List of prime ministers of Australia by time in office

Last updated

This is a list of prime ministers of Australia by time in office. The basis of the list is the inclusive number of days from being sworn in until leaving office, if counted by number of calendar days all the figures would be one greater.

Contents

Rank by time in office

Parties

   Liberal    Labor    Country (National)    United Australia    Nationalist    National Labor    Commonwealth Liberal    Free Trade    Protectionist

RankNo.Prime MinisterPortraitPartyAssumed
office
Left
office
Time in office
(term)
Time in office
(total)
Election
wins
Ref
 1.12th Sir Robert Menzies
(1894–1978)
Portrait Menzies 1950s.jpg United Australia 26 April 193929 August 19412 years, 125 days18 years, 163 days 1940, 1949, 1951,
1954, 1955, 1958,
1961, 1963
[1]
  Liberal 19 December 194926 January 196616 years, 38 days
 2.25th John Howard
(born 1939)
Howard John BANNER.jpg Liberal 11 March 19963 December 200711 years, 267 days 1996, 1998, 2001,
2004
[2]
 3.23rd Bob Hawke
(1929–2019)
Hawke Bob BANNER.jpg Labor 11 March 198320 December 19918 years, 284 days 1983, 1984, 1987,
1990
[3]
 4.22nd Malcolm Fraser
(1930–2015)
Malcolm Fraser 1977 (cropped).jpg Liberal 11 November 197511 March 19837 years, 120 days 1975, 1977, 1980 [4]
 5.7th Billy Hughes
(1862–1952)
Billy Hughes 1919.jpg Labor 27 October 19159 February 19237 years, 105 days 1917, 1919, 1922 [5]
  National Labor
  Nationalist
 6.10th Joseph Lyons
(1879–1939)
Joseph Lyons.jpg United Australia 6 January 19327 April 19397 years, 91 days 1931, 1934, 1937 [6]
 7.8th Stanley Bruce
(1883–1967)
Stanley Bruce 1930.jpg Nationalist 9 February 192322 October 19296 years, 255 days 1925, 1928 [7]
 8.2nd Alfred Deakin
(1856–1919)
Alfred Deakin crop.jpg Protectionist 24 September 190327 April 1904216 days4 years, 313 days 1903, 1906 [8]
5 July 190513 November 19083 years, 131 days
  Commonwealth Liberal 2 June 190929 April 1910331 days
 9.5th Andrew Fisher
(1862–1928)
Andrewfisher2bw.JPG Labor 13 November 19082 June 1909201 days4 years, 297 days 1910, 1914 [9]
29 April 191024 June 19133 years, 56 days
17 September 191427 October 19151 year, 40 days
 10.16th Ben Chifley
(1885–1951)
Benchifley.jpg Labor 13 July 194519 December 19494 years, 159 days 1946 [10]
 11.24th Paul Keating
(born 1944)
Keating Paul BANNER.jpg Labor 20 December 199111 March 19964 years, 82 days 1993 [11]
 12.30th Scott Morrison
(born 1968)
Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison.jpg Liberal 24 August 201823 May 20223 years, 272 days 2019 [12]
 13.14th John Curtin
(1885–1945)
JohnCurtin.jpg Labor 7 October 19415 July 19453 years, 271 days 1943 [13]
 14.19th John Gorton
(1911–2002)
JohnGorton1968.jpg Liberal 10 January 196810 March 19713 years, 59 days 1969 [14]
 15.27th Julia Gillard
(born 1961)
Julia Gillard 2010.jpg Labor 24 June 201027 June 20133 years, 3 days 2010 [15]
 16.29th Malcolm Turnbull
(born 1954)
Malcolm Turnbull PEO (cropped).jpg Liberal 15 September 201524 August 20182 years, 343 days 2016 [16]
 17.21st Gough Whitlam
(1916–2014)
Gough Whitlam 1972 (cropped).jpg Labor 5 December 197211 November 19752 years, 341 days 1972, 1974 [17]
 18.26th Kevin Rudd
(born 1957)
Kevin Rudd official portrait.jpg Labor 3 December 200724 June 20102 years, 203 days2 years, 286 days 2007 [18]
27 June 201318 September 201383 days
 19.1st Sir Edmund Barton
(1849–1920)
Edmund Barton crop.PNG Protectionist 1 January 190124 September 19032 years, 266 days 1901 [19]
 20.9th James Scullin
(1876–1953)
Portrait of the Right Hon. J. H. Scullin.png Labor 22 October 19296 January 19322 years, 76 days 1929 [20]
 21.28th Tony Abbott
(born 1957)
Tony Abbott - 2010.jpg Liberal 18 September 201315 September 20151 year, 362 days 2013 [21]
 22.31st Anthony Albanese
(born 1963)
Anthony Albanese portrait (cropped).jpg Labor 23 May 2022Incumbent1 year, 333 days [lower-alpha 1] 2022 [22]
 23.17th Harold Holt
(1908–1967)
Harold Holt 1965 01.jpg Liberal 26 January 196619 December 19671 year, 327 days 1966 [23]
 24.20th William McMahon
(1908–1988)
McMahon 1971 (cropped).jpg Liberal 10 March 19715 December 19721 year, 270 days [24]
 25.6th Joseph Cook
(1860–1947)
Joseph Cook - Crown Studios 03.jpg Commonwealth Liberal 24 June 191317 September 19141 year, 85 days 1913 [25]
 26.4th George Reid
(1845–1918)
George Reid crop.jpg Free Trade 18 August 19045 July 1905321 days [26]
 27.3rd Chris Watson
(1867–1941)
ChrisWatsonBW crop.jpg Labor 27 April 190418 August 1904113 days [27]
 28.13th Arthur Fadden
(1894–1973)
FaddenPEO.jpg Country 29 August 19417 October 194139 days [28]
 29.18th John McEwen
(1900–1980)
Sir John McEwen.jpg Country 19 December 196710 January 196822 days [29]
 30.11th Sir Earle Page
(1880–1961)
Earle Page.jpg Country 7 April 193926 April 193919 days [30]
 31.15th Frank Forde
(1890–1983)
Frank Forde 1945.jpg Labor 6 July 194513 July 19457 days [31]

Political parties by time in office

RankPartyTime in office
(Days)
#Prime Minister(s)
1. Liberal Party of Australia 185049 Tony Abbott, John Gorton, Malcolm Fraser, Harold Holt, John Howard, William McMahon, Robert Menzies (1949–1966), Scott Morrison, and Malcolm Turnbull
2. Australian Labor Party 14319 [lower-alpha 1] 12 Anthony Albanese (incumbent), Ben Chifley, John Curtin, Andrew Fisher, Frank Forde, Julia Gillard, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, Kevin Rudd, James Scullin, Chris Watson, and Gough Whitlam
3. Nationalist Party 51422 Stanley Bruce, and Billy Hughes
4. United Australia Party 35052 Joseph Lyons, and Robert Menzies (1939–1941)
5. Protectionist Party 24422 Edmund Barton, and Alfred Deakin (1903–1904 and 1905–1908)
6. Fusion Liberal Party 7832 Joseph Cook, and Alfred Deakin (1909–1910)
7. Free Trade Party 3221 George Reid
8. Country Party 843 Arthur Fadden, John McEwen, and Earle Page

Notes

  1. 1 2 As of 20 April 2024

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberal Party of Australia</span> Australian centre-right political party

The Liberal Party of Australia is a centre-right political party in Australia. The party is one of the two major parties in Australian politics, the other being the Australian Labor Party. The Liberal Party was founded in 1944 as the successor to the United Australia Party. Historically the most successful political party in Australia's history, the party is now in opposition at a federal level and does not hold government in any Australian state or territory with the exception of the island state of Tasmania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malcolm Fraser</span> Prime Minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983

John Malcolm Fraser was an Australian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983. He held office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prime Minister of Australia</span> Head of government of Australia

The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. By virtue of holding the confidence of the House of Representatives, they chair the Cabinet and thus head the federal executive government. The prime minister and their party also generally hold predominant legislative influence through their numbers in Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Menzies</span> 12th prime minister of Australia (1939–1941; 1949–1966)

Sir Robert Gordon Menzies was an Australian politician and lawyer who served as the 12th prime minister of Australia from 1939 to 1941 and 1949 to 1966. He held office as the leader of the United Australia Party (UAP) in his first term, and subsequently as the inaugural leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, which he was responsible for establishing and defining in policy and political outreach. He is the longest-serving prime minister in Australian history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Australia Party</span> Former Australian political party (1931–1945)

The United Australia Party (UAP) was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. The party won four federal elections in that time, usually governing in coalition with the Country Party. It provided two prime ministers: Joseph Lyons (1932–1939) and Robert Menzies (1939–1941).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nationalist Party (Australia)</span> Former Australian political party

The Nationalist Party, also known as the National Party, was an Australian political party. It was formed in February 1917 from a merger between the Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the latter formed by Prime Minister Billy Hughes and his supporters after the 1916 Labor Party split over World War I conscription. The Nationalist Party was established as a 'united' non-Labor opposition that had remained a political trend once the Labor party established itself in federal politics. The party was in government until electoral defeat in 1929. From that time it was the main opposition to the Labor Party until it merged with pro-Joseph Lyons Labor defectors to form the United Australia Party (UAP) in 1931. The party is a direct ancestor of the Liberal Party of Australia, the main centre-right party in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Chifley</span> Prime Minister of Australia from 1945 to 1949

Joseph Benedict Chifley was an Australian politician and train driver who served as the 16th prime minister of Australia from 1945 to 1949. He held office as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), having previously served as the treasurer of Australia under Prime Minister John Curtin and later himself from 1941 to 1949. He was notable for defining Australia's post-war reconstruction efforts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Snedden</span> Australian politician (1926–1987)

Sir Billy Mackie Snedden, was an Australian politician who served as the leader of the Liberal Party from 1972 to 1975. He was also a cabinet minister from 1964 to 1972, and Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1976 to 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deputy Prime Minister of Australia</span> Second officer of Australian government

The deputy prime minister of Australia is the deputy chief executive and the second highest ranking officer of the Australian Government. The office of deputy prime minister was officially created as a ministerial portfolio in 1968, although the title had been used informally for many years previously. The deputy prime minister is appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister. When Australia has a Labor government, the deputy leader of the parliamentary party holds the position of deputy prime minister. When Australia has a Coalition government, the Coalition Agreement mandates that all Coalition members support the leader of the Liberal Party becoming prime minister and the leader of the National Party becoming the deputy prime minister.

Government in Australia is elected by universal suffrage and Australian women participate in all levels of the government of the nation. In 1902, the newly formed Commonwealth of Australia became the first nation on earth to enact equal suffrage, enabling women to both vote and stand for election alongside men Women have been represented in Australian state parliaments since 1921, and in the Federal Parliament since 1943. The first female leader of an Australian State or Territory was elected in 1989, and the first female Prime Minister took office in 2010. In 2019 for the first time, a majority of members of the Australian Senate were women. At the time of its foundation in 1901, and again from 1952 to 2022, Australia has had a female monarch as ceremonial Head of State, while the first female Governor of an Australian State was appointed in 1991, and the first female Governor-General of Australia took office in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1963 Australian federal election</span> Australian federal election

The 1963 Australian federal election was held in Australia on 30 November 1963. All 122 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The incumbent Liberal–Country coalition government, led by Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies, won an increased majority over the opposition Labor Party, led by Arthur Calwell. This was the only time that a Federal Government won a seventh consecutive term in office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Australia</span> Political system of Australia

The politics of Australia operates under the written Australian Constitution, which sets out Australia as a constitutional monarchy, governed via a parliamentary democracy in the Westminster tradition. Australia is also a federation, where power is divided between the federal government and the states and territories. The monarch, currently King Charles III, is the head of state and is represented locally by the Governor-General of Australia, while the head of government is the Prime Minister of Australia, currently Anthony Albanese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1949 Australian federal election</span> Australian federal election

The 1949 Australian federal elections was held on Saturday December 10, All 121 seats in the House of Representatives and 42 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Labor Party, led by Prime Minister Ben Chifley, was defeated by the opposition Liberal–Country coalition under Robert Menzies in a landslide. Menzies became prime minister for a second time, his first period having ended in 1941. This election marked the end of the 8-year Curtin-Chifley Labor government that had been in power since 1941 and started the 23-year Liberal/Country Coalition government. This was the first time the Liberal party won government at the federal level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gorton government</span> Government of Australian Prime Minister Gorton

The Gorton government was the federal executive government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Gorton. It was made up of members of a Liberal-Country Party coalition in the Australian Parliament from January 1968 to March 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lyons government</span> Government of Australia (1932–1939)

The Lyons government was the federal executive government of Australia led by Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. It was made up of members of the United Australia Party in the Australian Parliament from January 1932 until the death of Joseph Lyons in 1939. Lyons negotiated a coalition with the Country Party after the 1934 Australian federal election. The Lyons government stewarded Australia's recovery from the Great Depression and established the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The history of the Australian Labor Party has its origins in the Labour parties founded in the 1890s in the Australian colonies prior to federation. Labor tradition ascribes the founding of Queensland Labour to a meeting of striking pastoral workers under a ghost gum tree in Barcaldine, Queensland in 1891. The Balmain, New South Wales branch of the party claims to be the oldest in Australia. Labour as a parliamentary party dates from 1891 in New South Wales and South Australia, 1893 in Queensland, and later in the other colonies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia</span>

The Leader of the Liberal Party, also known as Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party, is the highest office within the Liberal Party of Australia and the Liberal–National Coalition. The position is currently, and has been since 30 May 2022, held by Peter Dutton, who represents the Division of Dickson in Queensland. Peter Dutton is the fifteenth leader of the Liberal Party. Dutton is also the first leader of the party to represent a Queensland electorate.

This page details numerous records and characteristics of individuals who have held the office of Prime Minister of Australia.

References

  1. "Robert Menzies". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  2. "John Howard". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  3. "Bob Hawke". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  4. "Malcolm Fraser". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  5. "Billy Hughes". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  6. "Joseph Lyons". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  7. "Stanley Bruce". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  8. "Alfred Deakin". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  9. "Andrew Fisher". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  10. "Ben Chifley". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  11. "Paul Keating". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  12. "Scott Morrison". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  13. "John Curtain". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  14. "John Gorton". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  15. "Julia Gillard". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  16. "Malcolm Turnbull". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  17. "Gough Whitlam". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  18. "Kevin Rudd". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  19. "Edmund Barton". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  20. "James Scullin". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  21. "Tony Abbott". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  22. "Anthony Albanese". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  23. "Harold Holt". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  24. "William McMahon". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  25. "Joseph Cook". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  26. "George Reid". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  27. "Chris Watson". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  28. "Arthur Fadden". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  29. "John McEwen". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  30. "Earle Page". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  31. "Frank Forde". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 2 November 2021.