The spouse or partner of the prime minister of Australia is the host of The Lodge and Kirribilli House, usually the wife, husband, or partner of the prime minister of Australia, concurrent with the tenure of the prime minister. Although there are no officially defined responsibilities for the role, the incumbent is generally a high-profile individual who is involved in the political and social life of Australia, assisting the prime minister with carrying out ceremonial duties as well as performing various other functions.
The spouse of prime minister Anthony Albanese is Jodie Haydon.
With a few exceptions, the prime minister's spouse has been by default a public figure, and the subject of media and societal interest. A spouse has no official title, but may be unofficially referred to as Australia's "first lady" or "first bloke". The prime minister's spouse receives no official salary, and they have no official responsibilities, duties, obligations or staff.
By convention, the spouse of the prime minister serves as the host of The Lodge, the primary official residence of the prime minister, and Kirribilli House, the secondary residence. The incumbent also assists the prime minister in welcoming foreign dignitaries to Parliament House, on official state visits overseas and at various other locations during ceremonial events.
Some earlier spouses stayed mainly at home and took little part in public life. Many were preoccupied with rearing children, most notably Dame Enid Lyons (1932âÂÂ39), who had 12 children (one died in infancy).
However, most recent prime ministers' spouses have chosen to also be involved in charities or community organisations, working to raise public awareness, funds, and support for a range of causes. They generally assist their partners in political campaigns and participate in official duties that come with the position, such as hosting foreign dignitaries and, in particular, entertaining the spouses of dignitaries; accompanying the prime ministers on national and international trips; attending conferences and functions; and speaking in public, particularly in the prime minister's constituency. They have attended the opening of Parliament; visited Buckingham Palace, the White House, or the Japanese Imperial Palace; and been present at royal coronations and conferences.
Until the 1960s, it was uncommon for the spouse of a prime minister to have their own career. Zara Holt, a fashion designer, was the first to continue her career during her husband's term in office, and reputedly earned more money than him. Other businesswomen to hold the position have included Thérèse Rein, who ran an employment services company, and Margie Abbott, who ran a childcare centre. Bettina Gorton was an academic who lectured part-time at the Australian National University.
Although spouses often assist the prime minister at campaign events, only two have held public office in their own right:
All prime ministers excluding John McEwen, Julia Gillard and Anthony Albanese were married for the duration of their term in office. McEwen was a widower during his short term; Gillard was in a domestic partnership with Tim Mathieson. Albanese was divorced when he became prime minister, but married while in office, making him both the first divorced prime minister and the first prime minister to marry while in office. He and his partner, Jodie Haydon, who lives in her own home in Sydney, became engaged on Valentine's Day 2024. They married on 29 November 2025, seven months after the 2025 Australian federal election.
Some prime ministers' spouses have received official recognition for their services to the community:
In June 2006, an exhibition entitled Mrs Prime Minister â Public Image, Private Lives, featuring the wives of 24 prime ministers, opened at Old Parliament House in Canberra, from 1901 to the present. The exhibition featured 150 objects and images, and was centred around six core themes, which included "social advocate, political partner, national hostess, and media personality". It also revealed how individual women had changed the role over time. A travelling version of the exhibition was created, which by then had grown to 25 wives, and featured portraits of six of them. On 19 March 2008, Annita van Iersel, former spouse of Paul Keating, opened the travelling exhibition, which featured portraits of Van Iersel along with Janette Howard, Hazel Hawke, Tamie Fraser, Margaret Whitlam, and Sonia McMahon.
, the exhibition showcases 26 women who had been wives to prime ministers between 1901 and 2010.
A number of prime ministers have remarried after leaving office or had marriages that ended before taking office.