Know your prime ministers

In a couple of weeks our nation will vote in a new government. Who will be our new Prime Minister - Liberal's Malcolm Turnbull or Labor's Bill Shorten? While you decide who to elect, here is a look at our past prime ministers.

PM of Australia

Source: SBS urdu

Edmund Barton (1901-1903)

He was the first prime minister of Australia, taking charge of this prestigious position on 1st January 1901 in Sydney.
Edmund Barton
Source: SBS urdu
Alfred Deakin (1903-1904; 1905-1908; 1909-1910)


Not only was he Australia’s second prime minister, but he also had the honour of holding this position three times.
Alfred Deakin
Source: SBS urdu


 

Chris Watson (1904)

He was our first Labor prime minister but he stayed in office for only four months.
Chris Watson
Source: National Archives of Australia


George Reid (1904-1905)

The fourth prime minister of the country also held the office for a brief period and his term ended in less than a year.
Sir George Reid
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

Andrew Fisher (1908-09; 1910-1913; 1914-1915)

He also held the office of the prime minister three times and is considered among the founding members of Labor party.
Andrew Fisher
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

Joseph Cook (1913-1914)

When he took the office, the sixth prime minister had more than three decades of experience in politics.
Joseph Cook
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

William Morris Hughes (1915-1923)

He served the country as its prime minister for seven years, and in total spent more than five decades as a member of House of Representatives.
William Morris Hughes
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

Stanley Melbourne Bruce (1923-1929)

The second youngest prime minister of Australia stayed in office for six years.
Stanley Bruce
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

James Scullin (1929-1932)

The Labor prime minister witnessed the impacts of the Great Depression on our economy and termed his tenure a nightmare.
James Scullin
Source: National Archives of Australia
Joseph Lyons (1932-1939)

He was our prime minister for seven years and the first one to die in office.
Joseph Lyons
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

Earle Page (1939)

He was Australia’s prime minister for only 20 days.
Sir Earl Page
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

Robert Menzies (1939-1941; 1949-1966)

The longest serving prime minister of Australia held this office twice. In total, he led the country for over 18 years.
RObert Menzies
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

Arthur Fadden (1941)

The Queenslander was prime minister for only 40 days.
Arthur Fadden
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

John Curtin (1941-1945)

Regarded as one of our greatest prime ministers, he was an instrumental figure during the World War II.
John Curtin
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

Francis Forde (1945)

He served as prime minister for only eight days after the death of his predecessor.
Frank Forde
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

Ben Chifley (1945-1949)

He took reins of the Labor party after Curtin’s death and later became the nation’s 16th prime minister.
Ben
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

Harold Holt (1966-1967)

He became our nation’s prime minister after Robert Menzies’ 16-year term came to an end. While in office Harold died after drowning at sea.
Harold Holt
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

John McEwen (1967-1968)

He took over the country’s command after the death of Harold Holt.
John
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

John Gorton (1968-1971)

He replaced Harold Holt as Liberal party’s leader and became Australia’s 19th prime minister.
JOhn Gorton
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

William McMahon (1971-1972)

Another Liberal prime minister, he served Australian politics for more than three decades.
William
Source: National Archives of Australia


Gough Whitlam (1972-1975)

His leadership brought the Labor party back in office after more than 20 years. His government was dismissed by the Governor-General.
Whitlam Sacked
Source: Getty Images


 

Malcolm Fraser (1975-1983)

He became caretaker prime minister after Gough Whitlam and returned in office again after the election.
Malcom Fraser
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

Robert Hawke (1983-1991)

Australia’s longest serving Labor prime minister secured the top office after being the opposition leader for only one month.
Hawke
Source: National Archives of Australia


Paul Keating (1991-1996)

The 24th prime minister of Australia was first elected for a House of Representative seat at the age of 25.
Paul
Source: National Archives of Australia


 

John Howard (1996-2007)

The second longest serving prime minister of Australia made the decision to support Iraq war in 2003.
John


Kevin Rudd (2007-2010; 2013)

He was one of the few leaders to have been removed from party leadership while serving as prime minister. Later, he once again became prime minister after Labor party made him its leader again.
Kevin
Source: AAP


 

Julia Gillard (2010-2013)

The first woman prime minister of Australia took over Labor’s leadership from Kevin Rudd before being defeated in a leadership ballot by him.
Julia
Source: AAP


 

Tony Abbott (2013-2015)

The 28th prime minister of Australia lost his leadership battle against Malcolm Turnbull after serving two years in office.
Tony
Source: AAP


 

Malcolm Turnbull (2015-)

The Liberal party member is leading the party into the election to decide the country’s next prime minister.
Turnbull
Source: Franck Robichon/Pool Photo via AP


Source: National Archives of Australia


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4 min read

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Updated

By Harita Mehta

Source: SBS Urdu



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