Spouse or partner of the prime minister of Australia

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The spouse of the prime minister of Australia is generally a high profile individual who assists the Australian prime minister with ceremonial duties as well as performing various other functions. The position is known as the partner of the prime minister of Australia when the prime minister is unmarried but is in a relationship. With a few exceptions, the prime minister's spouse has been a public figure and the subject of media 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 and Kirribilli House, the official residences of the prime minister, and also assists the prime minister in welcoming foreign dignitaries to Parliament House and various other locations during ceremonial events. However, the position is unpaid and there are no official responsibilities. 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. He and his partner, Jodie Haydon, who lives in her own home in Sydney, became engaged on Valentine's Day, 2024. 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. 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. 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. 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. Margaret Whitlam, Tamie Fraser and Hazel Hawke were made officers of the Order of Australia. Lucy Turnbull was appointed an officer of the order before her husband became prime minister. Tamie Fraser was the first spouse of a prime minister to be provided with an official secretary for dealing with her correspondence.

No. PortraitSpouseTenureLength of tenurePrime Minister1Jane Barton1 January 1901–24 September 1903Barton2Pattie Deakin24 September 1903–27 April 1904Deakin3Ada Watson27 April 1904–18 August 1904Watson4Flora Reid18 August 1904–5 July 1905Reid(2)Pattie Deakin5 July 1905–13 November 1908Deakin5Margaret Fisher13 November 1908–2 June 1909Fisher(2)Pattie Deakin 2 June 1909–29 April 1910Deakin(5)Margaret Fisher 29 April 1910–24 June 1913Fisher6Mary Cook24 June 1913–17 September 1914Cook(5)Margaret Fisher17 September 1914–27 October 1915Fisher7Mary Hughes 27 October 1915–9 February 1923Hughes8Ethel Bruce9 February 1923–22 March 1929Bruce9Sarah Scullin22 March 1929–6 January 1932Scullin10Enid Lyons6 January 1932–7 April 1939Lyons11Ethel Page7 April 1939–26 April 1939Page12Pattie Menzies26 April 1939–29 August 1941Menzies13Ilma Fadden29 August 1941–7 October 1941Fadden14Elsie Curtin7 October 1941–5 July 1945Curtin15Vera Forde5 July 1945–13 July 1945Forde16Elizabeth Chifley13 July 1945–19 December 1949Chifley(12)Pattie Menzies19 December 1949–26 January 1966Menzies17Zara Holt26 January 1966–17 December 1967Holt01.1 None17 December 1967–10 January 1968McEwen18Bettina Gorton10 January 1968–10 March 1971Gorton19Sonia McMahon10 March 1971–5 December 1972McMahon20Margaret Whitlam5 December 1972–11 November 1975Whitlam21Tamie Fraser11 November 1975–5 March 1983Fraser22Hazel Hawke5 March 1983–20 December 1991Hawke23Annita Keating20 December 1991–11 March 1996Keating24Janette Howard11 March 1996–3 December 2007Howard25Thérèse Rein3 December 2007–24 June 2010Rudd26Tim Mathieson24 June 2010–27 June 2013Gillard(25)Thérèse Rein27 June 2013–18 September 2013Rudd27Margie Abbott18 September 2013–15 September 2015Abbott28Lucy Turnbull15 September 2015–24 August 2018Turnbull29Jenny Morrison24 August 2018–23 May 2022Morrison30Jodie Haydon23 May 2022–IncumbentAlbanese

A number of prime ministers have remarried after leaving office or had marriages that ended before taking office. Billy Hughes was in a common law marriage with Elizabeth Cutts from approximately 1890 to her death in 1906. He had six children with her, and also raised her son from a previous relationship. Chris Watson married Antonia Dowlan in 1925, following the death of his first wife Ada in 1921. They had one daughter together. Earle Page married Jean Thomas in 1959, following the death of his first wife Ethel in 1958. She had previously been his personal secretary. John McEwen married Annie McLeod in 1921; she died in 1967, ten months before he became prime minister. He remarried in 1968 to Mary Byrne, who had previously been his personal secretary. John Gorton married Nancy Home in 1993, following the death of his first wife Bettina in 1983. Bob Hawke married Blanche d'Alpuget in 1996, after divorcing his first wife Hazel in 1994. D'Alpuget had previously been his biographer. Paul Keating divorced Annita Keating after leaving office. He has not remarried, though his domestic partner since 1998 has been Julieanne Newbould. Anthony Albanese is the first prime minister to have been divorced before being appointed, having previously been married to Carmel Tebbutt from 2000 until 2019.