Leader of the Government in the Senate | |
---|---|
![]() | |
![]() | |
since 23 May 2022 | |
Australian Government Australian Senate | |
Style | The Honourable |
Inaugural holder | Richard O'Connor |
The Leader of the Government in the Senate (historically also known as the Leader of the Senate) is the government's most senior cabinet minister in the Australian Senate and the main government spokesperson in the Senate.[1][2] The position's Opposition counterpart is the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.[3]
The current Leader of the Government in the Senate is Penny Wong, elected unanimously to the position on 23 May 2022, replacing Simon Birmingham. The current Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate is Don Farrell.
Role and history
[edit]According to constitutional convention, the government is formed in the House of Representatives and the Prime Minister is a member of that chamber and the Prime Minister is the leader of the Government in the House of Representatives. The Leader of the Government in the Senate has duties and privileges that parallel those of the Prime Minister, in that he or she has overarching responsibility for all policy areas and acts as the government's principal spokesperson in the upper house. He or she is also entitled to sit at the table of the Senate, and has priority in gaining recognition from the President of the Senate during debate.[3] Another similarity is that the leader typically announces changes to government officeholders in the Senate, including ministers, leadership and whips. The leader also has some responsibility for appointing government senators to committees, a role filled in the House of Representatives by the Leader of the House.[4]
The position of Leader of the Government in the Senate does not have a constitutional basis, but has existed since the first parliament in 1901 through longstanding parliamentary convention. Although it has similarities to the Senate Majority Leader in the United States and the Leader of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom, it was not based on either of those, but rather on the position of Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council found in Australia's colonial parliaments. Because government is formed in the House rather than the Senate, there is no guarantee that the Leader of the Government will be drawn from the largest party in the Senate. Unlike the Prime Minister, there is no requirement for the Leader of the Government to command the confidence of the chamber. It is not a cabinet post in its own right, and the holder of the office has always held at least one ministerial portfolio (though sometimes only the mostly honorific Vice-Presidency of the Executive Council).
The longest-serving Leader of the Government in the Senate was George Pearce, who held the position for a cumulative total of 15 years in three separate terms between 1914 and 1937. Uniquely, from 10 January to 1 February 1968, the positions of Prime Minister and Leader of the Government in the Senate were held by the same person, John Gorton. After the disappearance of Harold Holt, Gorton – a senator – was elected leader of the Liberal Party and thus ascended to the prime ministership. In line with constitutional convention, he resigned from the Senate to contest a by-election to the House of Representatives.
List of Leaders of the Government in the Senate
[edit]Leader | Term began | Term ended | Portfolio[5] | Party | Prime Minister | Term in office | Deputy | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Richard O'Connor | 9 May 1901[6][7] | 24 September 1903 | V-P Exec. Council | Protectionist | Barton | 2 years, 96 days | James Drake | |
Tom Playford | 24 September 1903[8] | 27 April 1904 | V-P Exec. Council | Protectionist | Deakin | 216 days | ||
Gregor McGregor | 27 April 1904[9] | 18 August 1904 | V-P Exec. Council | Labor | Watson | 113 days | Anderson Dawson | |
Josiah Symon | 18 August 1904[10] | 5 July 1905 | Attorney-General | Free Trade | Reid | 321 days | James Drake | |
Tom Playford | 5 July 1905[11][12] | 31 December 1906[n 1] | Defence | Protectionist | Deakin | 1 year, 179 days | John Keating | |
Robert Best | 20 February 1907[5][14] | 13 November 1908 | V-P Exec. Council | Protectionist | 1 year, 267 days | |||
Gregor McGregor | 13 November 1908[15][16] | 2 June 1909 | V-P Exec. Council | Labor | Fisher | 201 days | George Pearce | |
Edward Millen | 2 June 1909[17] | 29 April 1910 | V-P Exec. Council | Commonwealth Liberal |
Deakin | 331 days | Robert Best | |
Gregor McGregor | 29 April 1910[18][19] | 24 June 1913 | V-P Exec. Council | Labor | Fisher | 3 years, 56 days | George Pearce | |
Edward Millen | 24 June 1913[20] | 17 September 1914 | Defence | Commonwealth Liberal |
Cook | 1 year, 85 days | James McColl | |
George Pearce | 17 September 1914[21][22] | 17 February 1917 | Defence | Labor | Fisher | 2 years, 153 days | Albert Gardiner | |
Hughes | ||||||||
National Labor | Patrick Lynch | |||||||
Edward Millen | 17 February 1917[23] | 9 February 1923 |
|
Nationalist | 5 years, 357 days | George Pearce | ||
George Pearce | 9 February 1923[24][25] | 19 October 1929 |
|
Nationalist | Bruce | 6 years, 252 days | Victor Wilson | |
John Daly | 22 October 1929[26] | 3 March 1931 |
|
Labor | Scullin | 1 year, 132 days | ||
John Barnes | 3 March 1931[27] | 6 January 1932 | V-P Exec. Council | Labor | 309 days | |||
George Pearce | 6 January 1932[28] | 29 November 1937 |
|
United Australia |
Lyons | 5 years, 327 days | ||
Alexander McLachlan | 29 November 1937[29] | 7 November 1938 | Postmaster-General | United Australia |
343 days | |||
George McLeay | 8 November 1938[30] | 7 October 1941 |
|
United Australia |
2 years, 333 days | |||
Page | ||||||||
Menzies | ||||||||
Fadden | ||||||||
Joe Collings | 7 October 1941[31][32] | 20 September 1943 | Interior | Labor | Curtin | 1 year, 348 days | ||
Richard Keane | 20 September 1943[33] | 26 April 1946 | Trade and Customs | Labor | 2 years, 218 days | |||
Forde | ||||||||
Chifley | ||||||||
Bill Ashley | 17 June 1946[34] | 19 December 1949 | Labor | 3 years, 185 days | ||||
Neil O'Sullivan | 21 February 1950[35] | 8 December 1958 |
|
Liberal | Menzies | 8 years, 290 days | ||
Bill Spooner | 8 December 1958[36] | 2 June 1964[37] | Liberal | 5 years, 178 days | Shane Paltridge | |||
Shane Paltridge | 10 June 1964[38] | 19 January 1966[39] | Defence | Liberal | 1 year, 230 days | Denham Henty | ||
Denham Henty | 26 January 1966[40] | 16 October 1967 | Supply | Liberal | Holt | 1 year, 263 days | John Gorton | |
John Gorton | 16 October 1967 | 1 February 1968 |
|
Liberal | 108 days | Denham Henty | ||
McEwen | ||||||||
Himself | ||||||||
Ken Anderson | 28 February 1968[n 2] | 5 December 1972 | Liberal | Gorton | 4 years, 281 days | |||
Annabelle Rankin | ||||||||
McMahon | ||||||||
Reg Wright | ||||||||
Lionel Murphy | 19 December 1972[42] | 9 February 1975 | Labor | Whitlam | 2 years, 52 days | |||
Ken Wriedt | 10 February 1975[43] | 11 November 1975 |
|
Labor | 274 days | |||
Reg Withers | 12 November 1975[44] | 7 August 1978[45] | Liberal | Fraser | 2 years, 268 days | |||
John Carrick | 7 August 1978[46] | 11 March 1983 |
|
Liberal | 4 years, 216 days | |||
John Button | 11 March 1983[47] | 24 March 1993 | Industry, Technology and Commerce[n 4] | Labor | Hawke | 10 years, 13 days | ||
Keating | ||||||||
Gareth Evans | 24 March 1993[48] | 6 February 1996[n 5] | Foreign Affairs | Labor | 2 years, 319 days | |||
Robert Hill | 11 March 1996[49] | 20 January 2006 |
|
Liberal | Howard | 9 years, 315 days | Nick Minchin | |
Nick Minchin | 27 January 2006[50] | 3 December 2007 | Liberal | 1 year, 310 days | Helen Coonan | |||
Chris Evans | 12 December 2007[51][52] | 4 February 2013 |
|
Labor | Rudd | 5 years, 54 days | Stephen Conroy | |
Gillard | ||||||||
Stephen Conroy | 4 February 2013[53][54] | 26 June 2013 | Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy | Labor | 142 days | Penny Wong | ||
Penny Wong | 26 June 2013[55][56] | 18 September 2013 | Finance and Deregulation | Labor | Rudd | 84 days | Jacinta Collins | |
Eric Abetz | 18 September 2013[57][58] | 21 September 2015 | Employment | Liberal | Abbott | 2 years, 2 days | George Brandis | |
George Brandis | 21 September 2015 | 20 December 2017 | Attorney-General V-P Exec. Council |
Liberal | Turnbull | 2 years, 90 days | Mathias Cormann | |
Mathias Cormann | 20 December 2017 | 30 October 2020 | Finance and the Public Service V-P Exec. Council |
Liberal | 6 years, 253 days | Mitch Fifield Simon Birmingham | ||
Liberal | Morrison | |||||||
Simon Birmingham | 30 October 2020 | 23 May 2022 | Finance Trade, Tourism and Investment (to Dec 2020) V-P Exec. Council |
Liberal | 3 years, 304 days | Michaelia Cash | ||
Penny Wong | 1 June 2022 | Incumbent | Foreign Affairs | Labor | Albanese | 2 years, 89 days | Don Farrell |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Playford lost his seat at the federal election on 12 December. The year 1906 was the last in which terms ended in on the last day of December rather than June.[13]
- ^ Anderson was appointed Leader of the Government before the second session of the 26th Parliament,[41] and Gorton made his appointments on 28 February 1968.[5]
- ^ Withers was appointed Vice-President of the Executive Council the day after the Dismissal as part of Fraser's Caretaker Cabinet, but he continued in that office for his entire tenure as Leader of the Government. On the same date, he was appointed caretaker the Capital Territory, Special Minister of State, Minister for the Media, and Tourism and Recreation. He served in those offices until 22 December, when Fraser's first full Cabinet was sworn in. The Senate did not meet during the period 12 November to 22 December 1975 (indeed it was dissolved for most of that time). Withers gained the Administrative Services portfolio as part of 22 December reshuffle.
- ^ Minister for Industry and Commerce 1983–1984.
- ^ Resigned to contest (successfully) the lower house seat of Holt.
- ^ Minister for Environment 1996–98.
- ^ Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research 2011–13.
References
[edit]- ^ "Senate Office Holders". www.aph.gov.au. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Who's who in the current Parliament - Parliamentary Education Office". peo.gov.au. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Leadership in Parliament". Fact Sheets. Parliamentary Education Office. Archived from the original on 17 September 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
- ^ "6. Senators: Parties and party leaders". Odger's Australian Senate Practice (13th ed.). Archived from the original on 21 July 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
- ^ a b c Australian Parliamentary Library. "Ministries and Cabinets". Parliamentary Handbook (32nd ed.). Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "The Commonwealth". The Register. 29 May 1901. p. 6. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ Richard O'Connor, Leader of the Senate (13 August 1903). "Standing Orders". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Commonwealth of Australia: Senate. p. 3512. Archived 29 August 2024 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Political Notes". Western Star and Roma Advertiser. 2 September 1903. p. 3. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Federal Politics: Mr. Watson Forms a Cabinet". The West Australian. 27 April 1904. p. 7. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Latest Messages—Federal Parliament: The New Ministry". Western Star and Roma Advertiser. 20 August 1904. p. 2. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ Henry Dobson (7 July 1905). "New Administration: special adjournment". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Commonwealth of Australia: Senate. p. 142. Archived 29 August 2024 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Senator Keating and Other Ministers". The Examiner. 11 July 1905. p. 5. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ Constitution Alteration (Senate Elections Act) 1906 Archived 29 August 2024 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "The Commonwealth Parliament: First Day's Proceedings". The Register. 21 February 1907. p. 6. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Members of New Cabinet: Representation of States". Kalgoorlie Miner. 13 November 1908. p. 5. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Federal Labor Ministry Sworn in Today". The Daily News. 13 November 1908. p. 3. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Formation of the Cabinet: The New Ministers". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. 8 June 1909. p. 36. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "New Labor Ministry: Mr Fisher's Team Sworn In". The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times. 30 April 1910. p. 5. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Federal Land Tax: The Property Owners". Daily Herald. 17 October 1910. p. 6. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "The Cook Cabinet: Personnel of the New Team". Forbes Advocate. 18 September 1913. p. 3. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "The New Ministry: Result of the Ballot". The Examiner. 18 September 1914. p. 6. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Fourth Commonwealth Labour Government". The Worker. 24 September 1914. p. 6. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ ""Win-the-War" Ministry: Portfolios Allotted". The Argus. 19 February 1917. p. 6. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Federal Ministry Sworn In". The Register. 10 February 1923. p. 9. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "The Federal Government". The West Australian. 12 February 1923. p. 6. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "The Federal Ministry: Members Sworn In". Advertiser. 25 October 1929. p. 2. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Allocation of Federal Portfolios". The Advocate. 4 May 1931. p. 7. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "The Federal Sphere: New Ministry Sworn In". The Longreach Leader. 8 January 1932. p. 16. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Federal Cabinet: The New Ministers—Surprise Changes". The West Australian. 30 November 1937. p. 17. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Health Portfolio—Senator Foll". The Mercury. 8 November 1938. p. 7. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Election of Cabinet: Labor Party to Assemble in Canberra Today". The Mercury. 6 October 1941. p. 2. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "New Ministers Sworn In, Canberra Ceremony". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 October 1941. p. 8. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Ballot for Labor Cabinet: Fourteen Ministers Elected in First Count". The Advertiser. 21 September 1943. p. 3. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Sen. McKenna Appointed to Fedl. Cabinet". The Courier-Mail. 18 June 1946. p. 1. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Dr. Evatt Survives a Challenge, Mr. E. J. Ward Beaten For Labour Party Post". The West Australian. 22 February 1950. p. 2. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2014 – via Trove.
- ^ "5 New Men in Federal Ministry, Dr. Allen Fairhall Omitted". The Canberra Times. 9 December 1958. p. 1. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Spooner Resigns from Cabinet: Government Solves One Problem, Finds Another". The Canberra Times. 3 June 1964. p. 1. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "P.M. Fills Vacancies in Cabinet Reshuffle: Anderson and Howson New Ministers". The Canberra Times. 11 June 1964. p. 1. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Paltridge Resigns Defence Portfoliio". The Canberra Times. 20 January 1966. p. 1. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Bury in Cabinet: Holt chooses woman Minister in reshuffle". The Canberra Times. 26 January 1966. p. 1. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ Ken Anderson, Leader of the Government in the Senate (12 March 1968). "Ministerial Arrangement". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Commonwealth of Australia: Senate. p. 12. Archived 29 August 2024 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Full Labor Ministry sworn in". The Canberra Times. 20 December 1972. p. 1. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Mr Enderby Made Attorney-General". The Canberra Times. 11 February 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Fraser Caretaker Cabinet". The Canberra Times. 13 November 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "PM sacks Withers, Durack gets post". The Canberra Times. 8 August 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Person Details: Hon Sir John Leslie Carrick KCMG, AC". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
- ^ Australian Parliamentary Library. "Button, John (1933–2008)". Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ Australian Parliamentary Library. "Evans, Gareth (1944–)". Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ Australian Parliamentary Library. "Hill, Robert (1946–)". Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ Australian Parliamentary Library. "Minchin, Nick (1953–)". Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ Australian Parliamentary Library. "Evans, Chris, (Christopher Vaughan) (1958–)". Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Former Senator Christopher Evans". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ Australian Parliamentary Library. "Conroy, Stephen Michael, (the Hon) (1963–)". Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Former Senator Stephen Conroy". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ Australian Parliamentary Library. "Wong, Penelope Ying-Yen". Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Senator the Hon. Penny Wong". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ Australian Parliamentary Library. "Abetz, Eric". Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2013 – via Trove.
- ^ "Senator the Hon Eric Abetz". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 6 November 2021.