Statistics on the surviving members of the House of Representatives since 1949 are shown below. There are links to detailed information on each parliament since 1949.
All members who served in the first 18 parliaments from 1901 until the end of 1949 are now deceased.
Official records show one surviving member of the 19th Parliament that was elected on December 10, 1949. The “forty-niner” is a Liberal: Bill Grayden (Swan-WA), aged 104.
For the entire Menzies era (1949-1972), there are 11 surviving members. All but Grayden and Gibbs served together in the 27th Parliament between 1969 and 1972.
Peter Nixon is now the oldest survivor of the 24th parliament (1961-63), and the six parliaments between 1969 and 1983: the 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st and 32nd.
At his death on June 10, 2024, Steele Hall was the oldest surviving member of the five parliaments between 1983 and 1993: the 33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th and 37th. Ian Sinclair then became the oldest surviving member of the six parliaments between 1983 and 1998: the 33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th, 37th and 38th.
This page was last updated on November 28, 2024. It takes account of the most recent deaths:
- Nov 28, 2024: Tom Hughes, Liberal (Parkes-Berowra-NSW), 101
- Nov 14, 2024: John Hodges, Liberal (Petrie-Qld), 87
- Oct 19, 2024: Harry Quick, ALP (Franklin-Tas), 83
- Sep 08, 2024: Nick Dondas, Country Liberal (Northern Territory-NT), 67
- Jul 10, 2024: Pete Steedman, ALP (Casey-Vic), 80
- Jun 14, 2024: Dr Robert Solomon, Liberal (Denison-Tas), 92
- Jun 10, 2024: Steele Hall, Liberal (Boothby-SA), 95
- Jun 01, 2024: Gary Nairn, Liberal (Eden-Monaro-NSW), 73
- May 17, 2024: Lou Lieberman, Liberal (Indi-Vic), 85
- Apr 25, 2024: John Mildren, ALP (Ballarat-Vic), 91
- Mar 21, 2024: Kelly Hoare, ALP (Charlton-NSW), 60
- Jan 30, 2024: Manfred Cross, ALP (Brisbane-Qld), 94
- Dec 19, 2023: Barry Wakelin, Liberal (Grey-SA), 77
- Dec 04, 2023: Peta Murphy, ALP (Dunkley-Vic), 50
- Oct 21, 2023: Bill Hayden, ALP (Oxley-Qld), 90
- Jul 27, 2023: Gordon Dean, Liberal (Herbert-Qld), 81
- Mar 29, 2023: John Kerin, ALP (Werriwa-NSW), 85
- Mar 29, 2023: Stewart West, ALP (Cunningham-NSW), 88
- Nov 08, 2022: Peter Reith, Liberal (Flinders-Vic), 72
- Oct 31, 2022: Bob Ellicott, Liberal (Wentworth-NSW), 95
- Oct 25, 2022: Tony Street, Liberal (Corangamite-Vic), 96
- Oct 13, 2022: John Spender, Liberal (North Sydney-NSW), 86
- Jun 17, 2022: John Mountford, ALP (Banks-NSW), 88
- Mar 30, 2022: Bob Brown, ALP (Hunter-Charlton-NSW), 88
- Feb 26, 2022: Dr Moss Cass, ALP (Maribyrnong-Vic), 95
- Jan 01, 2022: Vic Garland, Liberal (Curtin-WA), 87
- Apr 16, 2021: Andrew Peacock, Liberal (Kooyong-Vic), 82
- Jan 17, 2021: Jon Sullivan, ALP (Longman-Qld), 70
- Dec 20, 2020: Doug Anthony, Country (Richmond-Vic), 90
- Nov 15, 2020: Chris Hurford, ALP (Adelaide-Vic), 89
- Sep 12, 2020: John Fahey, ALP (Macarthur-NSW), 75
- Aug 22, 2020: Edward “Ted” Grace, ALP (Fowler-NSW), 89
- Jun 24, 2020: Roger Johnston, Liberal (Hotham-Vic), 90
- May 24, 2020: Bruce Reid, Liberal (Bendigo-Vic), 84
- Apr 27, 2020: Ian Causley, Nationals (Page-NSW), 79
- Mar 06, 2020: Silvia Smith, ALP (Bass-Tas), 80
- Nov 19, 2019: John Abel, Liberal (Evans-NSW), 80
- Nov 17, 2019: Ben Humphreys, ALP (Griffith-Qld), 85
- Aug 30, 2019: Elaine Darling, ALP (Lilley-Qld), 83
- Aug 22, 2019: Tim Fischer, Nationals (Farrer-NSW), 73
- Aug 10, 2019: Dr Jim Forbes, Liberal (Barker-SA), 95. At his death, Forbes was the oldest former member of three parliaments: the 24th (1961-63), 28th (1972-74) and 29th (1974-75).
- May 16, 2019: Bob Hawke, ALP (Wills-Vic), 89
- Mar 31, 2019: Peter Coleman, Liberal (Wentworth-NSW), 90
- Jan 01, 2019: Paul Neville, Nationals (Hinkler-Qld), 78
- Dec 09, 2018: Gordon Scholes, ALP (Corio-Vic), 87
- Nov 06, 2018: Ted Mack, Independent (North Sydney-NSW), 84
- Sep 12, 2018: Barry Cunningham, ALP (McMillan-Vic), 78
- Jun 02, 2018: Joe Berinson, ALP (Perth-WA), 86
- May 21, 2018: Don Jessop, Liberal (Grey-SA and Senate-SA), 90.
- Jan 02, 2018: Bryan Conquest, National Country (Hinkler-Qld), 87
- Dec 18, 2017: Barry Cohen, ALP (Robertson-NSW), 82.
- Nov 28, 2017: Clarrie Millar, National Country (Wide Bay-Qld), 92. At his death, Millar was the oldest former member of the six parliaments between 1975 and 1990: the 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th and 35th parliaments.
- Nov 16, 2017: Wal Fife, Liberal (Farrer-NSW), 88
- Aug 31, 2017: John Bourchier, Liberal (Bendigo-Vic), 87
- Aug 24, 2017: Doug Everingham, ALP (Capricornia-Qld), 94. At his death, Everingham was the oldest former member of the 27th, 28th, 29th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd parliaments.
- Jun 21, 2017: Con Sciacca, ALP (Bowman-Qld), 70
- Mar 23, 2017: Ian Robinson, Country (Cowper/Page-NSW), 91
- Jan 03, 2017: Russ Gorman, ALP (Greenway-NSW), 90
The table below provides a summary of how many members have served in the 19th to 45th parliaments. It shows how many are still living and what parties they belong to. There are links to more detailed information on each parliament since 1972.
Note: The data is structured around the parliaments since 1949. The numbers cannot be aggregated. Most surviving members served in more than one parliament.
Disclaimer: I am confident that the data shown here is correct. However, I rely on media reports and announcements in parliament for information on deaths of former members. I sincerely hope I haven’t killed or resurrected anyone. I am happy to receive corrections from readers.
| House of Representatives – Members Still Living Since 1949 (Listed by Parliament No. and Years) |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parlt. No. |
Years | Total | Members Still Living |
% Still Living |
ALP | Lib | CP/Nat | Oth | Oldest Surviving Member |
| William Grayden (104) | |||||||||
| William Grayden (104) | |||||||||
| – | |||||||||
| – | |||||||||
| – | |||||||||
| Peter Nixon (96) | |||||||||
| Wylie Gibbs (102) | |||||||||
| Wylie Gibbs (102) | |||||||||
| Peter Nixon (96) | |||||||||
| Peter Nixon (96) | |||||||||
| Peter Nixon (96) | |||||||||
| Peter Nixon (96) | |||||||||
| Peter Nixon (96) | |||||||||
| Peter Nixon (96) | |||||||||
| Ian Sinclair (95) | |||||||||
| Ian Sinclair (95) | |||||||||
| Ian Sinclair (95) | |||||||||
| Ian Sinclair (95) | |||||||||
| Ian Sinclair (95) | |||||||||
| Ian Sinclair (95) | |||||||||
| Wilson Tuckey (89) | |||||||||
| Frank Mossfield (89) | |||||||||
| Wilson Tuckey (89) | |||||||||
| Wilson Tuckey (89) | |||||||||
| Bronwyn Bishop (82) | |||||||||
| Bronwyn Bishop (82) | |||||||||
| Bob Katter (79) | |||||||||
| Bob Katter (79) | |||||||||
| Bob Katter (79) | |||||||||
