History
The sworn office of Deputy Prime Minister was created in January 1968, as an honour for John McEwen, the long-serving leader of the Country Party (later renamed the National Party) and the immediately preceding caretaker Prime Minister. Prior to that time the term was used unofficially for the second-highest ranking minister in the government.
In Labor governments, the Deputy Prime Minister is the party's deputy leader. In Liberal-National Coalition governments, the position has been held by the Leader of the National Party or its predecessors.
In November 2007, the Australian Labor Party won government and Julia Gillard became Australia's first female, and first foreign-born, Deputy Prime Minister.
Since the formalisation of the office only two Deputy Prime Ministers have gone on to become Prime Minister: Paul Keating and Julia Gillard. In both cases, they succeeded incumbent Prime Ministers who lost the support of the Labor Party caucus mid-term. Prior to 1968, Alfred Deakin, Joseph Cook, Earle Page, Frank Forde and Arthur Fadden all became Prime Minister after having previously been unofficial deputies.
John McEwen had served as Prime Minister prior to being appointed Deputy Prime Minister, as had the unofficial deputies Joseph Cook, Billy Hughes, and Arthur Fadden.
Read more about this topic: Deputy Prime Minister Of Australia
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