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🇦🇺 Australia

Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchyLiberal democracy

Anthony Albanese

Prime Minister · 1,561 days in office · 610 days remaining

Eligible to run again

How the political system works in Australia

Australians vote at least every three years for the House of Representatives. The party with the most seats forms the government and its leader becomes prime minister, with no limit on how long they can serve. The King is head of state, represented locally by the governor-general.

Next election: 2028 — Next Australian federal election must be held by May 2028.

Tenure records

Recent prime ministers by days in office

Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in Australia?

Across 36 completed terms, the average prime minister of Australia has served 1,232 days (about 3.4 years). Terms are getting shorter: the last five completed terms averaged just 870 days. The last leader to beat the average was Scott Morrison, who left office in 2022.

All prime ministers of Australia

#	Name	Took office	Left office	Days
37	Anthony Albanese	May 23, 2022	Incumbent	1,561
36	Scott Morrison	Aug 24, 2018	May 23, 2022	1,368
35	Malcolm Turnbull	Sep 15, 2015	Aug 24, 2018	1,074
34	Tony Abbott	Sep 18, 2013	Sep 15, 2015	727
33	Kevin Rudd	Jun 27, 2013	Sep 18, 2013	83
32	Julia Gillard	Jun 24, 2010	Jun 27, 2013	1,099
31	Kevin Rudd	Dec 3, 2007	Jun 24, 2010	934
30	John Howard	Mar 11, 1996	Dec 3, 2007	4,284
29	Paul Keating	Dec 20, 1991	Mar 11, 1996	1,543
28	Bob Hawke	Mar 11, 1983	Dec 20, 1991	3,206
27	Malcolm Fraser	Nov 11, 1975	Mar 11, 1983	2,677
26	Gough Whitlam	Dec 5, 1972	Nov 11, 1975	1,071
25	William McMahon	Mar 10, 1971	Dec 5, 1972	636
24	John Gorton	Jan 10, 1968	Mar 10, 1971	1,155
23	John McEwen	Dec 19, 1967	Jan 10, 1968	22
22	Harold Holt	Jan 26, 1966	Dec 17, 1967	690
21	Robert Menzies	Dec 19, 1949	Jan 26, 1966	5,882
20	Ben Chifley	Jul 13, 1945	Dec 19, 1949	1,620
19	Frank Forde	Jul 6, 1945	Jul 13, 1945	7
18	John Curtin	Oct 7, 1941	Jul 5, 1945	1,367
17	Arthur Fadden	Aug 29, 1941	Oct 7, 1941	39
16	Robert Menzies	Apr 26, 1939	Aug 29, 1941	856
15	Earle Page	Apr 7, 1939	Apr 26, 1939	19
14	Joseph Lyons	Jan 6, 1932	Apr 7, 1939	2,648
13	James Scullin	Oct 22, 1929	Jan 6, 1932	806
12	S. M. Bruce	Feb 9, 1923	Oct 22, 1929	2,447
11	Billy Hughes	Oct 27, 1915	Feb 9, 1923	2,662
10	Andrew Fisher	Sep 17, 1914	Oct 27, 1915	405
9	Joseph Cook	Jun 24, 1913	Sep 17, 1914	450
8	Andrew Fisher	Apr 29, 1910	Jun 24, 1913	1,152
7	Alfred Deakin	Jun 2, 1909	Apr 29, 1910	331
6	Andrew Fisher	Nov 13, 1908	Jun 2, 1909	201
5	Alfred Deakin	Jul 5, 1905	Nov 13, 1908	1,227
4	George Reid	Aug 18, 1904	Jul 5, 1905	321
3	Chris Watson	Apr 27, 1904	Aug 18, 1904	113
2	Alfred Deakin	Sep 24, 1903	Apr 27, 1904	216
1	Edmund Barton	Jan 1, 1901	Sep 24, 1903	996

Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the Prime Minister of Australia?

Anthony Albanese has been Prime Minister of Australia since May 23, 2022.

How is the leader of Australia chosen?

Australians vote at least every three years for the House of Representatives. The party with the most seats forms the government and its leader becomes prime minister, with no limit on how long they can serve. The King is head of state, represented locally by the governor-general.

Who is the longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia?

Robert Menzies, with 6,738 days in office across 2 terms.

Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in Australia?

Across 36 completed terms, the average prime minister of Australia has served 1,232 days (about 3.4 years). Terms are getting shorter: the last five completed terms averaged just 870 days. The last leader to beat the average was Scott Morrison, who left office in 2022.