Introduction
This research paper is designed to answer frequently
asked questions about Australian federal politics. This paper updates and adds
to previously published versions since 2014.[1]
These records and statistics have been compiled predominantly
from the Parliamentary Handbook and other sources as identified. Information calculations are correct as at
publication.
Governors-General
First Governor-General
John
Adrian Louis Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun, on 1 January 1901.
First Australian-born
Governor-General
Isaac
Isaacs, on 22 January 1931.
First woman to become
Governor-General
Quentin
Bryce on 5 September 2008.
Governor-General serving
the longest term
Alexander
Hore-Ruthven served 9 years and 8 days (23 January 1936–30 January 1945).
Governor-General serving
the shortest term
William
Shepherd Morrison served 1 year and 2 days (2 February 1960–3 February 1961).
Prime
Ministers
First Prime Minister
Edmund
Barton (PROT, Hunter, NSW) on 1 January 1901.
First Leader of the
Opposition
George
Reid (FT, East Sydney, NSW) on 10 May 1901.
Youngest person to become
Prime Minister
Chris
Watson (ALP, Bland, NSW) on 27 April 1904, aged 37.
Oldest person to become
Prime Minister
John
McEwen (CP, Murray, Vic) on 19 December 1967, aged 67 years and 8 months.
Prime Minister serving the
longest term
Robert
Menzies (LP, Kooyong, Vic) served 18 years, 5 months and 12 days—including
16 years, 1 month and 8 days consecutive service (19 December 1949–26 January
1966).
Prime Minister serving the
shortest term
Frank
Forde (ALP, Capricornia, Qld) served for 8 days (6 July 1945–13 July 1945).
Oldest serving Prime
Minister
Robert
Menzies (LP, Kooyong, Vic) was 71 years and 1 month upon resigning 26
January 1966.
Prime Ministers who served
non-consecutive terms
Alfred
Deakin (PROT, Ballaarat[2],
Vic): 24 September 1903–27 April 1904, 5 July 1905–13 November 1908, 2 June
1909–29 April 1910.
Andrew
Fisher (ALP, Wide Bay, Qld): 13 November 1908–2 June 1909, 29 April 1910–24
June 1913, 17 September 1914–27 October 1915.
Robert
Menzies (UAP, LP, Kooyong, Vic): 26 April 1939–29 August 1941, 19 December
1949– 26 January 1966.
Kevin
Rudd (ALP, Griffith, Qld): 3 December 2007–24 June 2010, 27 June 2013–18
September 2013.
Prime Ministers who lost
their seats at a federal election
Stanley
Bruce (NAT, Flinders, Vic) on 12 October 1929.
John
Howard (LP, Bennelong, NSW) on 24 November 2007.
Deputy Prime Ministers who
lost their seats at a federal election
Frank
Forde (ALP, Capricornia, Qld) on 25 September 1946.
Prime Ministers who died
in office
Joseph
Lyons (UAP, Wilmot, Tas) died 7 April 1939.
John
Curtin (ALP, Fremantle, WA) died 5 July 1945.
Harold
Holt (LP, Higgins, Vic) presumed to have died while swimming 19 December
1967.
Prime Minister from the
Senate
John
Gorton (LP, Vic) was appointed Prime Minister while a senator on 10 January
1968.[3]
Prime Ministers appointed
after a leadership challenge
Stanley
Bruce (NAT, Flinders, Vic) replaced Billy Hughes (NAT,
North Sydney, NSW) on 9 February 1923.
Arthur
Fadden (CP, Darling Downs, Qld) replaced Robert Menzies (UAP,
Kooyong, Vic) on 29 August 1941.
William
McMahon (LP, Lowe, NSW) replaced John Gorton (LP,
Higgins, Vic) on 10 March 1971.
Paul
Keating (ALP, Blaxland, NSW) replaced Bob Hawke (ALP,
Wills, Vic) on 20 December 1991.
Julia
Gillard (ALP, Lalor, Vic) replaced Kevin Rudd (ALP,
Griffith, Qld) on 24 June 2010.
Kevin
Rudd replaced Julia
Gillard on 27 June 2013.
Malcolm
Turnbull (LP, Wentworth, NSW) replaced Tony Abbott (LP,
Warringah, NSW) on 14 September 2015.
Scott
Morrison (LP, Cook, NSW) replaced Malcolm Turnbull on
24 August 2018.
Ministers
Youngest person to become
a minister
Kate
Ellis (ALP, Adelaide, SA) was 30 years and 2 months when appointed Minister
for Youth on 3 December 2007.
Wyatt
Roy (LP, Longman, Qld) was 25 years and 3 months when appointed as
Assistant Minister for Innovation on 21 September 2015.[4]
Oldest person to become a
minister
Joseph
Collings (ALP, Qld) was 76 years and 4 months when appointed Minister for
the Interior on 7 October 1941.
Longest serving minister
John
McEwen (CP, Echuca; Indi; Murray, Vic) served for a total of 25 years (29
November 1937–7 October 1941, 19 December 1949–5 February 1971).
William
McMahon (LP, Lowe, NSW), had the longest continuous service (17 July 1951–5
December 1972), a total of 21 years and 4 months.
Minister serving the
shortest term
Glenister
Sheil (CP/NPA, Qld) was a Minister for 2 days (20–22 December 1977).[5]
First minister to resign
because of a disagreement in Cabinet
Charles
Kingston (PROT, Adelaide, SA) resigned from the ministry on 24 July 1903.
Members of
Parliament
Number of people who have
been members of the Commonwealth Parliament
There have been 1,830 members of the
Commonwealth Parliament; 1,240 Members of the House of Representatives and
642 senators, including 52 who sat in both houses.[6]
Number of senators who
have been found to be ineligible to serve or invalidly elected
Fourteen senators had their election declared void (Constitution, s44).
Number of MPs who have
been found to be ineligible to serve or invalidly elected
Thirteen MPs have resigned or had their election declared void
(Constitution, s44).
Youngest person elected
Wyatt
Roy (LP, Longman, Qld) on 21 August 2010 aged 20 years and 3 months.[7]
Youngest woman elected to
the House of Representatives
Kate
Ellis (ALP, Adelaide, SA) on 9 October 2004 aged 27 years.
Youngest person in the
Senate
Bill
O'Chee (NPA, Qld) was appointed on 8 May 1990, at 24 years and 10 months.[8]
Youngest woman in the
Senate
Natasha
Stott Despoja (AD, SA) was appointed on 29 November 1995, at 26 years and 2
months.
Oldest person elected to
the House of Representatives
Edward
Braddon (FT, Tasmania/Wilmot, Tas) was 71 years and 9 months on 29 March
1901.
Oldest person appointed or
elected to the Senate
Frederick
Ward (ALP, SA) was 75 years and 1 month on 1 July 1947.
Oldest and longest serving
member of the Commonwealth Parliament
Billy
Hughes served for 51 years and 7 months before dying in office aged 90 years
and 1 month on 28 October 1952.
Shortest serving member of
the Commonwealth Parliament
Charles
Howroyd (NAT, Darwin, Tas) died on 10 May 1917, 5 days after being elected.
Oldest serving senator
Joseph
Collings (ALP, Qld) was 85 years, 1 month and 20 days when he retired on 30
June 1950.
Highest number of
crossbenchers in the House of Representatives
As at 21 May 2022 there are 16 members of the crossbench.[9]
Highest number of
crossbenchers in the Senate
From 19 April 2017 to 5 February 2018 the Senate had 21
crossbench senators.[10]
First (and only) member
expelled from the House of Representatives
Hugh
Mahon (ALP, Kalgoorlie, WA) was expelled on 12
November 1920, following his criticism of British policy in Ireland.[11]
First member suspended
from the House of Representatives
James
Catts (ALP, Cook, NSW) on 18
August 1910.
First senator suspended
from the Senate
Arthur
Rae (ALP, NSW) on 1
November 1912.
First member suspended
from the Federation Chamber
Wayne
Swan (ALP, Lilley, Qld) on 8
February 2001.
Member suspended via
Standing Order (94a) from the House of Representatives most often
Nick
Champion (ALP, Wakefield, SA) was ejected 105 times.
Senator suspended from the
Senate most often
James
Keeffe (ALP, Qld) was suspended 6 times.
Speaker who has suspended
the most members of the House of Representatives
Bronwyn
Bishop (LP, Mackellar, NSW) suspended 400 MPs under Standing Order 94a.
President who has presided
over the most suspensions of senators
Alister
McMullin (LP, NSW) and Condor Laucke (LP,
SA) suspended senators on 6 occasions.
Member of Parliament who
has crossed the floor most frequently
Reg
Wright (LP, Tas) crossed the floor 150 times.[12]
First (and only) member to
have their seat declared vacant
John
Ferguson (FT, Qld) on 6 October 1903, for being absent without leave for 2
months, as directed by the Constitution (s20).
First member to be sung
into Parliament
Linda
Burney (ALP, Barton, NSW) was sung into the House of Representatives on 31
August 2016 by Wiradjuri woman, Lynette Riley, as part of Ms Burney’s first
speech.
Senators and members who
have died in office
There have been 58 senators and 79 members who have died in
office. Frederick
Sargood (FT, Vic) was the first, on 2 January 1903.
Women in
politics
First woman political
candidate
Catherine
Spence was defeated as a candidate for the 1897 National Australasian
Convention.
First woman candidate for
the House of Representatives
Selina
Anderson (PROT) unsuccessfully contested the 1903 election for Dalley, NSW.
First women candidates for
the Senate
Vida Goldstein (Vic), Nellie
Martel (NSW) and Mary
Ann Moore Bentley (NSW) unsuccessfully contested the 1903 election for the
Senate.
First woman elected to the
House of Representatives
Enid
Lyons (UAP, Darwin, Tas) was elected on 21 August 1943.
First woman elected to the
Senate
Dorothy
Tangney (ALP, WA) was elected on 21 August 1943.
First woman to become
Prime Minister
Julia
Gillard (ALP, Lalor, Vic) on 24 June 2010.
First woman member of the
ministry/Cabinet
Enid
Lyons (LP, Darwin, Tas) joined Cabinet as the Vice-President of the
Executive Council on 19 December 1949.
Annabelle
Rankin (LP, Qld) was the first woman minister responsible for a government
department, becoming Minister for Housing on 26 January 1966.
Margaret
Guilfoyle (LP, Vic) was the first woman Cabinet minister to administer a
government department when as Minister for Social Security she joined Cabinet
on 8 July 1976.
Highest percentage of
women ministers and/or cabinet ministers
The ALP ministry appointed on 1 June 2022 has the highest
proportion of women, with 13 women in the 30-person ministry (43.3%).[13] This ministry’s Cabinet also has the highest proportion of women, with 10 out
of 23 (43.5%).
First woman Speaker of the
House of Representatives
Joan
Child (ALP, Henty, Vic) on 11 February 1986.
First woman President of
the Senate
Margaret
Reid (LP, ACT) on 20 August 1996.
First woman to lead a
federal parliamentary party
Janine
Haines (AD, SA) became leader of the Australian Democrats on 18 August
1986.
Indigenous
members of the Commonwealth Parliament
First Indigenous senator
Neville
Bonner (LP, Qld) was appointed to the Senate on 11 June 1971.[14]
First Indigenous Member of
the House of Representatives
Ken
Wyatt (LP, Hasluck, WA) was elected on 21 August 2010.
First Indigenous woman
senator
Nova
Peris (ALP, NT) was elected on 7 September 2013.
First Indigenous woman
member of the House of Representatives
Linda
Burney (ALP, Barton, NSW) was elected on 2 July 2016.
First Indigenous minister
Ken
Wyatt (LP, Hasluck, WA) became Assistant Minister for Health on 30
September 2015.
Commonwealth
Parliament
First Commonwealth
Parliament opened
This occurred in Melbourne on 9 May 1901.[15]
Number of times the Sovereign
has opened Parliament
This has occurred on 3 occasions: 15 February 1954, 28 February
1974, and 8 March 1977.
Welcome to Country
ceremony first conducted prior to the opening of Parliament
This occurred on 12 February 2008 in the Parliament House
Members’ Hall.
First President of the
Senate
Richard
Baker (FT, SA) on 9 May 1901.
First Speaker of the House
of Representatives
Frederick
Holder (FT, South Australia, SA) on 9 May 1901.
Presidents who have
resigned or died in office
Douglas
McClelland (ALP, NSW) and Stephen Parry (LP,
Tas) resigned. James Cunningham (ALP, WA) died in office on 4 July 1943.
Speakers who have resigned
or died in office
Walter
Nairn, Jim Cope, Dr Harry Jenkins, Joan Child, Leo McLeay, Bob Halverson, Harry Jenkins, Peter Slipper and Bronwyn Bishop have
resigned. Frederick
Holder and Archie
Cameron died in office.
Longest-serving President
Alister
McMullin (LP, NSW) served for over 17 years (8 September 1953–30 June 1971).
Longest-serving Speaker
John
McLeay (LP, Boothby, SA) served for over 10 years (29 August 1956–31
October 1966).
Longest speech in
Parliament
Albert
Gardiner (ALP, NSW) spoke for 12 hours and 40 minutes (13–14 November 1918).
Highest number of sitting
days in a calendar year
The House of Representatives sat for 122 days in 1904.
Lowest number of sitting
days in a year
The House of Representatives sat for 29 days in 1937.
First and only joint
sitting of the House of Representatives and the Senate
A joint sitting was held 6–7 August 1974 to deal with 6 ‘trigger’
Bills, which caused the 1974 double dissolution election.
First electronic petition
tabled in the Senate
Presented by Natasha Stott Despoja (AD, SA) on 26 June 1997.
First electronic petition
tabled in the House of Representatives
This occurred
on 7 November 2016 when 7 electronic petitions were tabled.
Petition with the highest
number of signatures
A petition concerning funding support for community pharmacies was presented
to the House of Representatives on 26 February 2014 with 1,210,471
signatures.
First broadcast of the
proceedings of Parliament
Radio broadcasts of House of Representatives and Senate
proceedings began on 10 July 1946 and 17 July 1946, respectively.[16] Senate proceedings have been regularly televised from August 1990 and House of Representatives
proceedings from February 1991.
Longest continuous sitting
in the House of Representatives
Fifty-seven hours 30 minutes from 2.30 pm on Thursday 16
November 1905 until midnight on Saturday 18 November 1905.
Longest sitting in the
Senate
Sixty-six hours and 18 minutes from 16–21
December 1993.
Shortest sitting in the
House of Representatives
One minute on 14 March 1928, before the House adjourned so that
Members could attend a function to honour the aviator, Bert Hinkler.[17]
Shortest sitting in the
Senate
Two minutes on 24 October 2002, before the
Senate adjourned so that Senators could attend a memorial service for the Bali
terrorist attack victims.
Legislation
First private member’s
Bill assented to
Littleton
Groom’s (PROT, Darling Downs, Qld) The Life Assurance Companies Bill 1904 received
assent on 23 November 1905.
First private senator’s
Bill assented to
Edward
Needham’s (ALP, WA) The Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Bill 1908
received assent on 13 December 1909.
Largest and smallest
number of bills assented to in a calendar year
In 1992 264 Bills received assent. In 1907 12 Bills received assent.
Bill with the highest
number of sponsors
The Racial
Discrimination Amendment Bill 2016 was sponsored by 20 senators on its
introduction to the Senate on 31 August 2016.
Longest debate on a Bill
in Parliament
Senate debate on the Native Title Amendment Bill 1997 lasted
for 56 hours 8 minutes.[18]
Elections
and government
Largest Commonwealth
electorate by area
Durack
(WA) covers an area of 1,383,954 sq. kms.[19]
Smallest
Commonwealth electorate by area
Grayndler
(NSW) covers an area of 32 sq. kms.[20]
Largest Commonwealth
electorate by population
Macarthur
(NSW) has 134,175 people enrolled as at 30 June 2022.[21]
Smallest Commonwealth
electorate by population
Solomon
(NT) had 71,473 people enrolled as at 30 June 2022.[22]
Smallest vote margin to
win a seat
John
Lynch (ALP) defeated Alfred Conroy (LP)
by 7 votes to win Werriwa (NSW) in 1914.[23]
First Commonwealth
election at which all Indigenous people could vote
The 30 November 1963 House of Representatives election.
Government with the
largest majority
The LP/NCP Coalition had a 55-seat majority after the 1975
election.
Governments with the
smallest majorities after a federal election
The LIB-COM Government had a 1-seat majority after the 1913
federal election.
The UAP/CP Coalition and the ALP both won 36 seats at 1940
election. However, 2 Independent MPs supported the Coalition to form government.
The LP/Nationals Coalition and the ALP both won 72 seats at the
2010 election. However, 3 Independent MPs and 1 Greens MP supported the ALP to
form government.[24]
Party which has been in
government the greatest amount of time overall
The LP/Nationals[25] Coalition has been in government for an aggregate total of 50 years.
Longest continuous period
in government
The LIB/CP Coalition for 22 years, 11 months and 16 days (19
December 1949 to 5 December 1972).
Shortest period in
government
The ALP for 3 months and 22 days (27 April 1904 to 17 August
1904).
Referendums
and plebiscites
Of 44 proposed amendments to the Constitution, 8 have passed in
a referendum.
Three plebiscites (advisory referendums) have occurred: 2 on
conscription failed in 1916 and 1917, and 1 to choose a national song in 1977.