Prime Minister of Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prime Minister of Australia |
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| Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |
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| Seat | Office of the Prime Minister, Parliament House |
| Appointer | Governor-General (according to the wishes of the House of Representatives) |
| Formation | 1 January 1901 |
| First holder | Edmund Barton |
| Deputy | Deputy Prime Minister |
| Salary | $586,930 (2023) |
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The prime minister of Australia is the main leader of the Australian Government. This person is in charge of the Cabinet of Australia, which is the main decision-making group for the government. The prime minister works closely with the Parliament of Australia.
The current prime minister is Anthony Albanese. He is from the Australian Labor Party and started his job on 23 May 2022.
Australia's Constitution does not fully explain the prime minister's job. Instead, the role is shaped by long-standing rules and traditions. These rules come from the Westminster system, which is used in many countries. The Governor-General officially appoints the prime minister. However, they must choose the person who has the support of the House of Representatives. This is usually the leader of the party or group of parties that wins the most seats in an election.
The prime minister gets to use two official homes. These are The Lodge in Canberra and Kirribilli House in Sydney. They also have an office at Parliament House.
So far, thirty-one people have been prime minister. The first was Edmund Barton, who started on 1 January 1901. This was after the different British colonies in Australia joined together to form a country. The prime minister who served the longest was Robert Menzies, for over 18 years. The shortest-serving was Frank Forde, who was prime minister for only one week.
Contents
What Does the Prime Minister Do?
The prime minister leads the government and has a lot of power in Parliament. This is common in countries that use the Westminster system.
Leading the Government
The prime minister leads the Cabinet, which makes the big decisions for the government. The prime minister is like the "first among equals" among the other ministers. But they have the most influence. They decide what the Cabinet will discuss and have the final say on decisions.
The prime minister also chooses who will be a minister. They can remove ministers at any time. If the prime minister resigns, all other ministers usually resign too. The prime minister also helps decide Australia's foreign policy. They lead the National Security Committee, which is a special part of the Cabinet.
The prime minister is also in charge of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. This department helps with government policies and communication. It also works on programs for Indigenous Australians.
Making Laws
Since the 1920s, the prime minister has almost always been the leader of the party that has the most seats in the House of Representatives. This has been either the Labor Party or the Liberal Party since the 1940s.
The government needs the support of the House of Representatives to stay in power. Because parties are very strong, the prime minister usually has a lot of control over new laws in this house. However, new laws must also be passed by the Senate (the upper house). The government often does not have a majority in the Senate. This means the Senate can check the government's power to make laws.
The prime minister also decides when elections will happen. They advise the Governor-General on the election date. Elections usually take place within six months before the House of Representatives' three-year term ends.
Other Important Jobs
The prime minister also leads the National Cabinet. This group brings together the federal government and the state governments. It is a place for discussion, but its decisions are not secret like the main Cabinet.
Since the 1940s, the prime minister has chosen the Governor-General. They advise the King of Australia on who to appoint. The King usually accepts this advice. The prime minister can also advise the King to remove the Governor-General. This was a big question during the 1975 constitutional crisis.
How a Prime Minister is Chosen
Normally, the leader of the party or group of parties that has the most support in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister. This party or group usually has more than half the seats. If not, they might get support from smaller parties or independent members.
The prime minister must be a member of the House of Representatives. Only once has a member of the Senate become prime minister. This was John Gorton, who then quickly became a member of the House of Representatives. The Governor-General formally appoints the prime minister. But they must choose the person who has the support of the lower house.
There are no limits on how long someone can be prime minister. They usually stay in the job as long as they have the support of the House of Representatives. Prime ministers often leave office after losing an election. Or their party might choose a new leader between elections. This has happened more often recently.
A prime minister can also lose their job if the government loses a vote of no confidence. Or if they cannot get money bills passed in the House of Representatives. If this happens, the prime minister must either resign or call an election.
The Australian Constitution does not actually mention the job of prime minister by name. The people who wrote the Constitution thought the rules of the Westminster system were well understood. Before 1901, the terms "premier" and "prime minister" were used for the leader of a colony.
If a prime minister resigns for other reasons or dies, the deputy prime minister usually takes over. They act as prime minister until the ruling party chooses a new leader. This happened when Harold Holt disappeared in 1967. John McEwen became prime minister then.
Most of the time, the prime minister is the leader of the main party or group of parties in the House of Representatives. But there have been a few exceptions:
- In 1901, before the first election, the Governor-General first asked Sir William Lyne to form a government. But no one would join his team. So, Edmund Barton became the first prime minister instead.
- In the early 1900s, three parties had similar numbers of seats. Their leaders, Alfred Deakin, George Reid, and Chris Watson, all took turns being prime minister.
- In 1916, Billy Hughes was kicked out of the Labor Party. But he stayed prime minister with support from another party.
- During the 1975 crisis, the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, removed Gough Whitlam as prime minister. Even though Whitlam's party had the most seats, Kerr appointed the opposition leader, Malcolm Fraser, as caretaker prime minister. An election was then called, which Fraser's party won.
Since the 1970s, the change from one prime minister to the next has been very quick. For example, in 2022, Anthony Albanese became prime minister just two days after winning the election. This quick change allowed him to attend an important international meeting.
What Perks Does the Prime Minister Get?
Salary
As of 27 August 2023[update] Australia's prime minister earns a total salary of A$586,950 per year. This includes a base salary that all members of parliament receive. Plus, they get an extra amount for being prime minister. An independent group decides how much politicians are paid each year.
Homes and Travel
The prime minister has two official homes. The main one is The Lodge in Canberra. Most prime ministers live here because it is secure and close to Parliament House. Some prime ministers have chosen to live elsewhere. For example, John Howard often used Kirribilli House in Sydney as his main home.
The official homes have staff, including chefs and house attendants. They are used for official events, like hosting receptions.
For official travel, the prime minister uses special planes operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. For travel on the ground, the prime minister uses an armoured BMW car. This car is called "C-1" and is escorted by police cars.
- Privileges of office
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Prime Ministerial Limousine
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Official aircraft (2000–2024)
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After Leaving Office
After leaving office, former prime ministers usually get some benefits. These can include office space and staff help. They also used to get a "Life Gold Pass" for free travel within Australia. In 2017, then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said this pass should only be for former prime ministers.
Only one prime minister, Stanley Bruce, returned to the federal parliament after leaving it. Other prime ministers have served in other parliaments or as diplomats.
Acting Prime Ministers
The deputy prime minister becomes the acting prime minister if the prime minister is away or sick. If both are unavailable, another senior minister takes the role.
If a prime minister dies, the deputy prime minister becomes acting prime minister. They hold the job until the government chooses a new leader. This happened when Harold Holt disappeared in 1967. It also happened in 1939 and 1945 when prime ministers Joseph Lyons and John Curtin died.
In the early 1900s, prime ministers often traveled overseas by ship. This meant they were away for a long time. So, some acting prime ministers held the role for many months.
Honours and Recognition
Prime ministers often receive special honours, usually after they leave office. Many have been given knighthoods or other awards. For example, Robert Menzies received a special honour from the Queen in 1963.
Since 1975, many former prime ministers have been appointed to the highest level of the Order of Australia. This is a special award for great service to Australia.
All deceased former prime ministers of Australia have federal electorates (areas for voting) named after them. This is a way to remember their service.
Lists of Prime Ministers
The longest-serving prime minister was Robert Menzies. He served twice, from 1939 to 1941 and from 1949 to 1966. In total, he was prime minister for over 18 years.
The shortest-serving prime minister was Frank Forde. He was prime minister for only one week in July 1945. This was after John Curtin died and before Ben Chifley was chosen as the new leader.
The most recent prime minister to serve a full term was Scott Morrison. He won the 2019 election but lost the 2022 election.
Here are some lists about Australia's prime ministers:
- List of prime ministers of Australia
- List of prime ministers of Australia by birthplace
- List of prime ministers of Australia by time in office
See Also
In Spanish: Primer ministro de Australia para niños
- Historical rankings of prime ministers of Australia
- List of Commonwealth heads of government
- List of prime ministers of Elizabeth II
- List of prime ministers of Charles III
- Prime Ministers Avenue in Ballarat Botanical Gardens has statues of former prime ministers.
- Prime Ministers' Corridor of Oaks in Faulconbridge, New South Wales, has a path with oak trees for former prime ministers.
- Prime Minister's XI (a cricket team)
- Spouse of the prime minister of Australia
- Leader of the Opposition (Australia)
