Style The Honourable Formation 11 May 1951 | Inaugural holder Sir Eric Harrison Deputy Luke Hartsuyker | |
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Appointer Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia | ||
In the Australian Parliament, the Leader of the House is the government minister responsible for the management of government business in the House of Representatives, including such matters as:
As the Australian Parliament is bicameral, the Leader of the House must also be aware of developments in the Senate, for example, in order to anticipate whether a bill may be returned to the House with amendments.
The office was created in 1951 by the Prime Minister at the time, Robert Menzies. The Leader of the House and the Deputy Leader are appointed by the Prime Minister. Since 18 September 2013, Leader of the House has been Christopher Pyne, and the current Deputy Leader of the House is Luke Hartsuyker. The duties of the Deputy Leader of the House is largely contingent, coming into play only when the Leader of the House is absent from the House or is on leave, when he or she is referred to as Acting Leader of the House.
List of Leaders of the House
The following individuals have been appointed as Leader of the Australian House of Representatives:
Note: For terms during the period 1951 to 1972, exact dates are taken from changes in Prime Minister. Other dates coincide with sitting periods of the House as an approximation of when terms began and ended.