13 figures mapped
Political Views of Australian Prime Ministers
Prime ministers of Australia from Edmund Barton to Scott Morrison, placed on the 12 axes from their speeches, platforms and record in office.
Up and down the compass: 7 on the authority side, 2 near the middle and 4 on the liberty side.
All 13
1849-1920 · AustraliaEdmund Barton1st Prime Minister of Australia (1901-1903)Auth left
1856-1919 · AustraliaAlfred Deakin2nd Prime Minister of Australia (1903-1904, 1905-1908, 1909-1910)Auth left
1894-1978 · AustraliaRobert Menzies12th Prime Minister of Australia (1939-1941, 1949-1966)Auth right
1885-1945 · AustraliaJohn Curtin14th Prime Minister of Australia (1941-1945)Auth left
1885-1951 · AustraliaBen Chifley16th Prime Minister of Australia (1945-1949)Auth left
1916-2014 · AustraliaGough Whitlam21st Prime Minister of Australia (1972-1975)Lib left
1930-2015 · AustraliaMalcolm Fraser22nd Prime Minister of Australia (1975-1983)Lib right
1929-2019 · AustraliaBob Hawke23rd Prime Minister of Australia (1983-1991)Lib right
Born 1944 · AustraliaPaul Keating24th Prime Minister of Australia (1991-1996)Lib right
Born 1939 · AustraliaJohn Howard25th Prime Minister of Australia (1996-2007)Auth right
Born 1961 · AustraliaJulia Gillard27th Prime Minister of Australia (2010-2013)Lib left
Born 1954 · AustraliaMalcolm Turnbull29th Prime Minister of Australia (2015-2018)Lib right
Born 1968 · AustraliaScott Morrison30th Prime Minister of Australia (2018-2022)Auth right
Quick quiz
Which Australian Prime Minister Are You?
Answer 12 statements and see whose recorded views sit closest to yours. Free, about two minutes.
FAQ
Australian prime ministers: questions
How many Australian prime ministers are on PoliticalTests?
13 Australian prime ministers have a profile here, from Edmund Barton to Scott Morrison. Of them, 5 sit on the economic left, 3 near the centre and 5 on the economic right. Leaders still active in politics are not included.
How are these positions worked out?
Each person is placed on the 12 axes of the 12 Axes Political Test from their own speeches, writings, votes and record in office, with sources on every profile page. The map shows two of those measures: economic views across, and the mean of the civil and society axes up and down. Axes with no reasonable basis are left blank and do not count.
Is this a ranking or a judgment?
No. The placements describe stated positions and policies, not character or success in office. Every profile sets out what admirers and critics say, so you can read both sides.
