Prime Minister of Australia

The Prime Minister of Australia is the head of government of Australia. The Prime Minister leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the leader of the Cabinet of Australia. The office of the Prime Minister is not established by any constitution or legislation but exists by convention, based on the British model of parliamentary government.

Role and Responsibilities

The Prime Minister is the leader of the Australian Government and is responsible for overseeing the operation of the government and the implementation of its policies. The Prime Minister represents Australia both domestically and internationally, and is the chief advisor to the Governor-General of Australia.

Appointment

The Prime Minister is appointed by the Governor-General, who is the representative of the Monarch of Australia. By convention, the Governor-General appoints the leader of the political party or coalition that has the confidence of the House of Representatives.

Powers

The Prime Minister has significant powers, including the ability to appoint members of the Cabinet, determine the agenda of Cabinet meetings, and represent Australia in international forums. The Prime Minister also has the power to advise the Governor-General to dissolve the House of Representatives and call a federal election.

History

The office of the Prime Minister was established at the time of the Federation of Australia in 1901. The first Prime Minister was Edmund Barton, who took office on January 1, 1901. Since then, Australia has had numerous Prime Ministers, each bringing their own policies and leadership style to the role.

List of Prime Ministers

Australia has had a number of Prime Ministers since its federation. Some notable Prime Ministers include:

• Edmund Barton (1901–1903)
• Robert Menzies (1939–1941, 1949–1966)
• Gough Whitlam (1972–1975)
• Bob Hawke (1983–1991)
• John Howard (1996–2007)
• Julia Gillard (2010–2013)
• Scott Morrison (2018–2022)

Living Former Prime Ministers

As of the current date, several former Prime Ministers are still living, including:

• Kevin Rudd
• Julia Gillard
• Tony Abbott
• Malcolm Turnbull
• Scott Morrison

Also see

• Governor-General of Australia
• Parliament of Australia
• Australian Constitution
• Federal election (Australia)
• Cabinet of Australia