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John Gorton

John Gorton is considered the only senator ever to hold the position of the Prime Minister of Australia. He was the 19th Prime Minister of Australia who held the position from 10 January 1968 to 10 March 1971. His strong belief in commonwealth power over economic management made him so unpopular. The media portrayed him as an incompetent administrator and his own party removed him from power in 1971 by a vote of no confidence. He is the only Prime Minister to vote against himself in such a situation.

Personal life and Education

John Grey Gorton was born to John Rose Gorton and Alice Sinn on 9 September 1911 in Wellington, New Zealand. His schooling was at the Headford Preparatory School of Sydney Church of England Grammar and at Geelong Grammar School. Later he went to England for higher education. John Gorton returned to Australia graduating from Brasenose College, Oxford to look after his father's orchard at Kerang. In 1935 he married Bettina Brown, with whom he had three children- Joanna, Michael and Robin. He died on 19th May 2002 at Darlinghurst, Sydney.

John Gorton's Political Career

John Gorton began his political career with the Country Party and later switched to the Liberal Party. He was successful in four Senate elections, following a narrow defeat in the election to the Victorian Legislative Council in 1949. He served a variety of political roles including Minister for the Navy in Robert Menzies' Liberal-Country Party (CP) coalition government, Minister Assisting the Minister for External Affairs, Minister-in-charge of Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Minister for the Interior, Minister for Works, Minister-in-charge of Commonwealth Activities in Education and Research and Minister for Education and Science. Honours bestowed upon him are the following: Privy Councillor (1968) Companion of Honour June (1971) GCMG (1977)

19th Prime Minister of Australia
In office	10 January 1968– 10 March 1971
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Lord Casey Sir Paul Hasluck
Deputy	John McEwen Doug Anthony
Preceded by	John McEwen
Succeeded by	William McMahon
Senator for Victoria
In office	22 February 1950– 1 February 1968
Succeeded by	Ivor Greenwood
Member of the Australian Parliament for Higgins
In office	24 February 1968– 11 November 1975
Preceded by	Harold Holt
Succeeded by	Roger Shipton
Personal details
Born	9 September 1911 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died	19 May 2002 (aged 90) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Liberal Party
Spouse(s)	Bettina Gorton
Children	Joanna Michael Robin
Alma mater	Brasenose College, Oxford
Religion	None (Agnosticism)
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Years of service	1940– 1944
Rank	Flight Lieutenant
Unit	No. 61 Operational Training Unit RAF No. 232 Squadron RAF No. 77 Squadron RAAF
Battles/wars	World War II