Federal Election Dates and Outcomes

This table shows:

• all federal election dates since 1901
• whether incumbent governments were re-elected or defeated
• winning leader and party
• losing leader and party

Periods of Labor government are shaded.

Some interesting facts:

- There have been 27 Prime Ministers and 43 elections up to 2012.

- The 27 Prime Ministers have served 32 separate terms of office.

- 10 Prime Ministers have been defeated at a general election: Deakin, Fisher, Cook, Bruce, Scullin, Chifley, McMahon, Fraser, Keating, Howard. Whilst he ceased to be prime minister following his dismissal by the Governor-General, Whitlam could be added as the 11th member of this list.

- There have been 21 changes of Prime Minister without an election. Reasons include:

• vice-regal intervention: Whitlam
• voluntary departure: Barton, Fisher, Page, Forde, McEwen, Menzies
• party-room coups: Hughes, Menzies, Gorton, Hawke, Rudd
• death: Lyons, Curtin, Holt
• defeat in Parliament: Deakin (2), Watson, Reid, Fisher, Fadden

- There have been 7 Prime Ministers who never won an election: Watson, Reid, Page, Fadden, Forde, McEwen, McMahon.

- There have been 10 Opposition Leaders who contested elections but never became Prime Minister: Tudor, Charlton, Evatt, Calwell, Snedden, Hayden, Peacock, Hewson, Beazley & Latham.

See Also:

• List of Prime Ministers in chronological order
• List of Prime Ministers by length of term
• List of Opposition Leaders