Spouse or partner of the prime minister of Australia

and Dame Enid Lyons (pictured together in 1955) are among the longest-serving prime ministers' wives, both holding the position for more than seven years. With a few exceptions, the prime minister's spouse has been by default a public figure, and the subject of media and societal interest. A spouse has no official title, but may be unofficially referred to as Australia's "first lady" or "first bloke". The prime minister's spouse receives no official salary, and they have no official responsibilities, duties, obligations or staff. By convention, the spouse of the prime minister serves as the host of The Lodge, the primary official residence of the prime minister, and Kirribilli House, the secondary residence. The incumbent also assists the prime minister in welcoming foreign dignitaries to Parliament House, on official state visits overseas and at various other locations during ceremonial events. Some earlier spouses stayed mainly at home and took little part in public life. Many were preoccupied with rearing children, most notably Dame Enid Lyons (1932–39), who had 12 children (one died in infancy). However, most recent prime ministers' spouses have chosen to also be involved in charities or community organisations, working to raise public awareness, funds, and support for a range of causes. They generally assist their partners in political campaigns and participate in official duties that come with the position, such as hosting foreign dignitaries and, in particular, entertaining the spouses of dignitaries; accompanying the prime ministers on national and international trips; attending conferences and functions; and speaking in public, particularly in the prime minister's constituency. They have attended the opening of Parliament; visited Buckingham Palace, the White House, or the Japanese Imperial Palace; and been present at royal coronations and conferences. ==Careers and public office==

Until the 1960s, it was uncommon for the spouse of a prime minister to have their own career. Zara Holt, a fashion designer, was the first to continue her career during her husband's term in office, and reputedly earned more money than him. Other businesswomen to hold the position have included Thérèse Rein, who ran an employment services company, and Margie Abbott, who ran a childcare centre. Bettina Gorton was an academic who lectured part-time at the Australian National University. Although spouses often assist the prime minister at campaign events, only two have held public office in their own right: • Enid Lyons became the first woman elected to the House of Representatives, several years after her husband's death in office. She was later appointed a junior minister in the Menzies government from 1949 to 1951. • Lucy Turnbull was Lord Mayor of Sydney over a decade before her husband became prime minister. • Ethel Page held senior offices in the organisational wing of the Country Party. ==Marital status==

All prime ministers excluding John McEwen, Julia Gillard and Anthony Albanese were married for the duration of their term in office. McEwen was a widower during his short term; Gillard was in a domestic partnership with Tim Mathieson. Albanese was divorced when he became prime minister, but married while in office, making him both the first divorced prime minister and the first prime minister to marry while in office. He and his partner, Jodie Haydon, who lives in her own home in Sydney, became engaged on Valentine's Day 2024. They married on 29 November 2025, seven months after the 2025 Australian federal election. ==Official recognition==

Some prime ministers' spouses have received official recognition for their services to the community: • Flora Reid, Mary Cook, Mary Hughes, Enid Lyons, Pattie Menzies, and Zara Holt were given damehoods. • Pattie Deakin accepted the award of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1934, to be announced in the New Year's Honours of 1935; she died two days before the announcement. • Margaret Whitlam, Tamie Fraser and Hazel Hawke were made officers of the Order of Australia. Lucy Turnbull was appointed an officer of the order before her husband became prime minister. • Tamie Fraser was the first spouse of a prime minister to be provided with an official secretary for dealing with her correspondence. ==Exhibition==

In June 2006, an exhibition entitled Mrs Prime Minister — Public Image, Private Lives, featuring the wives of 24 prime ministers, opened at Old Parliament House in Canberra, from 1901 to the present. The exhibition featured 150 objects and images, and was centred around six core themes, which included "social advocate, political partner, national hostess, and media personality". It also revealed how individual women had changed the role over time. A travelling version of the exhibition was created, which by then had grown to 25 wives, and featured portraits of six of them. On 19 March 2008, Annita van Iersel, former spouse of Paul Keating, opened the travelling exhibition, which featured portraits of Van Iersel along with Janette Howard, Hazel Hawke, Tamie Fraser, Margaret Whitlam, and Sonia McMahon. , the exhibition showcases 26 women who had been wives to prime ministers between 1901 and 2010. ==List of spouses or partners==

A number of prime ministers have remarried after leaving office or had marriages that ended before taking office. • Billy Hughes was in a common-law marriage with Elizabeth Cutts from approximately 1890 to her death in 1906. He had six children with her, and also raised her son from a previous relationship. • Chris Watson married Antonia Dowlan in 1925, following the death of his first wife Ada in 1921. They had one daughter together. • Earle Page married Jean Thomas in 1959, following the death of his first wife Ethel in 1958. She had previously been his personal secretary. • John McEwen married Annie McLeod in 1921; she died in 1967, ten months before he became prime minister. He remarried in 1968 to Mary Byrne, who had previously been his personal secretary. • John Gorton married Nancy Home in 1993, following the death of his first wife Bettina in 1983. • Bob Hawke married Blanche d'Alpuget in 1996, after divorcing his first wife Hazel in 1994. D'Alpuget had previously been his biographer. • Paul Keating divorced Annita Keating after leaving office. He has not remarried, though his domestic partner since 1998 has been Julieanne Newbould. • Anthony Albanese is the first prime minister to have been divorced before being appointed, having previously been married to Carmel Tebbutt from 2000 until 2019. ==See also==