# List of prime ministers of Australia

The prime minister of Australia is the leader of the Australian Government and the Cabinet of Australia, with the support of the majority of the House of Representatives. Thirty-one people (thirty men and one woman) have served in the position since the office was created in 1901. The role of prime minister is not mentioned in the Constitution of Australia, but the prime minister is still appointed by the governor-general who under Section 64 of the constitution has the executive power to appoint ministers of state. The governor-general is appointed by the monarch of Australia based on the advice of the incumbent prime minister. Governors-general do not have fixed terms, but usually serve for five years.
Federal elections must be held every three years, although prime ministers may call elections early. Prime ministers do not have fixed terms, and generally serve the full length of their term unless they lose the majority of the House or are replaced as the leader of their party. Three former prime ministers lost a majority in the House (Alfred Deakin on two occasions, George Reid and Andrew Fisher), six resigned following leadership spills (John Gorton, Bob Hawke, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull) and three died in office (Joseph Lyons, John Curtin and Harold Holt, who disappeared and is presumed to have died). Two prime ministers also lost their role in a double dissolution election, a snap election where the entire Senate stands for re-election rather than the typical half to resolve deadlocks between the two houses. These were Joseph Cook in 1914 and Malcolm Fraser in 1983. One prime minister, Gough Whitlam, was dismissed by the governor-general during a constitutional crisis.
Since the office was established in 1901, thirty men and one woman have been prime minister. Robert Menzies and Kevin Rudd served two non-consecutive terms in office while Alfred Deakin and Andrew Fisher served three non-consecutive terms. The prime ministership of Frank Forde, who was prime minister for seven days in 1945, was the shortest in Australian history. Menzies served the longest, with eighteen years over two non-consecutive periods. The current prime minister is Anthony Albanese, who assumed office on 23 May 2022. There are currently seven living former prime ministers. The most recent former prime minister to die was Bob Hawke, on 16 May 2019.

## List of prime ministers

The parties shown are those to which the prime ministers belonged at the time they held office, and the electoral divisions shown are those they represented while in office. Several prime ministers belonged to parties other than those given and represented other electorates before and after their time in office.

### Political parties

List of prime ministers of Australia :
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency | Election (Parliament) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Monarch | Governor-General | Ref. |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency | Election (Parliament) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party | Ministry | Monarch | Governor-General | Ref. |
| 1 | | Edmund Barton (1849–1920) MP for Hunter, NSW | 1901 (1st) | 1 January 1901 | 24 September 1903 | 2 years, 266 days | Protectionist | Barton | Victoria | Lord Hopetoun | |
| 1 | | Edmund Barton (1849–1920) MP for Hunter, NSW | 1901 (1st) | 1 January 1901 | 24 September 1903 | 2 years, 266 days | Protectionist | Barton | Edward VII | Lord Hopetoun | |
| 1 | | Edmund Barton (1849–1920) MP for Hunter, NSW | 1901 (1st) | 1 January 1901 | 24 September 1903 | 2 years, 266 days | Protectionist | Barton | Edward VII | Lord Tennyson | |
| 2 | | Alfred Deakin (1856–1919) MP for Ballaarat, Vic | — (1st) | 24 September 1903 | 27 April 1904 | 216 days | Protectionist | 1st Deakin | Edward VII | Lord Tennyson | |
| 2 | | Alfred Deakin (1856–1919) MP for Ballaarat, Vic | 1903 (2nd) | 24 September 1903 | 27 April 1904 | 216 days | Protectionist | 1st Deakin | Edward VII | Lord Tennyson | |
| 2 | | Alfred Deakin (1856–1919) MP for Ballaarat, Vic | 1903 (2nd) | 24 September 1903 | 27 April 1904 | 216 days | Protectionist | 1st Deakin | Edward VII | Lord Northcote | |
| 3 | | Chris Watson (1867–1941) MP for Bland, NSW | — (2nd) | 27 April 1904 | 18 August 1904 | 113 days | Labor | Watson | Edward VII | Lord Northcote | |
| 4 | | George Reid (1845–1918) MP for East Sydney, NSW | — (2nd) | 18 August 1904 | 5 July 1905 | 321 days | Free Trade | Reid | Edward VII | Lord Northcote | |
| (2) | | Alfred Deakin (1856–1919) MP for Ballaarat, Vic | — (2nd) | 5 July 1905 | 13 November 1908 | 3 years, 131 days | Protectionist | 2nd Deakin | Edward VII | Lord Northcote | |
| (2) | | Alfred Deakin (1856–1919) MP for Ballaarat, Vic | 1906 (3rd) | 5 July 1905 | 13 November 1908 | 3 years, 131 days | Protectionist | 2nd Deakin | Edward VII | Lord Northcote | |
| (2) | | Alfred Deakin (1856–1919) MP for Ballaarat, Vic | 1906 (3rd) | 5 July 1905 | 13 November 1908 | 3 years, 131 days | Protectionist | 2nd Deakin | Edward VII | Lord Dudley | |
| 5 | | Andrew Fisher (1862–1928) MP for Wide Bay, Qld | — (3rd) | 13 November 1908 | 2 June 1909 | 201 days | Labor | 1st Fisher | Edward VII | Lord Dudley | |
| (2) | | Alfred Deakin (1856–1919) MP for Ballaarat, Vic | — (3rd) | 2 June 1909 | 29 April 1910 | 331 days | Liberal | 3rd Deakin | Edward VII | Lord Dudley | |
| (5) | | Andrew Fisher (1862–1928) MP for Wide Bay, Qld | 1910 (4th) | 29 April 1910 | 24 June 1913 | 3 years, 56 days | Labor | 2nd Fisher | Edward VII | Lord Dudley | |
| (5) | | Andrew Fisher (1862–1928) MP for Wide Bay, Qld | 1910 (4th) | 29 April 1910 | 24 June 1913 | 3 years, 56 days | Labor | 2nd Fisher | George V | Lord Dudley | |
| (5) | | Andrew Fisher (1862–1928) MP for Wide Bay, Qld | 1910 (4th) | 29 April 1910 | 24 June 1913 | 3 years, 56 days | Labor | 2nd Fisher | George V | Lord Denman | |
| 6 | | Joseph Cook (1860–1947) MP for Parramatta, NSW | 1913 (5th) | 24 June 1913 | 17 September 1914 | 1 year, 85 days | Liberal | Cook | George V | Lord Denman | |
| 6 | | Joseph Cook (1860–1947) MP for Parramatta, NSW | 1913 (5th) | 24 June 1913 | 17 September 1914 | 1 year, 85 days | Liberal | Cook | George V | Ronald Munro Ferguson | |
| (5) | | Andrew Fisher (1862–1928) MP for Wide Bay, Qld | 1914 (6th) | 17 September 1914 | 27 October 1915 | 1 year, 40 days | Labor | 3rd Fisher | George V | Ronald Munro Ferguson | |
| | | Billy Hughes (1862–1952) MP for West Sydney, NSW (until 1917) MP for Bendigo, Vic (1917–22) MP for North Sydney, NSW (from 1922) | — (6th) | 27 October 1915 | 14 November 1916 | 7 years, 105 days | Labor | 1st Hughes | George V | Ronald Munro Ferguson | |
| 7 | | Billy Hughes (1862–1952) MP for West Sydney, NSW (until 1917) MP for Bendigo, Vic (1917–22) MP for North Sydney, NSW (from 1922) | – (6th) | 14 November 1916 | 17 February 1917 | 7 years, 105 days | National Labor | 2nd Hughes | George V | Ronald Munro Ferguson | |
| | | Billy Hughes (1862–1952) MP for West Sydney, NSW (until 1917) MP for Bendigo, Vic (1917–22) MP for North Sydney, NSW (from 1922) | – (6th) | 17 February 1917 | 9 February 1923 | 7 years, 105 days | Nationalist | 3rd Hughes | George V | Ronald Munro Ferguson | |
| | | Billy Hughes (1862–1952) MP for West Sydney, NSW (until 1917) MP for Bendigo, Vic (1917–22) MP for North Sydney, NSW (from 1922) | 1917 (7th) | 17 February 1917 | 9 February 1923 | 7 years, 105 days | Nationalist | 4th Hughes | George V | Ronald Munro Ferguson | |
| | | Billy Hughes (1862–1952) MP for West Sydney, NSW (until 1917) MP for Bendigo, Vic (1917–22) MP for North Sydney, NSW (from 1922) | 1919 (8th) | 17 February 1917 | 9 February 1923 | 7 years, 105 days | Nationalist | 5th Hughes | George V | Ronald Munro Ferguson | |
| | | Billy Hughes (1862–1952) MP for West Sydney, NSW (until 1917) MP for Bendigo, Vic (1917–22) MP for North Sydney, NSW (from 1922) | 1919 (8th) | 17 February 1917 | 9 February 1923 | 7 years, 105 days | Nationalist | 5th Hughes | George V | Lord Forster | |
| 8 | | Stanley Bruce (1883–1967) MP for Flinders, Vic | 1922 (9th) | 9 February 1923 | 22 October 1929 | 6 years, 255 days | Nationalist (Coalition) | 1st Bruce | George V | Lord Forster | |
| 8 | | Stanley Bruce (1883–1967) MP for Flinders, Vic | 1922 (9th) | 9 February 1923 | 22 October 1929 | 6 years, 255 days | Nationalist (Coalition) | 1st Bruce | George V | Lord Stonehaven | |
| 8 | | Stanley Bruce (1883–1967) MP for Flinders, Vic | 1925 (10th) | 9 February 1923 | 22 October 1929 | 6 years, 255 days | Nationalist (Coalition) | 2nd Bruce | George V | Lord Stonehaven | |
| 8 | | Stanley Bruce (1883–1967) MP for Flinders, Vic | 1928 (11th) | 9 February 1923 | 22 October 1929 | 6 years, 255 days | Nationalist (Coalition) | 3rd Bruce | George V | Lord Stonehaven | |
| 9 | | James Scullin (1876–1953) MP for Yarra, Vic | 1929 (12th) | 22 October 1929 | 6 January 1932 | 2 years, 76 days | Labor | Scullin | George V | Lord Stonehaven | |
| 9 | | James Scullin (1876–1953) MP for Yarra, Vic | 1929 (12th) | 22 October 1929 | 6 January 1932 | 2 years, 76 days | Labor | Scullin | George V | Sir Isaac Isaacs | |
| 10 | | Joseph Lyons (1879–1939) MP for Wilmot, Tas | 1931 (13th) | 6 January 1932 | 7 April 1939 | 7 years, 91 days | United Australia | 1st Lyons | George V | Sir Isaac Isaacs | |
| 10 | | Joseph Lyons (1879–1939) MP for Wilmot, Tas | 1934 (14th) | 6 January 1932 | 7 April 1939 | 7 years, 91 days | United Australia | 2nd Lyons | George V | Sir Isaac Isaacs | |
| 10 | | Joseph Lyons (1879–1939) MP for Wilmot, Tas | — (14th) | 6 January 1932 | 7 April 1939 | 7 years, 91 days | United Australia (Coalition) | 3rd Lyons | George V | Sir Isaac Isaacs | |
| 10 | | Joseph Lyons (1879–1939) MP for Wilmot, Tas | — (14th) | 6 January 1932 | 7 April 1939 | 7 years, 91 days | United Australia (Coalition) | 3rd Lyons | Edward VIII | Sir Isaac Isaacs | |
| 10 | | Joseph Lyons (1879–1939) MP for Wilmot, Tas | — (14th) | 6 January 1932 | 7 April 1939 | 7 years, 91 days | United Australia (Coalition) | 3rd Lyons | Edward VIII | Lord Gowrie | |
| 10 | | Joseph Lyons (1879–1939) MP for Wilmot, Tas | — (14th) | 6 January 1932 | 7 April 1939 | 7 years, 91 days | United Australia (Coalition) | 3rd Lyons | George VI | Lord Gowrie | |
| 10 | | Joseph Lyons (1879–1939) MP for Wilmot, Tas | 1937 (15th) | 6 January 1932 | 7 April 1939 | 7 years, 91 days | United Australia (Coalition) | 4th Lyons | George VI | Lord Gowrie | |
| 11 | | Earle Page (1880–1961) MP for Cowper, NSW | — (15th) | 7 April 1939 | 26 April 1939 | 19 days | Country (Coalition) | Page | George VI | Lord Gowrie | |
| 12 | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | — (15th) | 26 April 1939 | 29 August 1941 | 2 years, 125 days | United Australia | 1st Menzies | George VI | Lord Gowrie | |
| 12 | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | — (15th) | 26 April 1939 | 29 August 1941 | 2 years, 125 days | United Australia (Coalition) | 2nd Menzies | George VI | Lord Gowrie | |
| 12 | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1940 (16th) | 26 April 1939 | 29 August 1941 | 2 years, 125 days | United Australia (Coalition) | 3rd Menzies | George VI | Lord Gowrie | |
| 13 | | Arthur Fadden (1894–1973) MP for Darling Downs, Qld | — (16th) | 29 August 1941 | 7 October 1941 | 39 days | Country (Coalition) | Fadden | George VI | Lord Gowrie | |
| 14 | | John Curtin (1885–1945) MP for Fremantle, WA | — | 7 October 1941 | 5 July 1945 | 3 years, 271 days | Labor | 1st Curtin | George VI | Lord Gowrie | |
| 14 | | John Curtin (1885–1945) MP for Fremantle, WA | 1943 (17th) | 7 October 1941 | 5 July 1945 | 3 years, 271 days | Labor | 2nd Curtin | George VI | Lord Gowrie | |
| 14 | | John Curtin (1885–1945) MP for Fremantle, WA | 1943 (17th) | 7 October 1941 | 5 July 1945 | 3 years, 271 days | Labor | 2nd Curtin | George VI | Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester | |
| 15 | | Frank Forde (1890–1983) MP for Capricornia, Qld | — (17th) | 5 July 1945 | 13 July 1945 | 7 days | Labor | Forde | George VI | Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester | |
| 16 | | Ben Chifley (1885–1951) MP for Macquarie, NSW | — (17th) | 13 July 1945 | 19 December 1949 | 4 years, 159 days | Labor | 1st Chifley | George VI | Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester | |
| 16 | | Ben Chifley (1885–1951) MP for Macquarie, NSW | 1946 (18th) | 13 July 1945 | 19 December 1949 | 4 years, 159 days | Labor | 2nd Chifley | George VI | Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester | |
| 16 | | Ben Chifley (1885–1951) MP for Macquarie, NSW | 1946 (18th) | 13 July 1945 | 19 December 1949 | 4 years, 159 days | Labor | 2nd Chifley | George VI | Sir William McKell | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1949 (19th) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 4th Menzies | George VI | Sir William McKell | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1951 (20th) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 5th Menzies | George VI | Sir William McKell | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1951 (20th) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 5th Menzies | Elizabeth II | Sir William McKell | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1951 (20th) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 5th Menzies | Elizabeth II | Sir William Slim | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1954 (21st) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 6th Menzies | Elizabeth II | Sir William Slim | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1955 (22nd) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 7th Menzies | Elizabeth II | Sir William Slim | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1958 (23rd) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 8th Menzies | Elizabeth II | Sir William Slim | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1958 (23rd) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 8th Menzies | Elizabeth II | Lord Dunrossil | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1958 (23rd) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 8th Menzies | Elizabeth II | Lord De L'Isle | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1961 (24th) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 9th Menzies | Elizabeth II | Lord De L'Isle | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1963 (25th) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 10th Menzies | Elizabeth II | Lord De L'Isle | |
| (12) | | Robert Menzies (1894–1978) MP for Kooyong, Vic | 1963 (25th) | 19 December 1949 | 26 January 1966 | 16 years, 38 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 10th Menzies | Elizabeth II | Lord Casey | |
| 17 | | Harold Holt (1908–1967) MP for Higgins, Vic | — (25th) | 26 January 1966 | 17 December 1967 | 1 year, 327 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 1st Holt | Elizabeth II | Lord Casey | |
| 17 | | Harold Holt (1908–1967) MP for Higgins, Vic | 1966 (26th) | 26 January 1966 | 17 December 1967 | 1 year, 327 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 2nd Holt | Elizabeth II | Lord Casey | |
| 18 | | John McEwen (1900–1980) MP for Murray, Vic | — (26th) | 19 December 1967 | 10 January 1968 | 22 days | Country (Coalition) | McEwen | Elizabeth II | Lord Casey | |
| 19 | | John Gorton (1911–2002) MP for Higgins, Vic | — (26th) | 10 January 1968 | 10 March 1971 | 3 years, 59 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 1st Gorton | Elizabeth II | Lord Casey | |
| 19 | | John Gorton (1911–2002) MP for Higgins, Vic | — (26th) | 10 January 1968 | 10 March 1971 | 3 years, 59 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 1st Gorton | Elizabeth II | Sir Paul Hasluck | |
| 19 | | John Gorton (1911–2002) MP for Higgins, Vic | 1969 (27th) | 10 January 1968 | 10 March 1971 | 3 years, 59 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 2nd Gorton | Elizabeth II | Sir Paul Hasluck | |
| 20 | | William McMahon (1908–1988) MP for Lowe, NSW | — (27th) | 10 March 1971 | 5 December 1972 | 1 year, 270 days | Liberal (Coalition) | McMahon | Elizabeth II | Sir Paul Hasluck | |
| 21 | | Gough Whitlam (1916–2014) MP for Werriwa, NSW | 1972 (28th) | 5 December 1972 | 11 November 1975 | 2 years, 341 days | Labor | 1st Whitlam | Elizabeth II | Sir Paul Hasluck | |
| 21 | | Gough Whitlam (1916–2014) MP for Werriwa, NSW | — (28th) | 5 December 1972 | 11 November 1975 | 2 years, 341 days | Labor | 2nd Whitlam | Elizabeth II | Sir Paul Hasluck | |
| 21 | | Gough Whitlam (1916–2014) MP for Werriwa, NSW | 1974 (29th) | 5 December 1972 | 11 November 1975 | 2 years, 341 days | Labor | 3rd Whitlam | Elizabeth II | Sir Paul Hasluck | |
| 21 | | Gough Whitlam (1916–2014) MP for Werriwa, NSW | 1974 (29th) | 5 December 1972 | 11 November 1975 | 2 years, 341 days | Labor | 3rd Whitlam | Elizabeth II | Sir John Kerr | |
| 22 | | Malcolm Fraser (1930–2015) MP for Wannon, Vic | — (29th) | 11 November 1975 | 11 March 1983 | 7 years, 120 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 1st Fraser | Elizabeth II | Sir John Kerr | |
| 22 | | Malcolm Fraser (1930–2015) MP for Wannon, Vic | 1975 (30th) | 11 November 1975 | 11 March 1983 | 7 years, 120 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 2nd Fraser | Elizabeth II | Sir John Kerr | |
| 22 | | Malcolm Fraser (1930–2015) MP for Wannon, Vic | 1975 (30th) | 11 November 1975 | 11 March 1983 | 7 years, 120 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 2nd Fraser | Elizabeth II | Sir Zelman Cowen | |
| 22 | | Malcolm Fraser (1930–2015) MP for Wannon, Vic | 1977 (31st) | 11 November 1975 | 11 March 1983 | 7 years, 120 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 3rd Fraser | Elizabeth II | Sir Zelman Cowen | |
| 22 | | Malcolm Fraser (1930–2015) MP for Wannon, Vic | 1980 (32nd) | 11 November 1975 | 11 March 1983 | 7 years, 120 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 4th Fraser | Elizabeth II | Sir Zelman Cowen | |
| 22 | | Malcolm Fraser (1930–2015) MP for Wannon, Vic | 1980 (32nd) | 11 November 1975 | 11 March 1983 | 7 years, 120 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 4th Fraser | Elizabeth II | Sir Ninian Stephen | |
| 23 | | Bob Hawke (1929–2019) MP for Wills, Vic | 1983 (33rd) | 11 March 1983 | 20 December 1991 | 8 years, 284 days | Labor | 1st Hawke | Elizabeth II | Sir Ninian Stephen | |
| 23 | | Bob Hawke (1929–2019) MP for Wills, Vic | 1984 (34th) | 11 March 1983 | 20 December 1991 | 8 years, 284 days | Labor | 2nd Hawke | Elizabeth II | Sir Ninian Stephen | |
| 23 | | Bob Hawke (1929–2019) MP for Wills, Vic | 1987 (35th) | 11 March 1983 | 20 December 1991 | 8 years, 284 days | Labor | 3rd Hawke | Elizabeth II | Sir Ninian Stephen | |
| 23 | | Bob Hawke (1929–2019) MP for Wills, Vic | 1987 (35th) | 11 March 1983 | 20 December 1991 | 8 years, 284 days | Labor | 3rd Hawke | Elizabeth II | Bill Hayden | |
| 23 | | Bob Hawke (1929–2019) MP for Wills, Vic | 1990 (36th) | 11 March 1983 | 20 December 1991 | 8 years, 284 days | Labor | 4th Hawke | Elizabeth II | Bill Hayden | |
| 24 | | Paul Keating (b. 1944) MP for Blaxland, NSW | — (36th) | 20 December 1991 | 11 March 1996 | 4 years, 82 days | Labor | 1st Keating | Elizabeth II | Bill Hayden | |
| 24 | | Paul Keating (b. 1944) MP for Blaxland, NSW | 1993 (37th) | 20 December 1991 | 11 March 1996 | 4 years, 82 days | Labor | 2nd Keating | Elizabeth II | Bill Hayden | |
| 24 | | Paul Keating (b. 1944) MP for Blaxland, NSW | 1993 (37th) | 20 December 1991 | 11 March 1996 | 4 years, 82 days | Labor | 2nd Keating | Elizabeth II | Sir William Deane | |
| 25 | | John Howard (b. 1939) MP for Bennelong, NSW | 1996 (38th) | 11 March 1996 | 3 December 2007 | 11 years, 267 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 1st Howard | Elizabeth II | Sir William Deane | |
| 25 | | John Howard (b. 1939) MP for Bennelong, NSW | 1998 (39th) | 11 March 1996 | 3 December 2007 | 11 years, 267 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 2nd Howard | Elizabeth II | Sir William Deane | |
| 25 | | John Howard (b. 1939) MP for Bennelong, NSW | 1998 (39th) | 11 March 1996 | 3 December 2007 | 11 years, 267 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 2nd Howard | Elizabeth II | Peter Hollingworth | |
| 25 | | John Howard (b. 1939) MP for Bennelong, NSW | 2001 (40th) | 11 March 1996 | 3 December 2007 | 11 years, 267 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 3rd Howard | Elizabeth II | Peter Hollingworth | |
| 25 | | John Howard (b. 1939) MP for Bennelong, NSW | 2001 (40th) | 11 March 1996 | 3 December 2007 | 11 years, 267 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 3rd Howard | Elizabeth II | Michael Jeffery | |
| 25 | | John Howard (b. 1939) MP for Bennelong, NSW | 2004 (41st) | 11 March 1996 | 3 December 2007 | 11 years, 267 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 4th Howard | Elizabeth II | Michael Jeffery | |
| 26 | | Kevin Rudd (b. 1957) MP for Griffith, Qld | 2007 (42nd) | 3 December 2007 | 24 June 2010 | 2 years, 203 days | Labor | 1st Rudd | Elizabeth II | Michael Jeffery | |
| 26 | | Kevin Rudd (b. 1957) MP for Griffith, Qld | 2007 (42nd) | 3 December 2007 | 24 June 2010 | 2 years, 203 days | Labor | 1st Rudd | Elizabeth II | Dame Quentin Bryce | |
| 27 | | Julia Gillard (b. 1961) MP for Lalor, Vic | — (42nd) | 24 June 2010 | 27 June 2013 | 3 years, 3 days | Labor | 1st Gillard | Elizabeth II | Dame Quentin Bryce | |
| 27 | | Julia Gillard (b. 1961) MP for Lalor, Vic | 2010 (43rd) | 24 June 2010 | 27 June 2013 | 3 years, 3 days | Labor | 2nd Gillard | Elizabeth II | Dame Quentin Bryce | |
| (26) | | Kevin Rudd (b. 1957) MP for Griffith, Qld | — (43rd) | 27 June 2013 | 18 September 2013 | 83 days | Labor | 2nd Rudd | Elizabeth II | Dame Quentin Bryce | |
| 28 | | Tony Abbott (b. 1957) MP for Warringah, NSW | 2013 (44th) | 18 September 2013 | 15 September 2015 | 1 year, 362 days | Liberal (Coalition) | Abbott | Elizabeth II | Dame Quentin Bryce | |
| 28 | | Tony Abbott (b. 1957) MP for Warringah, NSW | 2013 (44th) | 18 September 2013 | 15 September 2015 | 1 year, 362 days | Liberal (Coalition) | Abbott | Elizabeth II | Sir Peter Cosgrove | |
| 29 | | Malcolm Turnbull (b. 1954) MP for Wentworth, NSW | — (44th) | 15 September 2015 | 24 August 2018 | 2 years, 343 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 1st Turnbull | Elizabeth II | Sir Peter Cosgrove | |
| 29 | | Malcolm Turnbull (b. 1954) MP for Wentworth, NSW | 2016 (45th) | 15 September 2015 | 24 August 2018 | 2 years, 343 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 2nd Turnbull | Elizabeth II | Sir Peter Cosgrove | |
| 30 | | Scott Morrison (b. 1968) MP for Cook, NSW | — (45th) | 24 August 2018 | 23 May 2022 | 3 years, 272 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 1st Morrison | Elizabeth II | Sir Peter Cosgrove | |
| 30 | | Scott Morrison (b. 1968) MP for Cook, NSW | 2019 (46th) | 24 August 2018 | 23 May 2022 | 3 years, 272 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 2nd Morrison | Elizabeth II | Sir Peter Cosgrove | |
| 30 | | Scott Morrison (b. 1968) MP for Cook, NSW | 2019 (46th) | 24 August 2018 | 23 May 2022 | 3 years, 272 days | Liberal (Coalition) | 2nd Morrison | Elizabeth II | David Hurley | |
| 31 | | Anthony Albanese (b. 1963) MP for Grayndler, NSW | 2022 (47th) | 23 May 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 298 days | Labor | Albanese | Elizabeth II | David Hurley | |
| 31 | | Anthony Albanese (b. 1963) MP for Grayndler, NSW | 2022 (47th) | 23 May 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 298 days | Labor | Albanese | Charles III | David Hurley | |
| 31 | | Anthony Albanese (b. 1963) MP for Grayndler, NSW | 2022 (47th) | 23 May 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 298 days | Labor | Albanese | Charles III | Samantha Mostyn | |

## Career-based timeline

This timeline shows most of the early life, the political career and death of each prime minister from 1901. The first prime minister was Edmund Barton in the early 20th century.

### Key

* Each dark coloured bar denotes the time spent as prime minister
* A light colour denotes time spent in Parliament before or after serving as prime minister
* A grey colour bar denotes the time the prime minister spent outside Parliament, either before or after their political career

### Notable moments

* changed party: Cook (pre-office), Watson (post-office), Hughes (in office and post-office), Lyons (pre-office)
* died in office: Lyons, Curtin, Holt
* died shortly after leaving office: Chifley
* left Parliament on leaving office: Barton, Bruce, Menzies, Fraser, Hawke, Keating, Howard, Gillard, Turnbull
* long career after being prime minister: Cook, Hughes, Scullin, Page, Fadden, McMahon
* was prime minister after an interruption to their service in Parliament: Scullin, Curtin, Chifley
* lived for more than twenty years after leaving Parliament: Watson, Cook, Bruce, Forde, Gorton, Whitlam, Fraser, Hawke, Keating
* former prime minister still living: Keating, Howard, Rudd, Gillard, Abbott, Turnbull, Morrison