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Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

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Do you know which former prime minister was nicknamed ‘Tosspot Toby’ by The Bulletin because of his love of good food and wine? Or which one used to work as a miner before he was prime minister?

Read our Prime Facts factsheets to discover these and many more facts about our former prime ministers including details about their political careers, their main achievements, their personal lives, their character and their lives after politics. You can also find out about leaders of the Opposition Party, Deputy Prime Ministers, Prime Ministers wives and many other facts about Australia’s government.

Prime ministers

  • List of all prime ministers
  • Edmund Barton, 1901-1903
  • Alfred Deakin, 1903-04, 1905-08, 1909-10
  • John Christian Watson, 1904
  • George Houstoun Reid, 1904-05
  • Andrew Fisher, 1908-09, 1910-13, 1914-15
  • Joseph Cook, 1913-14
  • William Morris Hughes, 1915-23
  • Stanley Melbourne Bruce, 1923-29
  • James Henry Scullin, 1929-32
  • Joseph Aloysius Lyons, 1932-39
  • Earle Christmas Grafton Page, 1939
  • Robert Gordon Menzies, 1939-41, 1949-66
  • Arthur William Fadden, 1941
  • John Joseph Ambrose Curtin, 1941-45
  • Francis Michael Forde, 1945
  • Joseph Benedict Chifley, 1945-49
  • Harold Edward Holt, 1966-67
  • John McEwen, 1967-68
  • John Grey Gorton, 1968-71
  • William McMahon, 1971-72
  • Edward Gough Whitlam, 1972-75
  • John Malcolm Fraser, 1975-1983
  • Robert James Lee (Bob) Hawke, 1983-1991
  • Paul John Keating, 1991-1996
  • John Winston Howard, 1996-2007
  • Kevin Michael Rudd, 2007-2010
  • Julia Eileen Gillard, 2010-

Opposition Party Leaders*

  • Frank Tudor, 1917-22
  • Matthew Charlton, 1922-28
  • Sir John Latham, 1929-31
  • Dr Herbert Evatt, 1951-60
  • Arthur Calwell, 1960-67
  • Sir Billy Snedden, 1972-75
  • William Hayden AC, 1977-83
  • Andrew Peacock, 1983-85 and 1989-90
  • John Hewson, 1990-94
  • Alexander Downer, 1995-95
  • Kim Beazley, 1996-2001, 2005-06
  • Simon Crean, 2001-03
  • Mark Latham, 2003-05
  • Dr Brendan Nelson, 2007-08
  • Malcolm Turnbull, 2008-09
  • Tony Abbott, 2009-present

*These Prime Fact titles are only available for Leaders of the Opposition who have not also been Prime Minister.

Politics and government

  • Prime Ministers partners
  • Deputy Prime Ministers
  • Opposition leaders
  • Governors General
  • System of government
  • Elections
  • Caretaker role
  • Refugees
  • Communist Party ban
  • Bringing the troops home

Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

18 King George Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600, Australia

PO Box 7088, Canberra BC ACT 2610

Open daily 9am—5pm


Telephone: 02 6270 8222
Enquiries: info@moadoph.gov.au

For feedback on the website: website@moadoph.gov.au

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Old Parliament House is an Executive Agency within the Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport portfolio.