Senator John Faulkner
01/2009
20 January 2009
Tomorrow Gough Whitlam will become Australia’s longest living former Prime Minister, surpassing Frank Forde’s lifespan of 92 years 6 months and 10 days.
Frank Forde was Australia’s shortest serving Prime Minister. He served for only 8 days after the death of John Curtin and before Ben Chifley was elected Labor leader by the Caucus in July 1945.
Frank Forde was born on the 18th of July 1890 and died on the 28th of January 1983.
Gough Whitlam who was born on the 11th of July 1916, now surpasses Frank Forde’s achievement of political longevity.
Gough Whitlam served two terms as Labor Prime Minister from 5th of December 1972 to 11th of November 1975.
Senator Faulkner said: “This is an exceptional achievement by Gough, who remains an inspiration for so many of us in the Australian Labor Party.”
Prime Ministers - Age at Start and Finish of Term, Length of Life after Finishing Term, and Age at Death [RTF - 107 KB]
JANUARY 20, 2009