List of prime ministers of Australia (graphical)
This is a graphical list of prime ministers of Australia from when the first prime minister, Edmund Barton, took office in 1901, until the present day. Career-based timeline. This timeline shows most of the early life, the political career and death of each prime minister of Australia from 1901. The first prime minister was Edmund Barton in the early 20th century. Unlike countries where the leader is elected directly to the highest political office of a separate executive, the prime minister must first establish a political career in the Australian Parliament and  typically serves many years in the House of Representatives (or in the Senate as with John Gorton) before becoming Prime Minister, and in some cases for many years afterwards. Since 1901, all time in parliamentary service before being Prime Minister has been in the House of Representatives, apart from John Gorton's period as a member of the Government while in the Senate 1950-68. After becoming Prime Minister he was elected to the House by winning a by-election.