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133-401: A baby bonus was introduced in 1996 for both born (and not yet born) and adopted children. Its means tested and varies by geographic location. The government of Andrew Fisher introduced a baby bonus of £5 per child in late 1912. The bonus was available irrespective of marital status and could also be received by husbands of women who died in childbirth. While Fisher told parliament that the aim

266-659: A referendum in 1913 which asked for greater federal powers over trade and commerce, corporations, industrial matters, trusts, monopolies, and railway disputes. All six questions were defeated, with around 51 per cent voting 'No'. At the 1913 election , the Commonwealth Liberal Party , led by Joseph Cook , defeated the Labor Party by a single seat. Labor retained control of the Australian Senate despite defeat. In 1914, Cook, frustrated by

399-607: A 50% decrease in military spending and declared support for a federation. He was also active in the Amalgamated Miners Union, becoming President of the Gympie branch by 1891. Another policy area that captured his attention during this term, was the employment of workers from the Pacific Islands in sugar plantations, a practice that Fisher and Labour both strongly opposed. He lost his seat in 1896 following

532-795: A War Pensions Act was passed to provide for the grant of Pensions upon the death or incapacity of Members of the Defence Force of the Commonwealth and Members of the Imperial Reserve Forces residents in Australia whose death or incapacity resulted from their employment in connection with warlike operations. In October 1915, journalist Keith Murdoch reported on the situation in Gallipoli at Fisher's request, and advised him, "Your fears have been justified". He described

665-559: A campaign in which he was charged by his opponent Jacob Stumm with being a dangerous revolutionary and an anti-Catholic, accusations that were propagated by the newspaper Gympie Times . The 1896 establishment of the Gympie Truth , a newspaper that he was to partly own, was part of his response. Intended as a medium to broadcast Labour's message, the newspaper played a vital role in Fisher's return to parliament in 1899. This time, he

798-497: A colony. Following a resignation in other circumstances or the death of a prime minister, the governor-general generally appoints the deputy prime minister as the new prime minister, until or if such time as the governing party or senior coalition party elects an alternative party leader. This has resulted in the party leaders from the Country Party (now named National Party ) being appointed as prime minister, despite being

931-740: A dollar matching the amount of savings that parents contribute to their child's savings in the CDA with the cap reduced as a result of the Grant. The amount is capped at S$ 6,000 for the first child, S$ 9,000 for the second child, S$ 12,000 for the third and fourth child, and S$ 18,000 for the fifth and subsequent child. The savings in this account may be used by the child and his/her siblings at the approved institutions for Child Care Centre, Early Intervention Programmes, Healthcare Institutions, Kindergarten, Special Education Centre, Assistive Technology Device Provider, Optical Shop and Pharmacy. With effect from 1 January 2013,

1064-632: A few years earlier, becoming a police constable in Liverpool . Fisher and his younger brother James arrived in Brisbane , Queensland , on 17 August 1885, after a two-month steamship journey from London. He first saw Australia during a stopover at Thursday Island , where whites were a minority and there was a large Japanese population. His biographer David Day has speculated that this initial first impression may have contributed to his later opposition to non-white immigration. Fisher's path to Australia

1197-547: A four-month period in 1904. Fisher established and demonstrated his ministerial capabilities as Minister for Trade and Customs in the Watson Ministry . The fourth Labour member in the ministry after Watson, Hughes, and Lee Batchelor , Fisher was promoted to Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in 1905. George Reid adopted a strategy of trying to reorient the party system along Labour vs non-Labour lines – prior to

1330-618: A limited $ 1028.15 will be submitted. There have been other changes recently. There are additional benefits for Aboriginal people. A baby bonus was introduced in Canada following World War II , paying $ 5 to $ 8 monthly to all parents of children under 16. In 1988, the Quebec government introduced the Allowance for Newborn Children that paid up to $ 8,000 to a family after the birth of a child. In 2008, Newfoundland and Labrador introduced

1463-506: A mining theme in honour of Fisher's occupation before entering public life. Ramsay MacDonald , Britain's first Labour Prime Minister, unveiled a memorial to Fisher in Hampstead Cemetery in 1930. A memorial garden was also dedicated to Fisher at his birthplace in the late 1970s. In 1972 he was honoured on a postage stamp bearing his portrait issued by Australia Post . In 1992, his home in Gympie ( Andrew Fisher's Cottage )

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1596-400: A number of Scottish miners. He began as an ordinary miner and joined the local miners' union, but after successfully sinking a new shaft at Torbanlea , he was employed as a mine manager. Prospering financially for the first time in his life, he built a timber cottage at Howard and began investing in shares. Fisher moved to the larger gold-mining town of Gympie in 1888, initially working in

1729-622: A period, and then in October 1922 bought a home on South Hill Park near Hampstead Heath . He explored the possibility of standing for the British House of Commons , but eventually opted for a permanent retirement from politics. By the time he was 60, Fisher's family and friends had begun to notice a decline in his mental faculties, which was probably a form of early-onset dementia . It was judged unsafe for him to be out alone in public, and in 1925 his assets were placed in trust. By 1928, he

1862-421: A small pay rise rather than the 10 percent that had been asked for; many workers depleted their savings and some cooperatives came close to bankruptcy. Fisher had originally been opposed to the strike, and unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a compromise with mine-owners. He lost his job, but soon found work at a different mine. Like many miners, Fisher was a supporter of Gladstone's Liberal Party , in particular

1995-403: A total of twenty-two out of thirty-six seats. This gave Labour control of both upper and lower houses and enabled Fisher to form his Second Fisher Ministry , Australia's first elected federal majority government , Australia's first elected Senate majority, and the world's first Labour Party majority government. The 113 acts passed in the three years of the second Fisher government exceeded even

2128-529: A woman has undergone a postnatal gynaecological examination. This way, a woman whose baby is stillborn or dies shortly after birth is still entitled to the first two parts of the baby bonus. The postnatal allowance can be claimed once the child has turned 2 years old and has undergone 6 medical examinations with a paediatrician. In April 2016, the PiS government, in response to low fertility rates in Poland, introduced

2261-657: A young age to work in the nearby coal mines, becoming secretary of the local branch of the Ayrshire Miners' Union at the age of 17. Fisher emigrated to Australia in 1885, where he continued his involvement with trade unionism. He settled in Gympie , Queensland, and in 1893 was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly as a representative of the Labor Party. Fisher lost his seat in 1896 , but returned in 1899 and later that year briefly

2394-623: Is Anthony Albanese of the Australian Labor Party , who assumed the office on 23 May 2022. The role and duties of the prime minister are not described by the Australian constitution but rather defined by constitutional convention deriving from the Westminster system and responsible government . The prime minister is formally appointed by the governor-general , who is ordinarily constrained by convention to choose

2527-903: Is the Lodge in Canberra . Most prime ministers have chosen the Lodge as their primary residence because of its security facilities and close proximity to Parliament House. There have been some exceptions, however. James Scullin preferred to live at the Hotel Canberra (now the Hyatt Hotel) and Ben Chifley lived in the Hotel Kurrajong . More recently, John Howard used the Sydney prime ministerial residence, Kirribilli House , as his primary accommodation. On her appointment on 24 June 2010, Julia Gillard said she would not be living in

2660-494: Is $ 5,000 in 13 fortnightly instalments (parents will receive a higher first instalment of $ 846.20 and 12 fortnightly instalments of $ 346.15), or if the baby died or was a stillborn, parents may ask for their Baby Bonus to be paid in a lump sum instead of fortnightly instalments. In the draft of the 2013 federal budget, the "baby bonus" would be slashed from $ 5,000.00 to $ 2056.45 as of 1 March 2014. The first newborn child will receive $ 2056.45, and for every subsequent child thereafter,

2793-613: Is an accepted version of this page The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia . The prime minister is the chair of the Cabinet of Australia and thus the head of the federal executive government . Under the principles of responsible government , the prime minister is both responsible to and a member of the Commonwealth Parliament . The current prime minister

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2926-547: Is currently the Ambassador to the United States. The deputy prime minister becomes acting prime minister if the prime minister is unable to undertake the role for a short time, for example if they are ill, overseas or on leave (and if both are unavailable, then another senior minister takes on this role). The Acts Interpretation Act 1901 confers upon acting ministers "the same power and authority with respect to

3059-490: Is escorted by police vehicles from state and federal authorities. Politicians, including prime ministers, are usually granted certain privileges after leaving office, such as office accommodation, staff assistance, and a Life Gold Pass which entitles the holder to travel within Australia for non-commercial purposes at government expense. In 2017, then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said the pass should be available only to former prime ministers, though he would not use it when he

3192-463: Is indexed annually with inflation. This can only be spent on housing, education, healthcare, or a mother's pension. The Baby Bonus Scheme (formerly known as Child Development Co-Savings Scheme) was first introduced in Singapore on 1 April 2001. The scheme is continuously enhanced since its inception till 2021. The objective is to improve the country's fertility rate by providing cash incentives, with

3325-555: Is now generally seen as one of the most significant figures in the early years of his party. At the end of the First World War, France awarded him the Légion d'honneur , but he declined it; he did not like decorations of any kind and adhered to this view throughout his life. In 1911 Fisher declined the offer of honorary degrees from the universities of Oxford , Cambridge , Glasgow and Birmingham , although he did accept

3458-491: Is split into three stages, known as allocation prénatale (prenatal allowance), allocation de naissance (birth allowance) and allocation postnatale (postnatal allowance). The allowance is universal and is not means-tested. The total allowance amounts to €1,740.09, paid in three sums of €580.03 once each stage is complete. The prenatal allowance can be claimed once a woman has undergone 5 obstetric examinations and 1 dental examination. The birth allowance can be claimed once

3591-600: The 1906 election , he renamed his Free Trade Party to the Anti-Socialist Party. Reid envisaged a spectrum running from socialist to anti-socialist, with the Protectionist Party in the middle. This attempt struck a chord with politicians who were steeped in the Westminster tradition and regarded a two-party system as very much the norm. At the 1906 election, Deakin remained prime minister even though Labour gained considerably more seats than

3724-626: The 1913 election the ALP narrowly lost its House of Representatives majority to the Liberal Party, with Fisher being replaced as prime minister by Joseph Cook . After just over a year in office, Cook was forced to call a new election , the first double dissolution . Labor won back its majority in the House, and Fisher returned for a third term as prime minister. During the election campaign he famously declared that Australia would defend Britain "to

3857-615: The 1947 New Year Honours . In addition to these honours, all deceased former prime ministers of Australia currently have federal electorates named after them. The most newly created of these electorates is the Division of Hawke , named in honour of the recently deceased Bob Hawke in 2021. The longest-serving prime minister was Robert Menzies , who served in office twice: from 26 April 1939 to 28 August 1941, and again from 19 December 1949 to 26 January 1966. In total Robert Menzies spent 18 years, 5 months and 12 days in office. He served under

3990-785: The Australian Federal Police College when in Canberra. During his first term, Rudd had a staff at the Lodge consisting of a senior chef and an assistant chef, a child carer, one senior house attendant, and two junior house attendants. At Kirribilli House in Sydney, there are a full-time chef and a full-time house attendant. The official residences are fully staffed and catered for both the prime minister and their family. In addition, both have extensive security facilities. These residences are regularly used for official entertaining, such as receptions for Australian of

4123-595: The Commonwealth Liberal Party , while the more liberal Protectionists joined Labour. With a majority of seats, the CLP led by Alfred Deakin ousted Labour from office, with Fisher failing to persuade the Governor-General Lord Dudley to dissolve Parliament. At the 1910 election , Labour gained sixteen additional seats to hold a total of forty-two of the seventy-five House of Representatives' seats, and all eighteen Senate seats up for election to hold

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4256-563: The Czech Republic . A bonus of €944.51 is paid for each child born (means-tested). Currently, there is a bonus of €960 (approx. $ 1,133) for every child born to household with income lower than €26,000 (approx. $ 30,700), and €1920 (approx. $ 2,266) for every child born to household with income lower than €7,000 (approx. $ 8,271). Currently, there is a bonus of €405 ($ 475) for every child in Lithuania . Luxembourg's baby bonus system

4389-742: The Dardanelles Expedition as being "a series of disastrous underestimations" and "one of the most terrible chapters in our history" concluding: What I want to say to you now very seriously is that the continuous and ghastly bungling over the Dardanelles enterprise was to be expected from such a general staff as the British Army possesses ... the conceit and self complacency of the red feather men are equalled only by their incapacity. Fisher passed this report on to Hughes and to Defence Minister George Pearce , ultimately leading to

4522-662: The Federation of Australia . However Fisher was a firm believer in federation, supporting the union of the Australian colonies and campaigned for the 'Yes' vote in Queensland's 1899 referendum. Fisher stood for the Division of Wide Bay at the inaugural 1901 Australian federal election and won the seat, which he held continuously for the rest of his political career. At the end of 1901, Fisher married Margaret Irvine , his previous landlady's daughter. Fisher supported

4655-866: The Freedom of the City from the cities of Glasgow , Edinburgh and Bristol . Another honour Fisher did accept was appointment to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom on his visit to the UK in 1911 for the Coronation of King George V and the Imperial Conference at the same time as New Zealand Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward and Governor Lord Islington , granting him use of " The Right Honourable ". Public reaction to his appointment

4788-468: The King of Australia , who holds the de jure power to make the appointment and is by convention bound to accept such advice. The prime minister can also advise the monarch to dismiss the governor-general, though it remains unclear how quickly the monarch would act on such advice in a constitutional crisis . This uncertainty, and the possibility of a race between the governor-general and prime minister to dismiss

4921-595: The Privy Council of the United Kingdom was accepted by all prime ministers until 1983 (with the exception of Alfred Deakin, Chris Watson and Gough Whitlam), with Malcolm Fraser being the last prime ministerial appointee. Since its introduction in 1975, former prime ministers of Australia have been appointed to the Order of Australia and to its highest level – Companion: Whitlam (1978), Fraser (1988), Gorton (1988), Howard (2008), Gillard (2017), Rudd (2019), Abbott (2020), and Turnbull (2021). Keating refused appointment in

5054-1010: The River Murray Waters Act 1915 , the Freight Arrangements Act 1915 , the Sugar Purchase Act 1915 , the Estate Duty Assessment and the Estate Duty acts in 1914. Wartime legislation in 1914 and 1915 included the War Precautions acts (giving the Governor-General power to make regulations for national security), a Trading with the Enemy Act , War Census acts, a Crimes Act , a Belgium Grant Act , and an Enemy Contracts Annulment Act . In December 1914,

5187-763: The White Australia policy but also argued that any Kanaka who had converted to Christianity and married should be allowed to remain in Australia. Labour improved their position at the 1903 election , gaining enough seats to be on par with the other two, a legislative time colloquially known as the "three elevens". When the Deakin government resigned in 1904, George Reid of the Free Trade Party declined to take office, resulting in Labour taking power and Chris Watson becoming Labour's first prime minister for

5320-575: The minority government of Protectionist leader Alfred Deakin , but in November 1908 the ALP withdrew its support and Deakin resigned as prime minister. Fisher subsequently formed a minority government of his own. It lasted only a few months, as in June 1909 Deakin returned as prime minister at the head of a new anti-socialist Liberal Party . Fisher returned as prime minister after the 1910 federal election , which saw Labor attain majority government for

5453-670: The " Liberal-Labour " candidates who had the support of the unions. In 1884, he chaired a public meeting in Crosshouse in support of the Third Reform Bill . He subsequently wrote a letter to Gladstone and received a reply thanking him for his support. The following year, Fisher was involved in another miners' strike. He was not only sacked but also blacklisted . He was left with little future in Scotland and decided to emigrate; his older brother John had already left for England

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5586-504: The 100th anniversary of his prime ministership. These were David Day 's Andrew Fisher: Prime Minister of Australia (2008) and Peter Bastian's Andrew Fisher: An Underestimated Man (2009), as well as a shorter volume by Edward Humphreys, Andrew Fisher: The Forgotten Man (2008). Obituarists of Fisher generally emphasised his modesty, integrity, and dedication to the labour movement. Writing for The Australian Worker , Henry Ernest Boote praised him as "loyal to his class, courageous in

5719-461: The 1970s a different view of Fisher began to emerge, which coincided with more of his personal papers becoming available to researchers. His more recent biographers have credited Fisher with establishing Labor as a viable party of government and demonstrating that the party's platform did not have to be sacrificed for political expediency, and argued that he deserves the primary credit for the political and electoral accomplishments of his governments. He

5852-417: The 1997 Australia Day Honours, saying that he had long believed honours should be reserved for those whose work in the community went unrecognised and that having been Prime Minister was sufficient public recognition. Bob Hawke was appointed a Companion in 1979, for service to trade unionism and industrial relations, before becoming prime minister in 1983. Menzies was appointed to the higher grade of Knight of

5985-546: The 2004 budget, the bonus was raised from $ 3,000 effective 1 July 2004 to $ 4,000 payable in 2007 but indexed to inflation so that in October 2007, the amount receivable per eligible child was $ 4,133. The bonus was paid in a lump sum to a nominated financial institution. From 1 January 2009, the payment is paid in 13 fortnightly installments. The receivable amount in January 2012 was $ 5,437. The receivable amount in September 2012

6118-541: The Arbitration Court. A land tax, aimed at breaking up big estates and give wider scope for small-scale farming, was also introduced, while coverage of the Arbitration system was extended to agricultural workers, domestics, and federal public servants. In addition, the age at which women became entitled to the old-age pension was lowered from sixty-five to sixty. The introduction of the maternity allowance

6251-777: The British Empire. Fisher campaigned on Labor's record of support for an independent Australian defence force, and pledged that Australia would "stand beside the mother country to help and defend her to the last man and the last shilling". Labor won the election with another absolute majority in both houses and Fisher formed his third government on 17 September 1914. Fisher and his party were immediately underway in organising urgent defence measures for planning and implementing Australian war effort. Fisher visited New Zealand during this time which saw Billy Hughes serve as acting prime minister for two months. Fisher and Labor continued to implement promised peacetime legislation, including

6384-548: The CDA of a child will remain open until the end of the child's 12th year, instead of the current 6th year. Parents are given Parenthood Tax Rebate to be used to offset against income tax payable and an be shared among the parents. The rebate amount is $ 5,000 for the first child, $ 10,000 for the second child, and $ 20,000 per child for all subsequent children. Unutilized balance is automatically carried forward to offset future income tax payable. Andrew Fisher Andrew Fisher (29 August 1862 – 22 October 1928)

6517-512: The Constitution to give the Commonwealth power over labour , wages and prices, to expanding the navy and providing compulsory military training for youths, to extending pensions , to a land tax , to the construction of a transcontinental railway , to the replacement of pound sterling with Australian currency and to tariffs to protect the sugar industry. In May 1909, the more conservative Protectionists and Freetraders merged to form

6650-554: The Family 500+ program. For every second child, parents receive 500PLN ($ 133) monthly until the child turns 18. For example, if a family has three children, they would receive 1000PLN every month until the oldest child turns 18, after which they would receive 500PLN. In July 2019, the Family 500+ program was extended to include 500PLN for the first child, regardless of family's economic status. As of 2020, Russia offers 616,617 RUB (USD 11606,89) for second and every following child. Amount

6783-412: The Federal Parliamentary Party. Fisher's seat was narrowly won by the Commonwealth Liberal Party on a 0.2% margin at the 1915 Wide Bay by-election . Fisher was Australia's second High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1 January 1916 until 1 January 1921. Fisher opposed conscription which made his dealings with Billy Hughes difficult. Hughes asked Fisher for support by cable three weeks before

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6916-426: The Labor-controlled Senate's rejection of his legislation, recommended to the new Governor-General Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson that both houses of the parliament be dissolved and elections called. This was Australia's first double dissolution election, and the only one until the 1951 election . The First World War had broken out in the middle of the 1914 election campaign, with both sides committing Australia to

7049-438: The Lodge until such time as she was returned to office by popular vote at the next general election , as she became prime minister by replacing an incumbent during a parliamentary term. Tony Abbott was never able to occupy the Lodge during his term (2013–15) because it was undergoing extensive renovations, which continued into the early part of his successor Malcolm Turnbull 's term. Instead, Abbott resided in dedicated rooms at

7182-406: The No. 1 North Phoenix mine and then in the South Great Eastern Extended. He continued his involvement in unionism, helping form the Gympie branch of the Amalgamated Miners' Association (AMA) and serving terms as secretary and president. He obtained an engine-driver's certificate in 1891, and was elected president of the related craft union . This new job allowed him to work above-ground, operating

7315-446: The Order, which is no longer awarded, in 1976. John Howard was also appointed to the Order of Merit in 2012, whose appointments are within the personal gift of the monarch. Menzies' Knight of the Order of the Thistle awarding was also in the personal gift of Queen Elizabeth II in 1963. Although not strictly an honour, one former prime minister was raised to the peerage; Stanley Bruce was created 1st Viscount Bruce of Melbourne in

7448-419: The Parental Benefits Program, which offered a $ 1,000 lump sum and $ 100 payments for the first year after a birth or adoption. It expired in 2016. Today, the Canada Child Benefit is one of several benefits offered by the Government of Canada. Currently there is a baby bonus of 13000 CZK (approx. 670 USD) for each first child born to mothers with low income. The mother must be a citizen or permanent resident of

7581-503: The Protectionists. When Watson resigned in 1907, Fisher succeeded him as Labour leader, although Hughes and William Spence also stood for the position. Fisher was considered to have a better understanding of economic matters, was better at handling caucus, had better relations with the party organisation and the unions, and was more in touch with party opinion. He did not share Hughes' passion for free trade or that of Watson and Hughes for defence (and later conscription). In political terms he

7714-423: The Senate was the animating issue of the 1975 constitutional crisis . In that event, governor-general Sir John Kerr dismissed the Whitlam government following the Senate's deferral of the government's budget and demand that they would not pass supply until the government called an election. The constitutional propriety of the governor-general's action during that period remains subject to vigorous debate. Despite

7847-434: The UK), and Frank Forde was re-elected to the Queensland Parliament (after his term as High Commissioner to Canada, and a failed attempt to re-enter the Federal Parliament). As well as Reid and Forde, five other prime ministers went on to hold diplomatic posts. Andrew Fisher, Joseph Cook and Stanley Bruce also served as High Commissioners to the United Kingdom, Gough Whitlam had served as Ambassador to UNESCO and Kevin Rudd

7980-417: The United Australia Party and the Liberal Party respectively. The shortest-serving prime minister was Frank Forde , who was appointed to the position on 6 July 1945 after the death of John Curtin , and served until 13 July 1945 when Ben Chifley was elected leader of the Australian Labor Party . The most recent prime minister to serve out a full government term in the office was Scott Morrison , who won

8113-442: The Year finalists. The prime minister receives a number of transport amenities for official business. A Royal Australian Air Force operated Airbus KC-30A , transports the prime minister overseas, with two Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes available for shorter flights. For ground travel, the prime minister is transported in an armoured BMW 7 Series model. It is referred to as "C-1", or Commonwealth One, because of its number plate. It

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8246-524: The absent Minister's statutory responsibilities". If the prime minister were to die, then the deputy prime minister would be appointed prime minister by the governor-general until the government votes for another member to be its leader. This happened when Harold Holt disappeared in 1967, when John McEwen was appointed prime minister. On the other two occasions that the prime minister has died in office, in 1939 and 1945 , Earle Page and Frank Forde , respectively, were appointed prime minister. In

8379-421: The administrators of and in the administration of his Majesty's Imperial Government." Although admitted as a Privy Counsellor in absentia on 6 July 1911, it wasn't until 14 February 1916 when he was High Commissioner in London that he formally took his oath of office. The federal electorate of Fisher was named after him. A Canberra suburb, Fisher , was also created in his memory, with its streets reflecting

8512-459: The advocacy of their cause, and absolutely incorruptible". In the decades after his death, a general view emerged of Fisher as a competent rather than brilliant leader. He was praised for successfully managing the conflicting personalities within his own party, but as a leader of his country was often compared unfavourably with Deakin and Hughes. In general, his prime ministership was seen as a relatively inconsequential interlude. However, beginning in

8645-445: The age of 10 in 1879, the only one of the siblings not to live to adulthood. Fisher's mother was the daughter of a blacksmith and worked as a domestic servant. On his father's side, he was descended from a long line of Ayrshire coalminers. According to family tradition, his paternal grandfather was persecuted for his involvement in the fledgling union movement, and on one occasion was left homeless with five young children. Although he

8778-467: The age of 66. His cumulative total of just under five years as prime minister is the second-longest by an ALP leader, surpassed only by Bob Hawke . Fisher was born on 29 August 1862 in Crosshouse , a mining village 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Kilmarnock , Scotland. He was the second of eight children born to Jane (née Garven or Garvin) and Robert Fisher; he had one older brother, four younger brothers, and two younger sisters. His younger sister died at

8911-406: The average at the time. In later life, Fisher recalled attending four schools as a boy. The exact details are uncertain, but he is known to have finished his schooling in Crosshouse and to have attended a school in nearby Dreghorn for a period. The standard of public education in Scotland was relatively high at the time, and his schoolmaster in Crosshouse had received formal training in Edinburgh;

9044-421: The confidence of a majority of the lower house in order to govern, however the emergence of strong parties with members strongly punished for voting against party policy (also known as crossing the floor ) has meant that most prime ministers and governments have significant control over the passage of bills in this house. However, bills must also be passed by the Senate (the upper house) in order to become law and

9177-457: The confidence of the lower house. Individuals most commonly cease to become prime minister after losing an election by not obtaining a majority in the lower house (at which point they generally become leader of the opposition or resign) or through replacement by their parliamentary party colleagues. This later method has become increasingly common, with the office changing hands four times due to parliamentary spill and only twice due to an election in

9310-446: The early 20th century, overseas travel generally required long journeys by ship. As a result, some held the position of acting prime minister for significant periods of time, including William Watt (16 months, 1918–1919), George Pearce (7 months, 1916), Alfred Deakin (6 months, 1902), Joseph Cook (5 months, 1921), James Fenton (19 weeks, 1930–1931), John Forrest (4 months, 1907), and Arthur Fadden (4 months, 1941). Fadden

9443-428: The emergence of the strong party system in Australia in the 1920s, prime ministers have almost always been the parliamentary leader of the party (or leader of the senior party in a coalition of parties) that has a majority in the House of Representatives (which has been either the Labor Party or the Liberal Party since the 1940s). Responsible government has always required the prime minister and government to have

9576-590: The evacuation of the Australian troops in December 1915. The report was also used by the Dardanelles Commission on which Fisher served, while High Commissioner in London . Fisher resigned as prime minister and from Parliament on 27 October 1915 after being absent from parliament without explanation for three sitting days. Three days later, Labor Caucus unanimously elected Billy Hughes leader of

9709-572: The failed campaign, with around half in casualties. The report's conclusions were regarded as insipid with no figures (political or military) heavily censured. The report of the commission and information gathered by the inquiry remain a key source of documents on the campaign. Fisher's term as High Commissioner officially ended on 22 April 1921, although it concluded with three months' paid leave and he left for Australia on 29 January. He arrived back in Melbourne with no firm plans for his future, but

9842-406: The federal government and the states, is also chaired by the prime minister. While called a cabinet, the body is merely a discussion forum and the principles of secrecy and collective decision making do not apply. Since the 1940s, the prime minister has asserted their authority to select the governor-general alone, instead of this being a cabinet decision. The power is exercised through advice to

9975-512: The first referendum, but Fisher cabled back "Am unable to sign appeal. Position forbids." He subsequently refused to publicly comment on the issue. Hughes' 1916 referendum on conscription had a No vote of around 52 per cent, while the 1917 referendum had a No vote of around 54 per cent. Fisher visited Australian troops serving in Belgium and France in 1919, and later presented Pearce with an album of battlefield photos from 1917 and 1918, showing

10108-700: The first time in its history. His second government passed wide-ranging reforms – old-age and disability pensions, enshrined new workers' rights in legislation, established the Commonwealth Bank , oversaw the continued expansion of the Royal Australian Navy , began construction on the Trans-Australian Railway , and formally established what is now the Australian Capital Territory . However, at

10241-420: The future of the Deakin minority government. With the Deakin ministry in trouble, Deakin spoke to Fisher and Watson about a possible coalition, and following a report agreed to it providing Labour had a majority in cabinet, that there was immediate legislation for old-age pensions , that New Protection was carried and that at the following election the government would promise a progressive land tax . No coalition

10374-442: The government rarely has a majority in this house, leading to some checks on the legislative powers of the government. The prime minister also controls the date of elections, through formal advice to the governor-general, with such elections usually occurring within a 6-month period prior to the maximum 3-year term of the House of Representatives expiring. National Cabinet , the primary inter-governmental decision-making forum between

10507-459: The hope of reducing the financial burden of raising children and thereby encouraging them to have more children. The scheme consists of two components, Cash Gift, and Child Development Account (CDA); which has a monetary grant and a savings matching scheme. As of 2022, here are the benefits given as part of the Baby Bonus scheme. For Singapore Citizen children born on or after 1 January 2015,

10640-455: The horrendous conditions experienced by the troops. The Dardanelles Commission , including Fisher, interviewed witnesses in 1916 and 1917 and issued its final report in 1919. It concluded that the expedition was poorly planned and executed and that difficulties had been underestimated, problems which were exacerbated by supply shortages and by personality clashes and procrastination at high levels. Some 480,000 Allied troops had been dedicated to

10773-418: The importance of the office of prime minister, the Constitution does not mention the office by name. The conventions of the Westminster system were thought to be sufficiently entrenched in Australia by the authors of the Constitution that it was deemed unnecessary to detail these. Indeed, prior to Federation in 1901 the terms "premier" and "prime minister" were used interchangeably for the head of government in

10906-473: The larger party will rely on confidence and supply from minor parties or independents. By convention, the prime minister must be a member of the lower house. The only case where a member of the Senate was appointed prime minister was John Gorton , who subsequently resigned his Senate position and was elected as the member for Higgins in the House of Representatives. The prime minister is formally appointed to

11039-533: The last man and the last shilling". However, he struggled with the demands of Australia's participation in World War I and in October 1915 resigned in favour of his deputy Billy Hughes . Fisher subsequently accepted an appointment as the High Commissioner of Australia to the United Kingdom , holding the position from 1916 to 1920. After a brief return to Australia, he retired to London, dying there at

11172-465: The leader of the smaller party in coalition, following the resignation of UAP leader Robert Menzies. Excluding the brief transition periods during changes of government or leadership elections, there have only been a handful of cases where someone other than the leader of the majority party or coalition in the House of Representatives was prime minister: Compared to other Westminster systems such as those of Canada 's federal and provincial governments,

11305-451: The length of Fisher's service as prime minister, for many years he and his government were given relatively little scholarly attention. His decision to retire to England placed him out of the public eye, while his mental deterioration and early death deprived him of the opportunity to dictate his own legacy. Writers interested in the post-Federation era did not generally view him as an attractive biographical subject, which has been attributed to

11438-492: The machinery that raised and lowered the cages in the mineshaft. During his time in Gympie, Fisher stayed in a boardinghouse in Red Hill ; it is now heritage-listed as " Andrew Fisher's Cottage ". He would eventually marry his landlady's daughter, Margaret Irvine . Within years of arriving in the town, Fisher had become "an important figure in the Gympie labour movement, straddling both its political and industrial wings". He

11571-496: The main focus of the curriculum was on the three Rs . He later supplemented his limited formal education by attending night school in Kilmarnock and reading at the town library. The exact age at which Fisher left school is uncertain, but he could have been as young as nine or as old as thirteen. He is believed to have begun his working life as a coal trapper , opening and closing the trapdoors that allowed for ventilation and

11704-469: The manager of the foodstore at the local cooperative, and the family moved out of miners' row. They later lived in Kilmaurs for a period, but eventually returned to Crosshouse and leased a small farm. Fisher's father then worked as a gardener and apiarist, supplementing his income with contract work repairing the machinery at local mines. He died of lung disease in 1887, aged 53. In 1879, aged 17, Fisher

11837-407: The maximum amount of cash gift from the government is S$ 10,000, which can be spent without any restriction. It is available to each children up to 18 months of age. The Child Development Account (CDA) now has two components. Since 24 March 2016, a First Step Grant of up to $ 3,000 is credited by the Singapore government to each child once a CDA account is opened. The government contributes a dollar for

11970-430: The movement of coal. He was later placed in charge of the pit ponies , and finally took his place performing "pick-and-shovel work" at the coalface. When he was 16, he was promoted to air-pump operator, which required additional training and was seen as a relatively prestigious position. Fisher's father had black lung disease , and gave up mining around the same time as his oldest sons began working. He subsequently became

12103-638: The new federal capital to be in the Yass - Canberra area, passed the Manufacturers' Encouragement Act to provide bounties for iron and steel manufacturers who paid fair and reasonable wages, ordered three torpedo boat destroyers , and assumed local naval defence responsibility and placed the Australian Navy at the disposal of the Royal Navy in wartime. Fisher committed Labour to amending

12236-460: The other ministers that make up cabinet, they nevertheless wield primary influence in the body. They set the agenda and processes of cabinet meetings and has the final word where a collective decision cannot be reached. Ministers making up the cabinet are chosen by the prime minister and may be removed at any time. Additionally, the prime minister chooses the portfolio of each minister and a prime minister's resignation or dismissal leads by convention to

12369-433: The other, was a key question in the 1975 constitutional crisis . [REDACTED] [REDACTED] In ordinary circumstances, the leader of the party or coalition that has the confidence of the House of Representatives is entitled to become prime minister and form a government. Generally, a party or coalition will have a majority in the lower house in order to provide confidence, however in periods of minority government,

12502-460: The output of the second Deakin government over a similar period. According to Labor MP and historian Denis Murphy , the second Fisher government represented "the culmination of Labor's involvement in politics", and was "a period of reform unmatched in the Commonwealth until the 1940s", under John Curtin and Ben Chifley . The Fisher government carried out many reforms in defence, finance, transport and communications, and social security, achieving

12635-558: The parliamentarian able to command the confidence of the House of Representatives (the lower house). Since Federation , this has almost always been the leader of the majority party or coalition . In practice, this means the prime minister most often changes after an election results in a different party gaining control of the lower house or as a result of the majority party changing its leader internally between elections. The office of prime minister comes with various privileges, including

12768-482: The period following the election defeat of John Howard in 2007 to the election of Anthony Albanese in 2022. A prime minister may also lose their position following a vote of no confidence in the government or due to a failure to pass supply through the lower house. In either event, the prime minister is required by convention to either resign or call an election. Whether a prime minister is required to resign or call an election following an inability to pass supply through

12901-520: The rapturous receptions he received at labour movement gatherings led him to contemplate a return to active politics. He was the only remaining former prime minister in the Labor Party, which had lost many experienced MPs in the 1916 party split . The party's leader Frank Tudor had had frequent bouts of ill health, and T. J. Ryan , who was widely seen as Tudor's heir apparent, died suddenly of pneumonia in August 1921. Fisher seriously considered standing in

13034-516: The relative orthodoxy of his political views and a reputation for propriety to the point of dullness. Fisher's 1981 entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography was written by Denis Murphy , who had planned a full-length biography but died in 1984 before completing it. Clem Lloyd also began a biography in the 1990s, which was unfinished at the time of his death in 2001. The first complete biographies of Fisher did not emerge until

13167-695: The remainder awarded after leaving office. Reid ( GCB , 1916), Menzies ( AK , 1976) and Fadden (GCMG, 1958) were awarded a second knighthood after leaving office. Non-titular honours were also bestowed on former prime ministers, usually the Order of the Companions of Honour . This honour was awarded to Bruce (1927), Lyons (1936), Hughes (1941), Page (1942), Menzies (1951), Holt (1967), McEwen (1969), Gorton (1971), McMahon (1972), and Fraser (1977), mostly during office as prime minister. In almost all occasions these honours were only accepted by non-Labor/conservative prime ministers. However, appointment to

13300-456: The resignation of all other ministers. The precise authority of each individual prime minister within cabinet is uncertain, as their deliberations are secret, however in recent decades their power has increased substantially. The authority of the prime minister to make independent policy decisions apart from Cabinet is also present, which such decisions also colloquially called "captain's calls". The prime minister also has significant influence in

13433-468: The resulting by-election , but found there was no guarantee that the local party would accept him as a candidate. He was unwilling to actively campaign for preselection, and decided he would only stand if he were drafted, which did not happen. With little else to keep them in Australia, Fisher and his wife decided to return to London to be closer to their children. They rented a property in Highgate for

13566-534: The role by the governor-general under section 64 of the Australian Constitution, however their choice is limited in normal circumstances to the individual with the confidence of the lower house. However, the prime minister (and all other ministers) must be a parliamentarians or become one within three months to be a minister. There are no term limits for the prime minister, and they are generally entitled to continue in their role whilst they retain

13699-687: The setting of foreign policy, through their role as chair of the National Security Committee , a sub-committee of cabinet whose decisions do not need to be endorsed by the cabinet as a whole. The prime minister is also the responsible minister for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet , whose tasks include general policy development across the government, inter-governmental communications, honours and symbols policy and Indigenous government programmes. Since

13832-481: The shortest-serving was Frank Forde , who served one week. In common with other political systems based on the Westminster system , the prime minister both leads the executive government and wields significant power in Parliament . Cabinet , the primary decision-making body of the executive government, is chaired by the prime minister. While the prime minister has been described as the "first among equals" of

13965-473: The smaller party of their coalition. This occurred when Earle Page became caretaker prime minister following the death of Joseph Lyons in 1939, and when John McEwen became caretaker prime minister following the disappearance of Harold Holt in 1967. However, in 1941, Arthur Fadden became the leader of the Coalition and subsequently prime minister by the agreement of both coalition parties, despite being

14098-456: The state-owned Commonwealth Bank . Fisher's second government also introduced uniform postal charges throughout Australia, carried out measures to break up land monopolies, put forward proposals for closer regulation of working hours, wages and employment conditions, and amended the 1904 Conciliation and Arbitration Act to provide greater authority for the court president, and to allow for Commonwealth employees' industrial unions, registered with

14231-510: The transition from an outgoing prime minister to an incoming prime minister has been brief in Australia since the 1970s. Prior to that, in accordance with longstanding Australian constitutional practice, convention held that an outgoing prime minister would stay on as a caretaker until the full election results were tallied. Starting with the 1972 Australian federal election on 2 December 1972, Gough Whitlam and his deputy were sworn in on 5 December 1972 to form an interim government for two weeks, as

14364-496: The use of two official residences: The Lodge in Canberra and Kirribilli House in Sydney , as well as an office at Parliament House . Thirty-one people (thirty men and one woman) have served as prime minister, the first of whom was Edmund Barton taking office on 1 January 1901 following federation of the British colonies in Australia . The longest-serving prime minister was Robert Menzies , who served over 18 years, and

14497-503: The value of a pensioner's home was excluded from consideration when assessing the value of their property. Fisher wanted additional Commonwealth power in certain areas, such as the nationalisation of monopolies . A constitutional referendum was initiated in 1911 which aimed to increase the federal government's legislative powers over trade and commerce and over monopolies. Both questions were defeated, with around 61 per cent voting 'No'. The Fisher government made another attempt, holding

14630-472: The vast majority of their aims in just three years of government. These included extending old-age and disability pensions, introducing a maternity allowance and issuing Australia's first paper currency , forming the Royal Australian Navy , the start of construction of the Trans-Australian Railway , expanding the bench of the High Court of Australia , the founding of Canberra , and the establishment of

14763-412: The vote was being finalised and the full ministry makeup was being determined. On 23 May 2022 Anthony Albanese became prime minister with an interim four person ministry, two days after his victory in the election . This rapid shift was done in order for the new PM to attend a Quad meeting scheduled shortly after the election. When the results of the election were more clearly known the entire ministry

14896-690: Was a founding member of the Gympie cooperative, and in 1891 became the secretary of the Gympie Joint Labour Committee, the local labour council . He helped establish a branch of the Workers' Political Association , the forerunner of the Labor Party, and was the inaugural branch president with George Ryland as secretary. In 1892, he represented Gympie at the Labour-in-Politics Convention in Brisbane. He

15029-446: Was a major reform, because it enabled more births to be attended by doctors, thus leading to reductions in infant mortality rates. However, the maternity allowance was only available to white women, with the legislation barring "women who are Asiatic, or are aboriginal natives of Australia, Papua or the Pacific Islands" in line with the racial exclusions in the old-age pension. Compulsory preference to trade unionists in federal employment

15162-455: Was a minister in the government of Anderson Dawson . In 1901, Fisher was elected to the new federal parliament representing the Division of Wide Bay . He was the Minister for Trade and Customs for a few months in 1904, in the short-lived government of Chris Watson . Fisher was elected deputy leader of the ALP in 1905 and replaced Watson as leader in 1907. He initially provided support to

15295-593: Was a radical, on the left-wing of his party, with a strong sense of Labour's part in British working-class history. At the 1908 Labour Federal Conference, Fisher argued for female representation in parliament: I trust that not another Federal election will take place without there being a woman endorsed as a Labour candidate for the Senate. With a majority of seats in the Labour-Protectionist government, Labour caucus by early 1908 had become restive as to

15428-644: Was acting prime minister for a cumulative total of 676 days (over 22 months) between 1941 and 1958. Prime ministers have been granted numerous honours, typically after their period as prime minister has concluded, with a few exceptions. Nine former prime ministers were awarded knighthoods: Barton ( GCMG , 1902), Reid (GCMG, 1911), Cook (GCMG, 1918), Page (GCMG, 1938), Menzies ( KT , 1963), Fadden (KCMG, 1951), McEwen (GCMG, 1971), Gorton (GCMG, 1977), and McMahon (GCMG, 1977). Of those awarded, Barton and Menzies were knighted while still serving as prime minister, with Page awarded his before becoming prime minister, and

15561-563: Was also dissatisfied with the old-age pension proposals. Without Labour support the Deakin government collapsed in November 1908. During the parliamentary ballots that selected Yass-Canberra as the site of the national capital, in October 1908, Fisher voted consistently for Dalgety . Fisher formed his only minority government and the First Fisher Ministry . The government passed the Seat of Government Act 1908 , providing for

15694-519: Was also introduced, while the Seaman's Compensation Act of 1911 and the Navigation Act of 1912 were enacted to improve conditions for those working at sea, together with compensatory arrangements for seamen and next of kin. Eligibility for pensions was also widened. From December 1912 onwards, naturalised residents no longer had to wait three years to be eligible for a pension. That same year,

15827-503: Was an Australian politician and trade unionist who served as the fifth prime minister of Australia from 1908 to 1909, 1910 to 1913 and 1914 to 1915. He held office as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), and was particularly notable for leading the party to its first federal election victory and first majority government at the 1910 federal election . Fisher was born in Crosshouse , Ayrshire, Scotland. He left school at

15960-550: Was buried at Hampstead Cemetery on 26 October 1928. On the same day, a memorial service was held at St Columba's Church, London , which was attended by representatives of King George V and Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin , as well as Arthur Henderson representing the British Labour Party . In February 1930, Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald unveiled a granite obelisk above Fisher's grave. His widow eventually moved back to Australia, dying there in 1958. Despite

16093-513: Was elected secretary of the Crosshouse branch of the Ayrshire Miners' Union . He soon came into contact with Keir Hardie , a leading figure in the union and a future leader of the British Labour Party . The pair met frequently to discuss politics and would renew their acquaintance later in life. Fisher and Hardie were leaders of the 1881 Ayrshire miners' strike, which was widely seen as a failure. The ten-week strike resulted in only

16226-464: Was formed, however the pressure from Labour brought about productive change by Deakin: he agreed to a royal commission into the post office, old-age pensions were to be provided from the surplus revenue fund and £250,000 set aside for ships for an Australian Navy . New Protection was declared invalid by the High Court in June, Fisher found the tariff proposals of Deakin unsatisfactory, while caucus

16359-571: Was kicked in the head by a cow as a small child, leaving him mostly deaf in one ear. The injury may have contributed to a childhood speech impediment and his reserved nature as an adult. As a boy, Fisher and his brothers fished in Carmel Water, a tributary of the River Irvine , and enjoyed long walks across the countryside. He was athletic, helping form a local football team, and stood 178 centimetres (5 ft 10 in) as an adult, above

16492-548: Was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register . In 2008, Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd , a fellow Queenslander, launched a biography titled Andrew Fisher , written by David Day. In turn, Rudd was presented with an item that once belonged to Fisher – a slightly battered gold pen engraved with Fisher's signature, which had been held in safekeeping for 80 years. Prime minister of Australia This

16625-534: Was no longer PM. Only one prime minister who had left the Federal Parliament ever returned. Stanley Bruce was defeated in his own seat in 1929 while prime minister but was re-elected to parliament in 1931 . Other prime ministers were elected to parliaments other than the Australian federal parliament: Sir George Reid was elected to the UK House of Commons (after his term as High Commissioner to

16758-628: Was positive, with the Brisbane Truth noting it would not change his humble nature: "To plain Andrew Fisher, who lately refused to-be decorated with empty, unearned University degrees, a Privy Councillorship has been awarded. This is an honor to which our Prime Minister is justly entitled by reason of his inclusion in the secret councils of the Imperial Conference, which secrets include the private advice, tendered by him to

16891-510: Was probably only partially literate, Fisher's father was prominent in the local community and involved with various community organisations. He was the leader of a temperance society , and in 1863 was one of ten miners who co-founded a cooperative society . He and his family were active members of the Free Church of Scotland . Fisher spent most of his childhood living in a miners' row, which had an earthen floor and no running water. He

17024-719: Was sacked from his engine-driving job in the same year, and subsequently devoted his full attention to politics. In 1891, Fisher was elected as the first president of the Gympie branch of the Labour Party . In 1893, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland as Labour member for the Electoral district of Gympie and by the following year had become Labour's deputy leader in the Legislative Assembly. In his maiden speech, he pushed for

17157-491: Was sworn in on 1 June 2022. As of 27 August 2023, Australia's prime minister is paid a total salary of A$ 586,950 . This is made up of the 'base salary' received by all members of parliament ( A$ 225,750 ) plus a 160 percent 'additional salary' for the role of prime minister. Increases in the base salary of MPs and senators are determined annually by the independent Remuneration Tribunal. The prime minister has two official residences. The primary official residence

17290-473: Was the beneficiary of a scare campaign, in which conservative candidate Francis Power was consistently painted by the Gympie Truth as being a supporter of black labour and the alleged economic and social ills that accompanied it. In that year he was Secretary for Railways and Public Works in the seven-day government of Anderson Dawson , the first parliamentary Labour government in the world. The state Labour parties and their MPs were mixed in their support for

17423-511: Was to help mothers in their time of need, the intention was also to increase birth and infant survival rates in the country. The baby bonus scheme reintroduced by the Federal Government of Australia in the 2002 budget was aimed at offsetting the expenses associated with bearing a child. The scheme was also introduced as a means of increasing Australia's fertility rate and to mitigate the effects of Australia's ageing population . In

17556-427: Was unable to sign his own name, and his children were seriously considering having him institutionalised. Fisher contracted a severe case of influenza in September 1928, and eventually died from complications of the disease on 22 October, aged 66. He is one of only three Australian prime ministers to die overseas, and he and George Reid are the only ones who both began and ended their lives outside Australia. Fisher

17689-495: Was virtually identical to that of Billy Hughes , who had arrived less than a year earlier in December 1884 – both men took assisted passage, arrived at the age of 22, and travelled from London to Brisbane. Unlike Hughes, Fisher never lost his original accent and retained a thick Scottish "brogue" for the rest of his life. After arriving in Brisbane, Fisher made his way to the Burrum River coalfields where there were already

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