1949 Australian federal election of Representatives was enlarged from 74 to 121 seats and the Senate from 36 members to 60 members. All 121 lower house seats, and 42 of the 60 upper house seats, were up for election. The Chifley Government was defeated, ending the longest period of Labor Federal Government in Australian history up to that date (1941–49). Labor would not return to office until 1972. Robert Menzies became Prime Minister for the second time, and the Liberal Party of Australia won government federally for the first time. 1949 Australian federal election Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1949.
Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin, and served until 13 July 1945 when Ben Chifley was elected leader of the Australian Labor Party. The last Prime Minister to serve out a full government term in the office was John Howard, who won the 2004 election and led his party to the 2007 election, but lost. Since then, the five subsequent Prime Ministers have been either voted out of the office mid-term by the caucuses of their own parties, assumed the office mid-term under such circumstances, or both. Prime Minister of Australia The Prime Minister of Australia is the head of government of Australia. The