Unemployment rate during each prime minister's tenure
Every prime minister since 1991, ranked by how the unemployment rate changed from their first day in office. Politare shows what happened during a tenure; it does not claim the office-holder caused it.
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Tenures
Period
Order
| # | Prime minister | In office | Total | Per year | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ALP Anthony Albanese | 23 May 2022 – now | +0.9 pp Apr 2022 → Sep 2026 | +0.2 pp/yr | |
| 2 | ALP Kevin Rudd | 3 Dec 2007 – 24 Jun 2010 | +0.8 pp Nov 2007 → May 2010 | +0.3 pp/yr | |
| 3 | ALP Julia Gillard | 24 Jun 2010 – 27 Jun 2013 | +0.4 pp May 2010 → May 2013 | +0.1 pp/yr | |
| 4 | LIB Tony Abbott | 18 Sep 2013 – 15 Sep 2015 | +0.3 pp Aug 2013 → Aug 2015 | +0.1 pp/yr | |
| 5 | LIB Malcolm Turnbull | 15 Sep 2015 – 24 Aug 2018 | −0.8 pp Aug 2015 → Jul 2018 | −0.3 pp/yr | |
| 6 | LIB Scott Morrison | 24 Aug 2018 – 23 May 2022 | −1.4 pp Jul 2018 → Apr 2022 | −0.4 pp/yr | |
| 7 | ALP Paul Keating | 20 Dec 1991 – 11 Mar 1996 | −1.9 pp Nov 1991 → Feb 1996 | −0.4 pp/yr | |
| 8 | LIB John Howard | 11 Mar 1996 – 3 Dec 2007 | −3.9 pp Feb 1996 → Nov 2007 | −0.3 pp/yr |
Sorted by total, highest first. Every row is indexed to the last month complete before the first day in office ("from" marks a start that had to move because that period had no data, or because the period cut it); Levels are per cent changes, rates are differences in pp; "per year" compounds levels and divides rates. Tenures with under 12 months, or under three observations, are left out. % of labour force · ABS, Labour Force, Australia (LF), seasonally adjusted · Australia data · as of Sep 2026.