How Victoria’s first Labor premier lasted just 13 days

Daniel Andrews is nearing a political milestone that will delight his supporters, but it’s in stark contrast to the state’s first Labor premier, who lasted just 13 days.

George Elmslie was Victoria’s shortest-serving premier, spending just 13 days in the top job.

On September 15 this year, Premier Daniel Andrews will pass a milestone that will delight his supporters and infuriate his enemies.

After spending seven years and 285 days in office, he will overtake Steve Bracks as the sixth-longest-serving premier in Victorian history.

His stint will be longer than Jeff Kennett on seven years and 13 days, but shorter than John Cain Jr on eight years and 124 days.

Andrews is still a long way off the record.

Labor Premier Daniel Andrews and Victoria’s first and briefest Labor premier, George Elmslie.

Premier Henry Bolte spent 17 years and 77 days in the top job between 1955 and 1972.

It was 17 years and 64 days longer than the man who sits at the bottom of the ladder – George Elmslie.

Taking the reins of power in 1913, he was the state’s first Labor premier.

But he held office for just 13 days before his job was brutally wrestled off him, making him the shortest serving premier in the state’s history.

The often forgotten and tragic tale of George Elmslie hides the grit and commitment of a man who helped kickstart the Labor movement in Victoria.

Set in stone

Born in Lethbridge, northwest of Geelong, Elmslie was inspired by his father to become a stonemason and helped craft some of Melbourne’s grandest buildings including St Patrick’s Cathedral and Melbourne University’s grand Wilson Hall, later destroyed by fire.

But Elmslie’s future as a political operative seemed just as firmly set in stone.

A fervent supporter of the early trade union movement since his time as a stonemason industry organiser, he was a delegate to Trades Hall and a founding member of the Victorian Labour Federation.

In 1902 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly and became leader of the Labor Party in 1912.

Then came a golden opportunity in 1913.

Before entering parliament, George Elmslie was a delegate to Trade’s Hall, pictured in 1908, and a founding member of the Victorian Labour Federation. Picture: State Library of Victoria

The incumbent premier, Deakinite Liberal William Watt, faced a revolt among his colleagues and was deposed in a factional power play.

Donald McLeod, the leader of the rural faction that knocked Watt off, presumed he would be invited to form a new government.

In a move nobody saw coming, the acting governor, Sir John Madden, instead called on Opposition Leader Elmslie to form Victoria’s first Labor government.

But Elmslie’s dream to shape the political landscape of Victoria wasn’t to be.

Premier William Watt and Acting Governor John Madden, who played key roles in George Elmslie’s brief ascension.

Under a long-abandoned law of the early 20th Century, ministers seeking to form a new government had to resign from parliament and contest by-elections before the new ministry could formally take power.

While Elmslie was outside parliament, but still technically premier, factions in the opposing Liberal Party overcame their differences and conspired to topple him.

In a farcical scene, less than a fortnight after his rise to power, the Legislative Assembly rolled Elmslie and reinstated William Watt.

The forlorn Elmslie was forced to watch from the public gallery in Spring St’s Parliament House, because he wasn’t officially a member.

He remained as Labor opposition leader, dreaming to take the top job again, but was sadly taken by illness and died less than five years after his brief premiership.

The gravesite of Victoria’s first Labor premier in Melbourne General Cemetery became dilapidated and was lost for decades before its rediscovery in the 1990s.

Robert Menzies and Frank Forde, Australia’s longest and shortest-serving prime ministers with 18 years and seven days respectively.

Short and sharp

The tragic George Elmslie wasn’t the only politician to have their time in the sun cut short.

The second shortest-serving Victorian premier was Liberal Ian Macfarlan who held power for 50 days between October and December 1945 following a budget supply crisis that brought down his predecessor Sir Albert Dunstan.

Sir Charles Sladen had the job for a little under two months in 1868 after his predecessor resigned over a controversial grant.

Queensland Premier Anderson Dawson and his ministry, left, formed the world’s first ever Labor government – but lasted just six days.

The shortest-serving Australian prime minister was Queenslander Frank Forde, who held office for one week in July 1945 as caretaker following the death in office of John Curtin.

Sir Earl Page was PM for 19 days after the death of Joseph Lyons in April 1939 and John McEwen had the job for 22 days in December 1967 and January 1968 following the disappearance of Harold Holt.

The longest-serving prime minister was Victorian Robert Menzies who had two stints in power under the United Australia and Liberal parties, and totalled 18 years and 163 days in the top job.

But the record for the shortest stint for any Australian prime minister or premier is held by Queensland’s Anderson Dawson.

Inspired by Marxist ideology, he formed a ministry after the resignation of James Dickson’s government in 1899.

It became the first democratic socialist or labour party government in the world, a feat that was written up in newspapers abroad.

It was also the shortest government Australia has ever seen, lasting just six days.