| Post: | Partner of the Prime Minister of Australia |
| Incumbentsince: | 23 May 2022 |
| Formation: | 1 January 1901 |
| Inaugural: | Jane Barton |
The spouse of the prime minister of Australia or partner of the prime minister of Australia is the host of The Lodge and Kirribilli House, usually the wife, husband or partner of the prime minister of Australia, concurrent with the tenure of the prime minister. Although there is no officially defined responsibilities for the role, the incumbent is generally a high-profile individual who is involved in the political and social life of Australia, assisting the prime minister with carrying out ceremonial duties as well as performing various other functions.
With a few exceptions, the prime minister's spouse has been a public figure and the subject of media and societal interest. Most have used the position to promote charitable causes. By convention, the spouse of the prime minister serves as the host of The Lodge, the primary official residence of the prime minister, and Kirribilli House, the secondary residence. The incumbent also assists the prime minister in welcoming foreign dignitaries to Parliament House, on official state visits overseas and at various other locations during ceremonial events. However, the position itself is unpaid and there are no official responsibilities, duties or obligations.
Spouses often assist the prime minister at campaign events. However, only two prime ministers' spouses have held public office in their own right – Enid Lyons became the first woman elected to the House of Representatives several years after her husband's death in office, while Lucy Turnbull was Lord Mayor of Sydney over a decade before her husband became prime minister. Ethel Page held senior offices in the organisational wing of the Country Party.
The current prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is the first divorcee to be appointed.[1] He and his partner, Jodie Haydon,[2] [3] [4] who lives in her own home in Sydney,[5] [6] became engaged on Valentine's Day, 2024.[7]
All prime ministers except John McEwen, Julia Gillard and Albanese were married for the duration of their term in office. McEwen was a widower during his short term; Gillard was in a domestic partnership with Tim Mathieson.
Until the 1960s, it was uncommon for the spouse of a prime minister to have their own career. Zara Holt, a fashion designer, was the first to continue her career during her husband's term in office, and reputedly earned more money than him. Other businesswomen to hold the position have included Thérèse Rein, who ran an employment services company, and Margie Abbott, who ran a childcare centre. Bettina Gorton was an academic who lectured part-time at the Australian National University.
The prime minister's spouse has no official duties. Some earlier spouses stayed mainly at home and took little part in public life.[8] Although a prime minister's spouse may be unofficially referred to as Australia's "first lady" or "first bloke", a spouse does not receive a staff or official budget.[9]
However, most recent prime ministers' spouses have been involved in charities or community organisations, working to raise public awareness, funds, and support for a range of causes. They generally assist their partners in political campaigns and participate in official duties that come with the position, such as hosting foreign dignitaries and, in particular, entertaining the spouses of dignitaries; accompanying the prime ministers on national and international trips; attending conferences and functions; and speaking in public, particularly in the prime minister's constituency.[10] They have attended the opening of Parliament; hosted visitors at The Lodge and Kirribilli House; visited Buckingham Palace, the White House, or the Japanese Imperial Palace; and been present at royal coronations and conferences.[10]
Others were initially preoccupied with rearing children, most notably Dame Enid Lyons (1932–39), who had 12 children (one died in infancy). In 1943, four years after her husband's death in office, she was the first woman to be elected to the House of Representatives. She was a junior minister in the Menzies government from 1949 to 1951.
Some prime ministers' spouses have received official recognition for their services to the community:
Tamie Fraser was the first spouse of a prime minister to be provided with an official secretary for dealing with her correspondence.[13]
| No. | Portrait | Spouse | Tenure | Length of tenure | Prime Minister |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jane Barton | 1 January 1901 – 24 September 1903 | Barton | ||
| 2 | Pattie Deakin | 24 September 1903 – 27 April 1904 | Deakin | ||
| 3 | Ada Watson | 27 April 1904 – 18 August 1904 | Watson | ||
| 4 | Flora Reid | 18 August 1904 – 5 July 1905 | Reid | ||
| (2) | Pattie Deakin | 5 July 1905 – 13 November 1908 | Deakin | ||
| 5 | Margaret Fisher | 13 November 1908 – 2 June 1909 | Fisher | ||
| (2) | Pattie Deakin | 2 June 1909 – 29 April 1910 | Deakin | ||
| (5) | Margaret Fisher | 29 April 1910 – 24 June 1913 | Fisher | ||
| 6 | Mary Cook | 24 June 1913 – 17 September 1914 | Cook | ||
| (5) | Margaret Fisher | 17 September 1914 – 27 October 1915 | Fisher | ||
| 7 | Mary Hughes | 27 October 1915 – 9 February 1923 | Hughes | ||
| 8 | Ethel Bruce | 9 February 1923 – 22 March 1929 | Bruce | ||
| 9 | Sarah Scullin | 22 March 1929 – 6 January 1932 | Scullin | ||
| 10 | Enid Lyons | 6 January 1932 – 7 April 1939 | Lyons | ||
| 11 | Ethel Page | 7 April 1939 – 26 April 1939 | Page | ||
| 12 | Pattie Menzies | 26 April 1939 – 29 August 1941 | Menzies | ||
| 13 | Ilma Fadden | 29 August 1941 – 7 October 1941 | Fadden | ||
| 14 | Elsie Curtin | 7 October 1941 – 5 July 1945 | Curtin | ||
| 15 | Vera Forde[14] | 5 July 1945 – 13 July 1945 | Forde | ||
| 16 | Elizabeth Chifley | 13 July 1945 – 19 December 1949 | Chifley | ||
| (12) | Pattie Menzies | 19 December 1949 – 26 January 1966 | Menzies | ||
| 17 | Zara Holt | 26 January 1966 – 17 December 1967 | Holt | ||
| None | 17 December 1967 – 10 January 1968 | McEwen | |||
| 18 | Bettina Gorton | 10 January 1968 – 10 March 1971 | Gorton | ||
| 19 | Sonia McMahon | 10 March 1971 – 5 December 1972 | McMahon | ||
| 20 | Margaret Whitlam | 5 December 1972 – 11 November 1975 | Whitlam | ||
| 21 | Tamie Fraser | 11 November 1975 – 5 March 1983 | Fraser | ||
| 22 | Hazel Hawke | 5 March 1983 – 20 December 1991 | Hawke | ||
| 23 | Annita Keating | 20 December 1991 – 11 March 1996 | Keating | ||
| 24 | Janette Howard | 11 March 1996 – 3 December 2007 | Howard | ||
| 25 | Thérèse Rein | 3 December 2007 – 24 June 2010 | Rudd | ||
| 26 | Tim Mathieson | 24 June 2010 – 27 June 2013 | Gillard | ||
| (25) | Thérèse Rein | 27 June 2013 – 18 September 2013 | Rudd | ||
| 27 | Margie Abbott | 18 September 2013 – 15 September 2015 | Abbott | ||
| 28 | Lucy Turnbull | 15 September 2015 – 24 August 2018 | Turnbull | ||
| 29 | Jenny Morrison | 24 August 2018 – 23 May 2022 | Morrison | ||
| 30 | Jodie Haydon | 23 May 2022 – Incumbent | Albanese | ||
A number of prime ministers have remarried after leaving office or had marriages that ended before taking office.