Historical rankings of Prime Ministers of Australia teaching or researching in the fields of Australian politics or history" to place Australia's prime ministers in five categories; 40 responded. Five points were awarded to prime ministers judged "outstanding", four for those considered "good", three for "average", two for "below average", and one for "failure". The three caretaker prime ministers were excluded from consideration, as was the serving prime minister, Julia Gillard. John Curtin received the highest average rating, 4.78, and he was the only prime minister who no respondents gave a rating lower than "good". It is possible to compare the highest approval ratings achieved by Prime Ministers
Julia Gillard Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for Social Inclusion. On , after Rudd lost the support of his party and resigned, Gillard was elected unopposed as his replacement, thus becoming prime minister. The subsequent 2010 federal election saw the first hung parliament since 1940. Gillard was able to form a minority government with the support of a Green MP and three independents. On 26 June 2013, after a leadership spill, Gillard lost the leadership of the Labor Party back to Rudd. Her resignation as prime minister took effect the following day. Gillard retired from politics on 5 August 2013, before