List of longest-serving members of the Parliament of Australia
This article lists the longest-serving members of the Parliament of Australia.
Longest total service
[edit]This section lists members of parliament who have served for a cumulative total of at least 30 years.
All these periods of service were spent in one House exclusively. A number of people have served in both the Senate and the House of Representatives,[1] but none of them to date has had an aggregate length of service to the Parliament reaching 30 years.
No woman yet appears on this list. Bronwyn Bishop served in the Australian parliament longer than any other woman, in October 2014 outstripping the record of 27 years and 119 days previously held by Kathy Sullivan.[2] At the end of her term at the 2 July 2016 double dissolution, Bishop had served for 28 years and 274 days.
Name | Party | Chamber(s) | Start of service | End of service | Period of service | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Billy Hughes | Labor/Nationalist/UAP/Liberal | House of Reps | 29 March 1901 | 28 October 1952† | 51 years, 213 days | |
Philip Ruddock | Liberal | House of Reps | 22 September 1973 | 9 May 2016 | 42 years, 229 days | |
Earle Page | SirCountry | House of Reps | 13 December 1919 | 9 December 1961 | 41 years, 362 days | |
George Pearce | SirLabor/Nationalist/UAP | Senate | 29 March 1901 | 30 June 1938 | 37 years, 94 days | |
Walter Cooper | SirCountry | Senate | 17 November 1928 | 30 June 1932 | 36 years, 227 days | |
1 July 1935 | 30 June 1968 | |||||
William Maloney | Labor | House of Reps | 30 March 1904 | 27 August 1940† | 36 years, 151 days | |
John McEwen | SirCountry | House of Reps | 15 September 1934 | 1 February 1971 | 36 years, 139 days | |
Norman Makin | Labor | House of Reps | 13 December 1919 | 14 August 1946 | 36 years, 37 days | |
29 May 1954 | 1 November 1963 | |||||
Frank Brennan | Labor | House of Reps | 8 February 1911 | 19 December 1931 | 35 years, 362 days | |
15 September 1934 | 31 October 1949 | |||||
Joe Clark | Labor | House of Reps | 15 September 1934 | 29 September 1969 | 35 years, 15 days | |
Ian Sinclair | National | House of Reps | 30 November 1963 | 31 August 1998 | 34 years, 275 days | |
David Watkins | Labor | House of Reps | 29 March 1901 | 8 April 1935† | 34 years, 11 days | |
Justin O'Byrne | Labor | Senate | 1 July 1947 | 30 June 1981 | 34 years, 0 days | |
John Howard | Liberal | House of Reps | 18 May 1974 | 24 November 2007 | 33 years, 191 days | |
Alan Cadman | Liberal | House of Reps | 18 May 1974 | 17 October 2007 | 33 years, 152 days | |
Gordon Brown | Labor | Senate | 1 July 1932 | 30 June 1965 | 33 years, 0 days | |
Littleton Groom | SirProtectionist/Liberal/Nationalist/UAP | House of Reps | 14 September 1901 | 12 October 1929 | 32 years, 353 days | |
19 December 1931 | 6 November 1936† | |||||
Josiah Francis | SirNationalist/UAP/Liberal | House of Reps | 16 December 1922 | 4 November 1955 | 32 years, 324 days | |
Harold Holt | UAP/Liberal | House of Reps | 17 August 1935 | 17 December 1967† | 32 years, 123 days | |
Eddie Ward | Labor/Lang Labor | House of Reps | 7 March 1931 | 19 December 1931 | 32 years, 99 days | |
6 February 1932 | 31 July 1963† | |||||
Kim Beazley Sr. | Labor | House of Reps | 18 August 1945 | 10 November 1977 | 32 years, 85 days | |
Fred Daly | Labor | House of Reps | 21 August 1943 | 11 November 1975 | 32 years, 83 days | |
Warren Snowdon | Labor | House of Reps | 11 July 1987 | 2 March 1996 | 32 years, 60 days | |
3 October 1998 | 11 April 2022 | |||||
Arthur Calwell | Labor | House of Reps | 21 September 1940 | 2 November 1972 | 32 years, 43 days | |
William McMahon | SirLiberal | House of Reps | 10 December 1949 | 4 January 1982 | 32 years, 26 days | |
Patrick Lynch | Labor/Nationalist/UAP | Senate | 1 January 1907 | 30 June 1938 | 31 years, 181 days | |
Robert Menzies | SirUAP/Liberal | House of Reps | 15 September 1934 | 17 February 1966 | 31 years, 156 days | |
Bob Katter | National/Independent/KAP | House of Reps | 13 March 1993 | present | 31 years, 166 days | |
Ron Boswell | National | Senate | 5 March 1983 | 30 June 2014 | 31 years, 117 days | |
Tom Uren | Labor | House of Reps | 22 November 1958 | 19 February 1990 | 31 years, 90 days | |
Kevin Andrews | Liberal | House of Reps | 11 May 1991 | 11 April 2022 | 30 years, 335 days | |
James Scullin | Labor | House of Reps | 13 April 1910 | 31 May 1913 | 30 years, 304 days | |
18 February 1922 | 31 October 1949 | |||||
Clyde Cameron | Labor | House of Reps | 10 December 1949 | 19 September 1980 | 30 years, 285 days | |
David Jull | Liberal | House of Reps | 13 December 1975 | 5 March 1983 | 30 years, 39 days | |
1 December 1984 | 17 October 2007 | |||||
Bert Lazzarini | Labor | House of Reps | 13 December 1919 | 19 December 1931 | 30 years, 24 days | |
15 September 1934 | 1 October 1952† | |||||
Thomas Crawford | Nationalist/UAP/Independent | Senate | 1 July 1917 | 30 June 1947 | 30 years, 0 days | |
Harry Foll | Nationalist/UAP/Liberal | Senate | 1 July 1917 | 30 June 1947 | 30 years, 0 days | |
John Watson | Liberal | Senate | 1 July 1978 | 30 June 2008 | 30 years, 0 days |
†= Died in office
Longest service by women
[edit]Name | Party | Chamber(s) | Start of service | End of service | Period of service | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bronwyn Bishop | Liberal | Senate | 11 July 1987 | 24 February 1994 | 28 years, 272 days | |
House of Reps | 26 March 1994 | 9 May 2016 | ||||
Kathy Sullivan | Liberal | Senate | 18 May 1974 | 5 November 1984 | 27 years, 117 days | |
House of Reps | 1 December 1984 | 8 October 2001 | ||||
Marise Payne | Liberal | Senate | 9 April 1997 | 30 September 2023 | 26 years, 174 days | |
Tanya Plibersek | Labor | House of Reps | 3 October 1998 | present | 25 years, 328 days | |
Dorothy Tangney | Labor | Senate | 21 August 1943 | 30 June 1968 | 24 years, 314 days | |
Annabelle Rankin | Liberal | Senate | 1 July 1947 | 24 April 1971 | 23 years, 297 days | |
Jenny Macklin | Labor | House of Reps | 2 March 1996 | 11 April 2019 | 23 years, 40 days | |
Catherine King | Labor | House of Reps | 10 November 2001 | present | 22 years, 290 days | |
Sussan Ley | Liberal | House of Reps | 10 November 2001 | present | 22 years, 290 days | |
Maria Vamvakinou | Labor | House of Reps | 10 November 2001 | present | 22 years, 290 days | |
Amanda Vanstone | Liberal | Senate | 1 December 1984 | 26 April 2007 | 22 years, 146 days | |
Penny Wong | Labor | Senate | 1 July 2002 | present | 22 years, 56 days | |
Margaret Reid | Liberal | Senate | 5 May 1981 | 14 February 2003 | 21 years, 285 days | |
Ivy Wedgwood | Liberal | Senate | 22 February 1950 | 30 June 1971 | 21 years, 128 days | |
Kay Patterson | Liberal | Senate | 11 July 1987 | 30 June 2008 | 20 years, 355 days | |
Jacinta Collins | Labor | Senate | 3 May 1995 | 30 June 2005 | 20 years, 341 days | |
8 May 2008 | 15 February 2019 | |||||
Sue Knowles | Liberal | Senate | 1 December 1984 | 30 June 2005 | 20 years, 211 days | |
Julie Bishop | Liberal | House of Reps | 3 October 1998 | 11 April 2019 | 20 years, 190 days | |
Judi Moylan | Liberal | House of Reps | 13 March 1993 | 5 August 2013 | 20 years, 145 days | |
Sharman Stone | Liberal | House of Reps | 2 March 1996 | 9 May 2016 | 20 years, 68 days |
Chronological list
[edit]This section lists the members of parliament (and of each chamber) with the longest continuous service at any given time. The longest-serving MPs in each chamber are sometimes referred to as the "Father of the House" and "Father of the Senate", and very rarely the overall longest-serving MP is called the "Father of the Parliament".
House of Representatives Practice describes the title "Father of the House" as a "completely informal designation" with "no functions attached to it".[3]
Odgers' Australian Senate Practice notes that the title "Father of the Senate" is "now seldom referred to or used". It further notes that "as no woman senator has ever been in this situation, it is not clear what the title would be in that circumstance".[4] Since then, the title was assumed by Marise Payne, the longest serving female senator in Australia's history. After Payne's resignation took effect, Penny Wong, also a woman, became the longest serving incumbent senator.
From | To | Overall | Senate | Continuous term started |
House | Continuous term started |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
29/30 March 1901 | 14 September 1923 | Nil | Nil | n/a | Nil | n/a |
15 September 1923 | 8 April 1935 | Nil | Sir George Pearce | 29 March 1901 | Billy Hughes David Watkins |
n/a |
9 April 1935 | 30 June 1938 | Nil[5] | Billy Hughes | 30 March 1901 | ||
1 July 1938 | 30 June 1947 | Billy Hughes MP | Thomas Crawford Harry Foll |
1 July 1917 | ||
1 July 1947 | 30 June 1950 | Gordon Brown Joe Collings |
1 July 1932 | |||
1 July 1950 | 28 October 1952 | Gordon Brown | ||||
29 October 1952 | 9 December 1961 | Sir Earle Page MP | Sir Earle Page | 13 December 1919 | ||
10 December 1961 | 31 July 1963 | Eddie Ward MP | Eddie Ward | 6 February 1932 | ||
1 August 1963 | 30 June 1965 | Senator Gordon Brown |
Joe Clark John McEwen Sir Robert Menzies |
15 September 1934 | ||
1 July 1965 | 16 February 1966 | Joe Clark MP John McEwen MP Sir Robert Menzies MP |
Sir Walter Cooper | 1 July 1935 | ||
17 February 1966 | 30 June 1968 | Joe Clark MP John McEwen MP |
Joe Clark John McEwen | |||
1 July 1968 | 29 September 1969 | Bert Hendrickson Justin O'Byrne Dame Annabelle Rankin |
1 July 1947 | |||
30 September 1969 | 1 February 1971 | John McEwen MP | John McEwen | |||
2 February 1971 | 24 May 1971 | Arthur Calwell MP | Arthur Calwell | 21 September 1940 | ||
25 May 1971 | 30 June 1971 | Bert Hendrickson Justin O'Byrne | ||||
1 July 1971 | 2 November 1972 | Justin O'Byrne | ||||
3 November 1972 | 11 November 1975 | Fred Daly MP | Fred Daly | 21 August 1943 | ||
12 November 1975 | 10 November 1977 | Kim Beazley Sr. MP | Kim Beazley Sr. | 18 August 1945 | ||
11 November 1977 | 19 September 1980 | Senator Justin O'Byrne |
Clyde Cameron Sir William McMahon |
10 December 1949 | ||
20 September 1980 | 30 June 1981 | Sir William McMahon | ||||
1 July 1981 | 4 January 1982 | Sir William McMahon MP | Doug McClelland | 1 July 1962 | ||
5 January 1982 | 31 March 1983 | Malcolm Fraser MP Sir James Killen MP Sir Billy Snedden MP |
Malcolm Fraser Sir James Killen Sir Billy Snedden |
10 December 1955 | ||
1 April 1983 | 21 April 1983 | Sir James Killen MP Sir Billy Snedden MP |
Sir James Killen Sir Billy Snedden | |||
22 April 1983 | 15 August 1983 | Sir James Killen MP | Sir James Killen | |||
16 August 1983 | 18 January 1984 | Doug Anthony MP | Doug Anthony | 14 September 1957 | ||
19 January 1984 | 23 January 1987 | Tom Uren MP | Tom Uren | 22 November 1958 | ||
24 January 1987 | 27 February 1989 | Arthur Gietzelt Peter Durack |
1 July 1971 | |||
28 February 1989 | 19 February 1990 | Peter Durack | ||||
20 February 1990 | 30 June 1993 | Ian Sinclair MP | Ian Sinclair | 30 November 1963 | ||
1 July 1993 | 31 August 1998 | Mal Colston Brian Harradine |
13 December 1975 | |||
1 September 1998 | 30 June 1999 | Philip Ruddock MP | Philip Ruddock | 22 September 1973 | ||
1 July 1999 | 30 June 2005 | Brian Harradine | ||||
1 July 2005 | 30 June 2008 | John Watson | 1 July 1978 | |||
1 July 2008 | 30 June 2014 | Ron Boswell | 5 March 1983 | |||
1 July 2014 | 6 February 2015 | John Faulkner | 4 April 1989 | |||
6 February 2015 | 9 May 2016 | Ian Macdonald | 1 July 1990 | |||
9 May 2016 | 30 June 2019 | Senator Ian Macdonald |
Kevin Andrews | 11 May 1991 | ||
1 July 2019 | 11 April 2022 | Kevin Andrews MP | Kim Carr | 28 April 1993 | ||
11 April 2022 | 1 July 2022 | Bob Katter MP | Bob Katter | 13 March 1993 | ||
1 July 2022 | 30 September 2023 | Marise Payne | 9 April 1997 | |||
30 September 2023 | - | Penny Wong | 1 July 2002 |
Longest-serving members by state and territory
[edit]State / Territory | Longest-serving members | ||
---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | Overall | |
![]() |
Jim Fraser 18 years, 338 days 1951–1970 |
Margaret Reid 21 years, 285 days 1981–2003 |
Bob McMullan 22 years, 86 days 1988–1996 (S), 1996–2010 (H) |
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Billy Hughes 45 years, 354 days 1901–1917, 1922–1952 |
Stan Amour 26 years, 364 days 1938–1965 |
Billy Hughes 45 years, 354 days 1901–1917, 1922–1952 |
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Warren Snowdon 32 years, 60 days 1987–1996, 1998–2022 |
Nigel Scullion 17 years, 232 days 2001–2019 |
Warren Snowdon 32 years, 60 days 1987–1996, 1998–2022 |
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Littleton Groom 32 years, 353 days 1901–1929, 1931–1936 |
Walter Cooper 36 years, 227 days 1928–1932, 1935–1968 |
Walter Cooper 36 years, 227 days 1928–1932, 1935–1968 |
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Norman Makin 36 years, 37 days 1919–1946, 1955–1963 |
Robert Hill 24 years, 257 days 1981–2006 |
Norman Makin 36 years, 37 days 1919–1946, 1955–1963 |
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Gil Duthie 29 years, 76 days 1946–1975 |
Justin O'Byrne 34 years, 0 days 1947–1981 |
Justin O'Byrne 34 years, 0 days 1947–1981 |
![]() |
William Maloney 36 years, 151 days 1904–1940 |
Kim Carr 29 years, 63 days 1993–2022 |
William Maloney 36 years, 151 days 1904–1940 |
![]() |
Kim Beazley Sr. 32 years, 145 days 1945–1977 |
George Pearce 37 years, 93 days 1901–1938 |
George Pearce 37 years, 93 days 1901–1938 |
See also
[edit]- List of members of the United States Congress by longevity of service
- List of historical longest-serving members of the United States Congress
- Members of the Malaysian Parliament who have served for at least 30 years
- Members of the New Zealand Parliament who have served for at least 30 years
- Records of members of the Oireachtas (Ireland)
- Records of members of parliament of the United Kingdom
References
[edit]- ^ Handbook of the 42nd Parliament: Members who have served in both chambers
- ^ Wilson, Janet, & McCann, Dr Joy (9 July 2014). "Representation of women in Australian parliaments 2014". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Titles accorded to members". House of Representatives Practice (6th ed.). Parliament of Australia. 2012.
- ^ "Seniority of senators". Odgers' Australian Senate Practice (14th ed.). Parliament of Australia. 2016.
- ^ Although Senator Sir George Pearce and Billy Hughes MP were elected on different dates (29 March and 30 March 1901 respectively), all members of the First Parliament were considered to be of equal seniority.