Deputy Prime Minister of Australia

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The Deputy Prime Minister of Australia is usually first of succession, becoming the new Prime Minister of Australia upon the death, resignation, or removal of the Prime Minister. The current Deputy Prime Minister is Mark Vaile.

It is Australia's second-highest ranked political post position and the Deputy Prime Minister is always the holder of a senior government post. In Labor governments, the Deputy Prime Minister is the party's deputy leader. In Liberal-National Party coalition governments, the Deputy Prime Minister is the leader of the National Party.

The Deputy Prime Minister will usually act as Prime Minister when the Prime Minister is overseas or otherwise unavailable.If the Prime Minister dies,the Deputy Prime Minister will be usually appointed by the Governor General as Caretaker Prime Minister until another election. The Deputy Prime Minister usually holds at least one portfolio in addition to that of Deputy Prime Minister. Vaile, for example, is Minister for Transport.

The office of Deputy Prime Minister was created in January 1968, as an honour for John McEwen, the long-serving leader of the Country Party (predecessor of the National Party). Prior to that time the term was used unofficially for the second-highest ranking minister in the government.

[edit] List of Deputy Prime Ministers of Australia

[edit] Unofficial use

Earle Page (Country Party) 1923-29
Ted Theodore (Australian Labor Party) 1929-32
John Latham (United Australia Party) 1932-34
Earle Page ¹ (Country Party) 1934-39
Archie Cameron (Country Party) 1940-41
Arthur Fadden ² (Country Party) 1941
Robert Menzies (United Australia Party) 1941
Frank Forde ³ (Australian Labor Party) 1941-46
Dr H.V. Evatt (Australian Labor Party) 1946-49
Arthur Fadden (Country Party) 1949-58
John McEwen (Country Party) 1958-67

Deputy Prime Ministers that have become Prime Minister:

• ¹ Earl Page was appointed caretaker Prime Minister after Prime Minister Lyons died
• ² Fadden was made Prime Minister after the resignation of Prime Minister Menzies
• ³ Forde was Deputy Labor Leader under John Curtin, and then under Ben Chifley. He was appointed by the Governor General as caretaker and Prime Minister in 1945 following the death of Curtin.Evatt succeeded Forde as Deputy Leader of the Labor Party.

[edit] Official use

McEwen was given the official title Deputy Prime Minister of Australia in January 1968. He was briefly Prime Minister himself in 1967-68 following the death of Prime Minister Holt.

#	Image	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party	Prime Minister(s)
1		John McEwen	1968	1971	Country	John Gorton
2		Doug Anthony	1971	1972	Country	John Gorton William McMahon
3		Lance Barnard	1972	1974	Labor	Gough Whitlam
4		Jim Cairns	1974	1975	Labor
5		Frank Crean	1975	1975	Labor
6		Doug Anthony	1975	1983	National Country	Malcolm Fraser
7		Lionel Bowen	1983	1990	Labor	Bob Hawke
8		Paul Keating	1990	1991	Labor
9		Brian Howe	1991	1995	Labor	Paul Keating
10		Kim Beazley	1995	1996	Labor
11		Tim Fischer	1996	1999	National	John Howard
12		John Anderson	1999	2005	National
13		Mark Vaile	2005	Present	National