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Portraits of Australian Prime Ministers

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18. The Rt Hon Sir John McEwen GCMG CH 21. The Hon Edward Gough Whitlam AC QC 24. The Hon Paul John Keating 27. The Hon Julia Eileen Gillard AC FAQ Born: 1900 Died: 1980 Born: 1916 Died: 2014 Born: 1944 Born: 1961 Where are the portraits of the most recent Prime Ministers? Term of Office: 19 December 1967 to Term of Office: 5 December 1972 to Term of Office: 20 December 1991 to Term of Office: 24 June 2010 to 27 June 10 January 1968 11 November 1975 11 March 1996 2013 Portrait commissions are generally completed within three to five years of a Prime Minister leaving office. The length of time to Member for Echuca 1934 to 1937, Indi 1937 Member for Werriwa 1952 to 1978, Member for Blaxland 1969 to 1996, Member for Lalor 1998 to 2013, Victoria complete a portrait varies considerably between commissions and to 1949 and Murray 1949 to 1971, Victoria New South Wales New South Wales depends on the availability of the artist and the sitter as well as the Political Party: Australian Labor Party artist’s working style. Political Party: Country Party Artist Political Party: Australian Labor Party Political Party: Australian Labor Party Artist FROM THE HISTORIC MEMORIALS COLLECTION Clifton Ernest Pugh Vincent Fantauzzo Gillard became Australia’s first female Prime John McEwen was caretaker Prime Minister (1924-1990) Under Whitlam Australia’s involvement in After eight years as Treasurer in the (born 1977) Minister in a leadership ballot, and went on Who selects the artist? after the disappearance of Harold Holt. After the Vietnam War ended and free tertiary Artist Hawke government, Keating became to lead the first minority government since Artist The subject selects their preferred artist. The National Portrait Gallery 23 days he was replaced when the Liberal education and a national health scheme Robert Lyall Hannaford Prime Minister in a leadership ballot. the 1940s following the 2010 election. Sir William Alexander of Australia then provides the Parliament with advice on the suitability Party elected John Gorton as their new were introduced. He was also the first (born 1944) Keating continued economic reforms, As Prime Minister, she supported climate Dargie (1912–2003) of the chosen artist to undertake the commission. All artists must be leader. McEwen continued as Deputy Australian Prime Minister to visit the introduced Indigenous land rights change action, education and established Australian although they do not need to reside in Australia. Prime Minister until his retirement in 1971. People’s Republic of China. Whitlam’s legislation and reformed vocational the National Disability Insurance Scheme. government was dismissed by the education and training. She was defeated in a leadership ballot When is a portrait commissioned? Governor-General Sir John Kerr on before the 2013 election. 19. The Rt Hon Sir John Grey Gorton GCMG AC 11 November 1975. Portraits of Prime Ministers are generally commissioned after they 25. The Hon John Winston Howard AC leave office. Born: 1911 Died: 2002 28. The Hon Anthony (Tony) John Abbott 22. The Rt Hon John Malcolm Fraser AC CH Born: 1939 Can a Prime Minister choose to be represented by a photograph Term of Office: 10 January 1968 to Born: 1957 10 March 1971 instead of a painting? Born: 1930 Died: 2015 Term of Office: 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007 Term of Office: 18 September 2013 to At its very first meeting in 1911 the Historic Memorials Committee Senator for Victoria 1949 to 1968, Term of Office: 11 November 1975 to 15 September 2015 engaged in robust debate about whether or not a photograph might Member for Higgins 1968 to 1975, Victoria 11 March 1983 Member for Bennelong 1974 to 2007, be commissioned instead of a painting. The Committee’s resolution Member for Warringah since 1994, New South Wales was to commission photographs of all parliamentarians and only Political Party: Liberal Party New South Wales Member for Wannon 1955 to 1983, Victoria commission paintings of its highest officeholders, something that it Political Party: Liberal Party Gorton became Prime Minister in 1968, has continued to do for more than 100 years. Political Party: Liberal Party Political Party: Liberal Party winning the Liberal Party leadership ballot Howard is Australia’s second longest serving after the disappearance of Harold Holt Fraser became Prime Minister in a caretaker Artist Prime Minister. His government introduced Abbott became Prime Minister after winning What happens if a Prime Minister doesn’t like their portrait? Artist Before becoming Member for Higgins, he capacity after the dismissal of the Whitlam Jiawei Shen major taxation reform and the Goods and the 2013 election, having served as Member Prior to undertaking a portrait commission, each artist is June Mendoza served as a Senator for Victoria for 18 years. government and won the subsequent (born 1948) Services Tax (GST). Howard implemented for Warringah for 20 years. As Prime Minister, Artist commissioned to produce a ‘study’ which is a half-size version of the (born 1927) He established the Australian Council for election. Fraser’s government promoted strict gun control legislation after the Abbott introduced a stronger focus on Sir Ivor Henry Hele finished work. This study must then be approved by the subject and the Arts and the National Film and Television multiculturalism, introduced family Port Arthur massacre. His government was national security matters and implemented (1912–1993) the advisor from the National Portrait Gallery of Australia before the Training School. Gorton lost office following allowances, the Great Barrier Reef Marine defeated in 2007 and Howard lost his seat— a number of free trade agreements. He was commission can proceed. If the subject rejects the study then further a no-confidence vote in his leadership by Park, and committed to building a new the first Prime Minister to do so since Bruce defeated in a leadership ballot by Malcolm changes may be negotiated between the subject and the artist or a his party. Parliament House. in 1929. Turnbull. new artist can be selected to undertake the commission. 29. The Hon Malcolm Bligh Turnbull 20. The Rt Hon Sir William (Billy) McMahon GCMG CH 23. The Hon Robert (Bob) James Lee Hawke AC 26. The Hon Kevin Michael Rudd Why are the portraits different sizes? New portrait commissions for Prime Ministerial portraits specify Born: 1908 Died: 1988 Born: 1957 Born: 1954 Born: 1929 a size limit to ensure that they can be hung within Members’ Hall. Term of Office: 15 September 2015 to Prior to 1988 and the opening of Parliament House, Prime Ministerial Term of Office: 10 March 1971 to Term of Office: 11 March 1983 to Term of Office: 3 December 2007 to 24 24 August 2018 5 December 1972 20 December 1991 June 2010; 27 June 2013 to 18 September portraits were hung in Old Parliament House and many of the early 2013 large portraits reflect the grand architecture of King’s Hall. Member for Wentworth 2004 to 2018, Member for Lowe 1949 to 1982, Member for Wills 1980 to 1992, Victoria New South Wales Member for Griffith 1998 to 2013, New South Wales The prevailing economic conditions can also impact on portrait Political Party: Australian Labor Party Queensland commissions, e.g. Prime Minister Joseph Cook opted for a more Political Party: Liberal Party Political Party: Liberal Party modest-sized portrait as the commission was undertaken in the Hawke won the 1983 election, and then Political Party: Australian Labor Party Turnbull became Prime Minister in a midst of World War I in an atmosphere of financial hardship. McMahon became Prime Minister after became Australia’s longest-serving Labor leadership ballot in 2015, and formed John Gorton, who resigned after a tied Artist Prime Minister. His term focussed on Rudd became Prime Minister after Labor’s Early Prime Ministerial portraits were often large in scale and sombre Artist William (Bill) Leak government after winning the 2016 election no-confidence vote by his party. He was globalisation, micro-economic reform and 2007 election win. During his term he ratified in tone; however over time they have tended to become less formal Sir Ivor Henry Hele (1956-2017) with a narrow majority. His term focussed the first Prime Minister to appoint a Minister industrial relations which led to the floating the Kyoto Protocol and delivered the National and capture more of the personality of the sitter. Often they include (1912–1993) on strengthening ties with business and for Aboriginal Affairs. He lost the 1972 of the Australian dollar and a reduction Apology to the Stolen Generations. In 2010, artefacts of personal significance to the portrait subject. science industries and supporting education. election but remained in Parliament until his in tariffs. In 1991 Hawke was defeated in Rudd resigned as Prime Minister following In 2017 Turnbull implemented marriage retirement in 1982. a leadership ballot by his Treasurer, Paul a leadership challenge by his deputy Prime www.aph.gov.au equality legislation after a national postal Keating. Minister, Julia Gillard. He had a brief second term, winning a leadership ballot ahead of survey. He resigned from Parliament after the 2013 election. being defeated in a leadership ballot in August 2018. PORTRAITS OF AUSTRALIAN 3. The Hon John Christian (Chris) Watson 6. The Rt Hon Sir Joseph Cook GCMG 9. The Rt Hon James Henry Scullin 12. The Rt Hon Sir Robert Gordon Menzies KT CH QC 15. The Rt Hon Francis (Frank) Michael Forde PRIME MINISTERS From the Historic Memorials Collection Born: 1867 Died: 1941 Born: 1860 Died: 1947 Born: 1876 Died: 1953 Born: 1894 Died: 1978 Born: 1890 Died: 1983 Term of Office: 27 April 1904 to Term of Office: 24 June 1913 to Term of Office: 22 October 1929 to Terms of office: 26 April 1939 to Term of Office: 6 to 13 July 1945 The Historic Memorials Collection is the longest-running art 17 August 1904 17 September 1914 6 January 1932 29 August 1941; 19 December 1949 to commissioning program in Australia.
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