fadden

Forde

McEwen

Gorton

McMahon

Whitlam

21 April 197311 November 1975Death of Arthur Fadden2 years, 204 daysAppointment of Malcolm Fraser6Menzies

Forde

McEwen

Gorton

McMahon

Whitlam

11 November 197515 May 1978Appointment of Malcolm Fraser2 years, 185 daysDeath of Robert Menzies7Menzies

Forde

McEwen

Gorton

McMahon

Whitlam

Fraser

15 May 197820 November 1980Death of Robert Menzies2 years, 189 daysDeath of John McEwen6Forde

McEwen

Gorton

McMahon

Whitlam

Fraser

20 November 198028 January 1983Death of John McEwen2 years, 69 daysDeath of Frank Forde5Forde

Gorton

McMahon

Whitlam

Fraser

28 January 198311 March 1983Death of Frank Forde42 daysAppointment of Bob Hawke4Gorton

McMahon

Whitlam

Fraser

11 March 198331 March 1988Appointment of Bob Hawke5 years, 20 daysDeath of William McMahon5Gorton

McMahon

Whitlam

Fraser

Hawke

31 March 198820 December 1991Death of William McMahon3 years, 264 daysAppointment of Paul Keating4Gorton

Whitlam

Fraser

Hawke

20 December 199111 March 1996Appointment of Paul Keating4 years, 82 daysAppointment of John Howard5Gorton

Whitlam

Fraser

Hawke

Keating

11 March 199619 May 2002Appointment of John Howard6 years, 69 daysDeath of John Gorton6Gorton

Whitlam

Fraser

Hawke

Keating

Howard

19 May 20023 December 2007Death of John Gorton5 years, 198 daysAppointment of Kevin Rudd5Whitlam

Fraser

Hawke

Keating

Howard

3 December 200724 June 2010Appointment of Kevin Rudd2 years, 203 daysAppointment of Julia Gillard6Whitlam

Fraser

Hawke

Keating

Howard

Rudd

24 June 201018 September 2013Appointment of Julia Gillard3 years, 86 daysAppointment of Tony Abbott7Whitlam

Fraser

Hawke

Keating

Howard

Rudd

Gillard

18 September 201321 October 2014Appointment of Tony Abbott1 year, 33 daysDeath of Gough Whitlam8Whitlam

Fraser

Hawke

Keating

Howard

Rudd

Gillard

Abbott

21 October 201420 March 2015Death of Gough Whitlam150 daysDeath of Malcolm Fraser7Fraser

Hawke

Keating

Howard

Rudd

Gillard

Abbott

20 March 201515 September 2015Death of Malcolm Fraser179 daysAppointment of Malcolm Turnbull6Hawke

Keating

Howard

Rudd

Gillard

Abbott

15 September 201524 August 2018Appointment of Malcolm Turnbull2 years, 343 daysAppointment of Scott Morrison7Hawke

Keating

Howard

Rudd

Gillard

Abbott

Turnbull

24 August 201816 May 2019Appointment of Scott Morrison265 daysDeath of Bob Hawke8Hawke

Keating

Howard

Rudd

Gillard

Abbott

Turnbull

Morrison

16 May 2019presentDeath of Bob Hawke2 years, 165 dayspresent7Keating

Howard

Rudd

Gillard

Abbott

Turnbull

Morrison

Statistics

Oldest living prime ministers of Australia

Not all prime ministers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 23 deceased prime ministers, 12 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 11 did not (including all 3 prime ministers who died in office, and 8 others). Joseph Cook became the oldest living prime minister when Edmund Barton died in 1920 and remained so until his death in 1947, for a record 27 years and 204 days. James Scullin became the oldest living prime minister after the death of Billy Hughes, but he survived Hughes by only 92 days.

On one occasion the oldest living prime minister lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the appointment of a prime minister who was older. Edmund Barton lost this distinction when George Reid was appointed, but when Reid died in 1918, Barton regained it again until his own death in 1920 for a total period of 4 years and 347 days.

Gough Whitlam was the oldest to acquire this distinction at the age of 85 years, and 312 days. Malcolm Fraser, who was 84 years, and 303 days old when he died, on 20 March 2015 was the oldest and most recent prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction.

Prime MinisterPeriod when oldest living prime ministerAgeDuration
Start dateEnd dateat startat end
Edmund Barton 1 January 190118 August 190451 years, 348 days55 years, 213 days3 years, 230 days
George Reid 18 August 190412 September 191859 years, 175 days73 years, 199 days14 years, 25 days
Edmund Barton 12 September 19187 January 192069 years, 237 days70 years, 354 days1 year, 117 days
Joseph Cook 7 January 192030 July 194759 years, 31 days86 years, 235 days27 years, 204 days
Billy Hughes 30 July 194728 October 195284 years, 308 days90 years, 33 days5 years, 90 days
James Scullin 28 October 195228 January 195376 years, 40 days76 years, 132 days92 days
Earle Page 28 January 195320 December 196172 years, 173 days81 years, 134 days8 years, 326 days
Stanley Bruce 20 December 196125 August 196778 years, 249 days84 years, 132 days5 years, 248 days
Frank Forde 25 August 196728 January 198377 years, 38 days92 years, 194 days15 years, 156 days
William McMahon 28 January 198331 March 198874 years, 339 days80 years, 37 days5 years, 63 days
John Gorton 31 March 198819 May 200276 years, 204 days90 years, 252 days14 years, 49 days
Gough Whitlam 19 May 200221 October 201485 years, 312 days98 years, 102 days12 years, 155 days
Bob Hawke 21 October 201416 May 201984 years, 316 days89 years, 158 days4 years, 207 days
John Howard 16 May 201979 years, 294 days2 years, 165 days
Prime MinisterStart dateEnd dateAge at startAge at endDuration

[3]

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References

  1. 1 2 Died in office on this date.
  2. 1 2 On 17 December 1967, Holt disappeared while swimming in the ocean. On 19 December, it was announced he was presumed dead.
  3. Updated daily according to UTC.