AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

Prime Ministers of Australia

Prime Ministers of Australia ... Present - 1972 1972 - 1945 1945 - 1915 1915 - 1901 More Information
See also What the letters after their names mean (postnominals)

Prime Ministers — 1972 to 1945

20th	William McMahon PC, CH (later Sir William) 23 Feb 1908 - 31 Mar 1988	period in office term of office political party age first in office	10 Mar 1971 - 5 Dec 1972 1 year, 8 months, 25 days Liberal 62
19th	John Grey Gorton PC (later Sir John, PC, AC) 9 of Sept 1911 - 19 May 2002	period in office term of office political party age first in office	10 Jan 1968 - 10 Mar 1971 3 years, 2 months Liberal 56
18th	John McEwen PC (later Sir John) 2 Mar 1900 - 20 Nov 1980	period in office term of office political party age first in office	19 Dec 1967 - 10 Jan 1968 23 days Country 66
17th	Harold Edward Holt PC, CH 5 Aug 1908 - 19 Dec 1967	period in office term of office political party age first in office	26 Jan 1966 - 19 Dec 1967 1 year, 10 months, 23 days Liberal 56
*	Robert Gordon Menzies PC, KC (later Sir Robert, PC, KT, CH, QC) 20 Dec 1894 - 15 May 1978	period in office term of office political party age first in office	19 Dec 1949 - 26 Jan 1966 16 years, 1 month, 8 days Liberal 55
16th	Joseph Benedict Chifley PC 22 Sept 1885 - 13 June 1951	period in office term of office political party age first in office	13 July 1945 - 19 Dec 1949 4 years, 5 months, 7 days Australian Labor 59
15th	Francis Michael Forde PC 18 July 1890 - 28 Jan 1983	period in office term of office political party age first in office	6th July 1945 - 13th July 1945 8 days Australian Labor 54

* NOTE about numbering
Robert Menzies is listed as the 12th Prime Minister although he actually served as Prime Minister 2 different times. Likewise, Alfred Deakin is listed as the 2nd Prime Minister, but actually served as Prime Minister 3 different times. Andrew Fisher is listed as the 5th Prime Minister even though he also served 3 different times. As a result, Kevin Rudd is listed as the 26th Prime Minister although there were actually 30 different terms served since the office was created.

In contrast, under the American system, if Deakin had been the President, he would be listed as the 2nd, 5th and 7th President of the United States. (Yes, we know in the USA a person can only be Present twice.)

NOTES about the Nationalist Party
In 1931 the National Party joined with other groups and formed the United Australia Party.

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