Leadership
Prime Minister Bruce loses his seat
12 October 1929
Bruce becomes the first Prime Minister to lose their seat while serving as Prime Minister.
In the federal election of 1929 Stanley Bruce became the first Prime Minister to lose their seat in the House of Representatives while still serving as Prime Minister. Before the election, Bruce’s Nationalist Party was in government in coalition with the Country Party. However, 5 members of the Nationalist Party crossed the floor in a vote in the House of Representatives to vote with the opposition. This signalled that the government had lost the majority of support in the Houseand triggered the election.
Bruce regained his seat in 1931 and served as a minister before being appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in 1933. John Howard became the second and, so far, only other Prime Minister to lose their seat while serving as Prime Minister in 2007.
Prime Minister Bruce hands over to James Scullin
National Archives of Australia, A3560, 6122
Prime Minister Bruce hands over to James Scullin
National Archives of Australia, A3560, 6122
Description
This photo shows prime ministers Stanley Bruce and James Scullin seated at a desk in the prime minister's office in Parliament House (now known as Old Parliament House). Stanley Bruce had just lost the election and his seat in the Australian Parliament and was handing over the role of prime minister to James Scullin.