Short Term Australian Prime Ministers

[chilliblue]

Just did a quick collation out of 28 Prime Ministers since 1901 and thought I would share:

Forde, Francis Michael (ALP) 8 days Relinquished Position to New ALP Leader

Page, Earle Christmas Grafton (CP) 20 days Relinquished position to new UAP Leader

McEwen, John (CP) 23 days Relinquished Position to New Liberal Leader

Fadden, Arthur William (CP) 1 month, 9 days Defeated on Floor of House

Watson, John Christian (ALP) 3 months, 21 days Resigned Following House Amendment of Conciliation and Arbitration Bill and Governor-General?s Refusal To Dissolve House

Reid, George Houston (FT) 10 months, 18 days Resigned Following House Amendment of Address-In-Reply and Governor-General?s Refusal to Dissolve House

Cook, Joseph (LIB) 1 year, 2 months, 25 days Defeated at General Election

McMahon, William (LIB) 1 year, 8 months, 25 days Defeated at General Election

Holt, Harold Edward (LIB) 1 year, 10 months, 23 days Missing, Presumed Drowned

Scullin, James Henry (ALP) 2 years, 2 months, 16 days Defeated at General Election Following Party Split

Barton, Edmund (PROT) 2 years, 8 months, 24 days Appointed Justice of High Court

Rudd, Kevin Michael 2 years, 9 months, 12 days Deposed as Leader / Defeated at General Election

Whitlam, Edward Gough (ALP) 2 years, 11 months, 7 days Commission Terminated by Governor-General

Gillard, Julia Eileen (ALP) 3 years, 3 days Deposed as Leader

Gorton, John Grey (ALP) 3 years, 2 months Technically resigned as leader but effectively deposed



Note that Abbott, Anthony John (LIB) commenced his term on 18/9/13 and if not allowed to continue past Tuesday, will be up in the shortness of his term.

 

[Strannik]

i think we don't have enough topics about prime minister change. we need a few more

 

[Chomp]

I don't vote and don't think I will ever bring myself to either, not sure what that makes me !

 

[BayView]

What makes me scratch my head out of all this is;

Every single election, the respective Parties put forward who they think is the best person for the job as Leader to be PM, or in Opposition with the hope of becoming PM.

Before the Election, you would think that all the Party Members know the background of each candidate in their Party who is running for Govt...all their strengths, their weaknesses, their style and appeal etc.

I mean; it's not like they just arrived in Aus the week before and joined the Party. Most of these people have known each other for years and years.

And then; one year into their first term, the Party Members start up with; "Hang on a minute; this isn't the Leader we elected to run for PM; this bloke/chick is now totally unsuitable and has to go!".

How do they let that happen?

 

[Chomp]

Because the majority of these people are just power hungry and are only in it for themselves in the long run.

 

[Strannik]

they question they ask themselves is "can he win the election" not "can he run the country"

 

[hugh72]

Or is he/she from the left/centre/right faction unfortunately

 

[geoffw]

The first three of these short serving prime ministers only assumed office following the death- or apparent death- of the prime minister at the time. For the first two, it was still long enough to get a Canberra suburb named after themselves.