By Greg Blood

This series profiles every Australian prime minister and their interest in and contribution to the development of sport in Australia. It is often stated that politics and politics don’t or should not mix. This series will highlight how they do mix and interact particularly since 1970 when the Australian Government established a federal sport department and significantly increased funding to sport..  Each prime minister will be examined in terms to their participation in sport – from childhood to adulthood, interest in sport and contributions during their time in government, particularly as prime minister. Also examined is whether a prime minister used their public interest in sport to develop their political profile.

Issues covered include: nationalism. sport policy, government funding, fitness and sport participation, sport diplomacy, sporting boycotts, sport and war, major sporting events (Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and Commonwealth Games), high performance sport, facility development, and sporting controversies.

A major question to be considered in the research is whether a prime minister’s interest in sport led to their government increased involvement in the development of sport in Australia.

Links to prime ministers below will occur after the research has been completed. Feedback on any prime minister will be greatly appreciated. 

• Edmund Barton, Protectionist (1901–03)
• Alfred Deakin, Protectionist & Liberal (1903–04; 1905–08; 1909–10)
• John Christian ‘Chris’ Watson, Australian Labor Party (1904)
• George Houston Reid, Free Trade Party (1904–05)
• Andrew Fisher, Australian Labor Party (1908–09; 1910–13; 1914–15)
• Joseph Cook, Liberal Party (1913–14)
• William Morris Hughes, Australian Labor Party, National Labor Party & Nationalist Party (1915–16; 1916–23)
• Stanley Melbourne Bruce, Nationalist Party (1923–29)
• James Henry Scullin, Australian Labor Party (1929–32)
• Joseph Aloysius Lyons, United Australia Party (1932–39)
• Earle Page, Federal Country Party  (1939)
• Robert Gordon Menzies, United Australia Party & Liberal Party of Australia (1939–40; 1940–41; 1949–66)
• Arthur William Fadden, Country Party of Australia (1941)
• John Curtin, Australian Labor Party (1941–45)
• Francis Michael Forde, Australian Labor Party (1945)
• Joseph Benedict ‘Ben’ Chifley, Australian Labor Party (1945–49)
• Harold Holt, Liberal Party of Australia (1966–67)
• John McEwen, Country Party of Australia (1967–68)
• John Grey Gorton, Liberal Party of Australia (1968–71)
• William McMahon, Liberal Party of Australia (1971–72)
• Gough Whitlam Australian Labor Party (1972–75)
• Malcolm Fraser, Liberal Party of Australia (1975–83)
• Robert Hawke, Australian Labor Party (1983–91)
• Paul Keating, Australian Labor Party (1991–96)
• John Howard, Liberal Party of Australia (1996–2007)
• Kevin Rudd, Australian Labor Party (2007–10; 2013)
• Julia Gillard, Australian Labor Party (2010–13)
• Tony Abbott, Liberal Party of Australia (2013–15)
• Malcolm Turnbull, Liberal Party of Australia (2015–18)
• Scott Morrison, Liberal Party of Australia (2018–22)
• Anthony Albanese, Australian Labor Party (2022– )