List of nicknames of prime ministers of Australia
This is a list of nicknames of prime ministers of Australia.
List of nicknames
Edmund Barton
Full name: Edmund Barton
- Toby Tosspot[1]
Alfred Deakin
Full name: Alfred Deakin
- Affable Alfred[2]
Chris Watson
Full name: John Christian Watson
George Reid
Full name: George Houston Reid
- Yes-No Reid, in reference a long speech where he was unwilling to take a clear position on federation.[3]
Andrew Fisher
Full name: Andrew Fisher
Joseph Cook
Full name: Joseph Cook
Billy Hughes
Full name: William Morris Hughes
- The Little Digger
- The Rat, due to his support for conscription and eventual defection from the Labor Party to the Liberal Party.
Stanley Bruce
Full name: Stanley Melbourne Bruce, 1st Viscount Bruce of Melbourne
James Scullin
Full name: James Henry Scullin
Joseph Lyons
Full name: Joseph Aloysius Lyons
- Honest Joe
Earle Page
Full name: Earle Christmas Grafton Page
Robert Menzies
Full name: Robert Gordon Menzies
- Ming the Merciless[4]
- Pig iron Bob[5]
Arthur Fadden
Full name: Arthur William Fadden
- Artie
John Curtin
Full name: John Joseph Ambrose Curtin
- Bumble[6]
Frank Forde
Full name: Francis Michael Forde
Ben Chifley
Full name: Joseph Benedict Chifley
Harold Holt
Full name: Harold Edward Holt
John McEwen
Full name: John McEwen
- Black Jack[7]
John Gorton
Full name: John Grey Gorton
- Jolly John[8]
William McMahon
Full name: William McMahon
Gough Whitlam
Full name: Edward Gough Whitlam
- The Young Brolga[10]
- Goughie
Malcolm Fraser
Full name: John Malcolm Fraser
- The Prefect[11]
Bob Hawke
Full name: Robert James Lee Hawke
Paul Keating
Full name: Paul John Keating
- The Mortician
- The Lizard of Oz, by the British press after he placed his arm around Queen Elizabeth during her 1992 tour of Australia.[14]
- Paul-Bearer, a play on "pallbearer", in reference to his perceived role in the downturn of the Australian economy.[15]
- The Undertaker, for the same reason as above.[16]
John Howard
Full name: John Winston Howard
- Honest John[8]
- Little Johnny Howard[17]
- Mr 18%[18]
- The little desiccated coconut, used by Paul Keating to describe Howard during a 2007 radio interview.[19]
Kevin Rudd
Full name: Kevin Michael Rudd
- Kevin07, his campaign slogan for the 2007 federal election.
- K-Rudd or Krudd, a contraction of his name.
- Milky Bar Kid, in his likeness to the Nestlé Milky Bar Kid.
- Rudd the Dud[20]
- Dr Death, in reference to his role in the cuts to the Queensland public service under the government of Wayne Goss.[21]
Julia Gillard
Full name: Julia Eileen Gillard
- Ju-liar, part of a campaign of character assassination led by Alan Jones.[22]
- J-Gizza, used predominantly by students and young people during her prime ministership.
- The Witch, a misogynistic sobriquet which appeared on a placard at an anti-carbon tax rally infamously attended by Tony Abbott.[23]
Tony Abbott
Full name: Anthony John Abbott
- Mad monk[24]
- Tear-down Tony[24]
- Onion muncher, in response to a widely-circulated video in which Abbott bit into a raw onion while visiting a produce farm in northern Tasmania.[25]
- The Gammon Man, by Indigenous people in the Northern Territory. The term is used to refer to individuals who are perceived as disingenuous or two-faced. It was applied to Abbott after he suggested that he would suspend financial assistance to remote Indigenous communities, and in response to his support for the closure of Aboriginal townships in Western Australia.[26]
Malcolm Turnbull
Full name: Malcolm Bligh Turnbull
- Mr Harbourside Mansion[27]
- Turncoat[28][29][30][31][32]
- Trumble or Mr Trumble, owing to a gaffe by Donald Trump's first press secretary, Sean Spicer.[33]
- Brian Trumbull, another misspelling which appeared in a Reuters article during Turnbull's 2017 visit to the United States.[34]
- President of Australia, the title given to Turnbull in a White House press statement following a phone call with Donald Trump.[35]
Scott Morrison
Full name: Scott John Morrison
- ScoMo[36][37]
- Scummo, as a further iteration of ScoMo.
- The Liar from the Shire[38][39]
- Scotty from Marketing became a common nickname due to Morrison's perceived poor response to the 2019 Australian bushfires.[40][41] It originated in an article on satirical web site The Betoota Advocate during the bushfires.[42][43] The name is still used frequently, and refers to Morrison's previous roles as managing director of Tourism Australia from 2004 to 2006 and as the inaugural Director of the New Zealand Office of Tourism and Sport from 1998 to 2000.[44][45][46]
Anthony Albanese
Full name: Anthony Norman Albanese
- Albo[47][48]
- Airbus Albo, due to his perceived propensity for overseas junketing.[49][50]
- Each-way Albo, coined prior to his election to portray him as indecisive or unprincipled. See Yes-No Reid.[51][52]
- AnAl, contracting first and last names in the same manner as "ScoMo", vulgarity ensues.[53]
- Morrison-lite[54]
- OverEasy Albanese[55]
- Albo Akbar, after his recognition of Palestine and perceived support for Hamas.
See also
- List of nicknames of prime ministers of Italy
- List of nicknames of prime ministers of the United Kingdom
- List of nicknames of presidents of the United States
References
- ^ "Edmund Barton". primeministers.naa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
- ^ a b corporatename:Old Parliament House, Executive Agency within the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio (19 June 2017). "Tosspot to Bodgie: Seven Prime Ministerial nicknames". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
- ^ "Dictionary of Australian Biography R". gutenberg.net.au. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
- ^ "Tosspot to Bodgie: Seven Prime Ministerial nicknames". 19 June 2017.
- ^ "How did former Australian prime ministers get their nicknames?". ABC Radio. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
- ^ Library (Phone: +61892664205), Curtin University of Technology (18 December 2002). "Bouncedown at Brunswick Football Club". john.curtin.edu.au. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "John McEwen". primeministers.naa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
- ^ a b "From 'Toby Tosspot' to 'Mr Harbourside Mansion', personal insults are an Australian tradition". 28 June 2018.
- ^ a b c "What's in a name?". The Monthly. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "Gough Whitlam". National Archives of Australia. Australian Government. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
was dubbed 'the young brolga' when he entered parliament, for his height (194cm) and imperious bearing
- ^ Oakes, Laurie (20 March 2015). "He was nothing if not consistent". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ Condon, Alex (13 November 2023). "Backyard cricket at Hawkey's house after National Trust unveils accommodation plans". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ "How 'Hawkie's' potent mix of political and personal made him one of our greatest leaders". SBS News. 16 May 2019. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ Marshall, Nikki; Livsey, Anna (12 July 2017). "No hands, ma'am: Australian prime ministers meet the Queen – in pictures". The Guardian.
- ^ "Legislative Assembly Hansard 1987" (PDF). Queensland Parliament. 17 March 1987. p. 737. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ Browne, Rachel (14 June 2013). "Would male PMs face the same treatment?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ Tremain, Garrick (4 October 2005). "Little Johnny Howard contemplates injustice..." National Library of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ Henderson, Gerard (29 October 2002). "Caught in the shadow of Mr 18%". The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH). Retrieved 18 August 2024.
- ^ Ricketts, Kieran (12 November 2013). "The collected insults of former PM Paul Keating". ABC News. Archived from the original on 11 February 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ Sheehan, Paul (22 February 2010). "How Rudd the dud dropped Australia in the alphabet soup". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ "Rudd labelled 'Dr Death'". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ Kwek, Glenda (24 February 2011). "Alan Jones lets rip at 'Ju-liar' Gillard". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
- ^ Massola, James (23 June 2015). "Julia Gillard on the moment that should have killed Tony Abbott's career". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Profile: Tony Abbott". BBC News. 14 September 2015.
- ^ Butler, Gavin (21 May 2019). "Tony Abbott's Going to Make Way More Money After Losing His Job". VICE. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ Stiles, Jackson (11 March 2015). "Abbott's nasty nickname in the Top End". The New Daily. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ Bongiorno, Frank (28 June 2018). "From 'Toby Tosspot' to 'Mr Harbourside Mansion', personal insults are an Australian tradition". The Conversation. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
- ^ "Turnbull's a turncoat". 23 January 2018.
- ^ "Turncoat Turnbull ghosts Dutton". 10 April 2019.
- ^ "Turncoat Turnbull - YouTube". YouTube.
- ^ "Turncoat Turnbull...from leftie poster boy to villain". Herald Sun. 14 September 2015.
- ^ "Fizza". 2016.
- ^ "Did White House Press Sec Sean Spicer say Prime Minister Trumble or Turnbull? You decide". ABC News. 3 February 2017. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ Saunokonoko, Mark (8 May 2017). "'Brian Trumbull' the latest butchering of Malcolm Turnbull's name". Nine News. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ "White House identifies Malcolm Turnbull as 'President of Australia'". SBS News. 5 February 2017. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ "Scott Morrison". Australian Prime Ministers. 18 King George Terrace Parkes, ACT 2600 Ngunnawal, Ngunawal, Ngambri Country: Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
reflected in his adoption of the nickname 'ScoMo'
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Lewis, Charlie (21 January 2022). "Let's go, branding! The origin stories of political nicknames". Crikey. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
- ^ Haydar, Nour (22 November 2021). "Prime Minister forced to backtrack after claiming he told opposition about Hawaiian holiday during bushfires". ABC News. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ Hewson, John (27 November 2021). "Scott Morrison's election lies". The Saturday Paper. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- ^ "Aloha, Scotty from Marketing, is it resurrection you're looking for?". The New Daily. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- ^ Cashmere, Paul (3 January 2020). "Bette Midler Calls Scotty From Marketing "a Fuckwit"". Noise11.com. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- ^ Scott Morrison rejects 'Scotty from marketing' nickname, news.com.au, January 20, 2020
- ^ Scotty From Marketing Holds Focus Group To Suss Out If He'll Get Booed At The Sydney Test, The Betoota Advocate
- ^ Rigby, Brittney (2 January 2020). "Former marketer Scott Morrison's bushfire messaging isn't good leadership, and it isn't good PR". Mumbrella. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- ^ "Scott Morrison's rise to Australia's top job". Radio New Zealand. ABC. 24 August 2018. Archived from the original on 24 August 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
- ^ Deborah Snow (30 April 2016). "Scott Morrison's relentless rise to power". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 8 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
- ^ Frost, Natasha (21 July 2023). "Why Do Australian Politicians Love Nicknames?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
Mr. Albanese's nickname — "Albo" — has been with him throughout his political career, and was his nickname as a child.
- ^ "Anthony Albanese". National Archives of Australia. Australian Government. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
often referred to by the nickname 'Albo'
- ^ "'Airbus Albo': Albanese accused of 'seeking to avoid accountability'". 21 June 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ^ "Airbus Albo's carbon shame". The Spectator Australia. 3 July 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ^ Overell, Clancy (n.d.). "Paul Murray Panics After Realising 'Each Way Albo' Implies Opposition Leader Is Still A Safer Bet". The Betoota Advocate. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ Macpherson, James (11 March 2022). "Each-Way Albo - I can be Bob Hawke!". The Spectator Australia. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20210204093630/https://chaser.com.au/national/labor-immediately-scraps-plan-for-scomo-style-name-for-anthony-albanese/
- ^ https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/morrisonlite-pm-leads-by-dumping-fight-for-the-republic/news-story/985d48543c92c3ecd82ebd737cc28f44
- ^ "How good are election books? Crikey's suggestions for publishers in 2022". 27 May 2022.