Father of the Australian House of Representatives
In Australian parliamentary practice, the Father of the House of Representatives is the member of the Australian House of Representatives who has served longer, continuously, than any other currently serving member. It is an informal, honorific title which carries no parliamentary responsibilities. Where two or more members have had equal lengths of continuous service, more than any other currently serving members, they are known as the joint Fathers of the House of Representatives. The current Father of the House of Representatives is Philip Ruddock who acquired the title on 1 September 1998 after the resignation from Parliament of the then Father of the House of Representatives, Ian Sinclair.
The only Father of the House of Representatives with broken service but whose latter period of continuous service was sufficiently long to qualify was Eddie Ward.
The first House of Representatives was elected in March 1901. The election was held on Friday 29 March in South Australia and Tasmania, and on Saturday 30 March in the other states. Despite that slight variation in the election date, all the members elected to the first Parliament were considered to have had equal seniority. It follows that there could not be a "longest-serving member" until only one member from the first Parliament was still in the House. That occurred on 8 April 1935 with the death of David Watkins, leaving Billy Hughes as the first Father of the House of Representatives. Hughes was also the first Father of the Parliament from 1938.
Since that date the Fathers and joint Fathers of the House of Representatives have been as follows, with joint Fathers being shown in small type:
From | To | Member | Continuous term started |
Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
9 April 1935 | 28 October 1952 | Billy Hughes | 30 March 1901 | Father |
29 October 1952 | 9 December 1961 | Sir Earle Page | 13 December 1919 | Father |
10 December 1961 | 31 July 1963 | Eddie Ward | 6 February 1932[1] | Father |
1 August 1963 | 16 February 1966 | Joseph Clark John McEwen Sir Robert Menzies |
15 September 1934 | Joint Fathers |
17 February 1966 | 29 September 1969 | Joseph Clark John McEwen |
15 September 1934 | Joint Fathers |
30 September 1969 | 1 February 1971 | John McEwen | 15 September 1934 | Father |
2 February 1971 | 2 November 1972 | Arthur Calwell | 21 September 1940 | Father |
3 November 1972 | 11 November 1975 | Fred Daly | 21 August 1943 | Father |
12 November 1975 | 10 November 1977 | Kim Beazley (senior) | 18 August 1945 | Father |
11 November 1977 | 19 September 1980 | Clyde Cameron Sir William McMahon |
10 December 1949 | Joint Fathers |
20 September 1980 | 4 January 1982 | Sir William McMahon | 10 December 1949 | Father |
5 January 1982 | 31 March 1983 | Malcolm Fraser Sir James Killen Sir Billy Snedden |
10 December 1955 | Joint Fathers |
1 April 1983 | 21 April 1983 | Sir James Killen Sir Billy Snedden |
10 December 1955 | Joint Fathers |
22 April 1983 | 15 August 1983 | Sir James Killen | 10 December 1955 | Father |
16 August 1983 | 18 January 1984 | Doug Anthony | 14 September 1957 | Father |
19 January 1984 | 19 February 1990 | Tom Uren | 22 November 1958 | Father |
20 February 1990 | 31 August 1998 | Ian Sinclair | 30 November 1963 | Father |
1 September 1998 | Incumbent | Philip Ruddock | 22 September 1973 | Father |
See also
- Father of the House
- Father of the Australian Senate
- Father of the Australian Parliament
- Members of the Australian Parliament who have served for at least 30 years
- Parliamentary Handbook: Members of the House of Representatives since 1901
References
- ↑ Eddie Ward also served between 7 March 1931 and 19 December 1931.
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