Prime Minister

Prime ministers are bound by Australia’s Constitution in terms of their ministerial role and the powers of their governments. The Australian Constitution sets out the key role of ministers as advisers to the British Crown as head of state, and to the Governor-General as representative of the Crown. However, the head of government, the prime minister, is not mentioned at all. In accordance with convention, the prime minister is always an elected member of the House of Representatives. The exception was John Gorton (prime minister 1968-71), who resigned as a senator a week after he was sworn in as prime minister; it was five weeks before the by-election that won him the necessary House of Representatives seat.