Eight ways an Australian prime minister can lose the top job

What is the role of prime minister of Australia?

The Australian prime minister is the head of the government. They are a member of the House of Representatives, and along with representing their electorate in parliament, they also have prime ministerial tasks to perform. These tasks include: 

• Selecting members of the government to be ministers and allocating portfolios 

• Representing the Australian Government overseas 

• Leading Cabinet in deciding government policy 

• Advising the governor-general about appointments to government positions 

• Deciding when to call a federal election 

• Leading their party's election campaign 

Is the prime minister elected by the people?

No. Voters vote for who they would like to represent them in parliament, and the leader of the party or coalition of parties with a majority of members in the House of Representatives (who form the government), becomes the prime minister.  

Does the prime minister have a fixed term?

No. The prime minister does not have a fixed or maximum term. As long as they are the leader of the party or coalition of parties in government and maintain a majority of support in the House of Representatives, they will remain in office. 

Notably, the House of Representatives has a maximum term of three years, at which time an election must be held to elect members. During the election, the prime minister could lose their job. 

What are the ways the prime minister can lose their job?

Removal as leader of the party in government 

If the party in government decides to change their leadership, or a party member challenges for leadership and wins, the prime minister will be replaced in the top job by the new leader of the party.  

In 1991, after leading the Labor government for over eight years, confidence in Prime Minister Bob Hawke had begun to wane. Hawke called a leadership ballot and was defeated by Treasurer Paul Keating, who was sworn into office as prime minister on 20 December 1991. Hawke resigned from his seat in parliament two months later.  

The prime minister's party loses the election 

If the prime minister's party or coalition of parties loses the election, there will be a new prime minister from the newly-elected majority party or coalition of parties who will form the government. 

Malcolm Fraser's seven-year term as prime minister came to an end in 1983 when his Liberal-Country coalition was defeated in the March 1983 federal election by Bob Hawke's Labor Party. Bob Hawke was sworn into office on 11 March 1983. 

Alfred Deakin served three terms as prime minister (1903–1904, 1905–1908, 1909–1910). In his third term, his government was defeated at the federal election held on 13 April 1910 by Andrew Fisher's Labor Party. Fisher was sworn in as prime minister on 29 April 2010. This was Fisher's second term as prime minister; his first was November 1908 to June 1909.  

John Howard was elected to the Sydney seat of Bennelong in 1974, and 22 years later in the federal election of 1996, Howard led the Liberal-National coalition to power and was sworn into office as prime minister on 11 March. After 11 years in the top job, Howard's Liberal-National coalition was defeated by Kevin Rudd's Labor Party in the 2007 election. Howard lost his seat of Bennelong to Labor's Maxine McKew and he resigned as prime minister. Howard had held the seat of Bennelong for 33 years. 

The prime minister isn't re-elected to parliament 

The prime minister must be a member of parliament to hold the prime ministerial office, and if they aren't re-elected by voters to parliament, they are unable to be prime minister.  

Stanley Bruce became prime minister in 1923, holding office for over six years before losing his seat in the federal election of 1929. Bruce resigned as prime minister in October 1929. 

Failure to maintain majority of support in the House of Representatives  

If the prime minister and their party loses majority support in the House of Representatives there could be a vote of no-confidence in the government. If the no-confidence motion is successful, the government may resign and advise the governor-general to commission another party to form government, or call an election. Either way, the prime minister is out of the job once the government resigns. 

Dismissal 

The governor-general has the power to dismiss a prime minister. This authority comes from the governor-general's reserve powers, which are not laid out in the Australian Constitution, but are guided by convention and tradition. The powers relating to dismissal are generally agreed to include the right to dismiss a prime minister if they don't have a majority in the House of Representatives; and the right to dismiss a prime minister or minister if they break the law. 

In 1975, Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and his government. Whitlam's Labor government was in a deadlock over supply with the Opposition led by Malcolm Fraser. Governor-General Sir John Kerr used his reserve powers to break the deadlock by dismissing Whitlam's government and appointing Malcolm Fraser caretaker prime minister. An election was held on 13 December 1975 and Fraser and his Liberal-Country coalition swept to victory. Fraser officially became Australia's 22nd prime minister. 

Resignation 

The prime minister can resign from their role for a range of reasons, including facing criticism from within their party or the opposition. 

In his first term in office, Prime Minister Robert Menzies was facing criticism from the Opposition and his own party, so he resigned as prime minister and leader of the United Australia Party in August 1941. Menzies did again become prime minister after the Liberal-Country Party coalition were victorious in the 1949 federal election (Menzies had become leader of newly-created Liberal Party of Australia in 1945). 

Death while in office 

Prime Minister Harold Holt's presumed death by drowning on 17 December 1967 is a tragically memorable death in office. A keen swimmer and spearfisherman, Holt disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach in Victoria after almost two years in office. Holt's body was never found despite an extensive search. Deputy Prime Minister John McEwen stepped in as caretaker prime minister two days after Holt's disappearance, serving for 23 days until the Liberal Party selected John Gorton as its new leader. Gorton was sworn in as prime minister on 10 January 1968.  

Joseph Lyons and John Curtin also died in office, Lyons in 1939 and Curtain in 1945. 

Retirement 

Retiring from the role of prime minister is another way a prime minister departs the position. After being sworn into office in 1901, Australia's first prime minister, Edmund Barton, announced his retirement from politics and the prime ministership in 1903. He went onto become a judge in the High Court of Australia.