The following list shows each Ministry and its term of office since 1901. The termination date of each Ministry coincides with the date on which the Prime Minister submitted his resignation and that of each of his Ministers to the Governor-General. In a number of instances, however, such resignations have been the occasion for the Prime Minister of the day to request the Governor-General for a commission to form a new Ministry and thus remain in office. W. M. Hughes was the first Australian Prime Minister to follow this procedure, which he did on three separate occasions between 1915 and 1923.
| Ministry | Period of office | Ministry |
| 1 | Barton | 1.1.1901 to 24.9.1903 |
| 2 | Deakin | 24.9.1903 to 27.4.1904 |
| 3 | Watson | 27.4.1904 to 17.8.1904 |
| 4 | Reid–McLean | 18.8.1904 to 5.7.1905 |
| 5 | Deakin | 5.7.1905 to 13.11.1908 |
| 6 | Fisher | 13.11.1908 to 2.6.1909 |
| 7 | Deakin | 2.6.1909 to 29.4.1910 |
| 8 | Fisher | 29.4.1910 to 24.6.1913 |
| 9 | Cook | 24.6.1913 to 17.9.1914 |
| 10 | Fisher | 17.9.1914 to 27.10.1915 |
| 11 | Hughes | 27.10.1915 to 14.11.1916 |
| 12 | Hughes | 14.11.1916 to 17.2.1917 |
| 13 | Hughes | 17.2.1917 to 8.1.1918 |
| 14 | Hughes | 10.1.1918 to 9.2.1923 |
| 15 | Bruce–Page | 9.2.1923 to 22.10.1929 |
| 16 | Scullin | 22.10.1929 to 6.1.1932 |
| 17 | Lyons | 6.1.1932 to 7.11.1938 |
| 18 | Lyons | 7.11.1938 to7.4.1939 |
| 19 | Page | 7.4.1939 to 26.4.1939 |
| 20 | Menzies | 26.4.1939 to 14.3.1940 |
| 21 | Menzies | 14.3.1940 to 28.10.1940 |
| 22 | Menzies | 28.10.1940 to 29.8.1941 |
| 23 | Fadden | 29.8.1941 to 7.10.1941 |
| 24 | Curtin | 7.10.1941 to 21.9.1943 |
| 25 | Curtin | 21.9.1943 to 6.7.1945 |
| 26 | Forde | 6.7.1945 to 13.7.1945 |
| 27 | Chifley | 13.7.1945 to 1.11.1946 |
| 28 | Chifley | 1.11.1946 to 19.12.1949 |
| 29 | Menzies | 19.12.1949 to 11.5.1951 |
| 30 | Menzies | 11.5.1951 to 11.1.1956 |
| 31 | Menzies | 11.1.1956 to 10.12.1958 |
| 32 | Menzies | 10.12.1958 to 18.12.1963 |
| 33 | Menzies | 18.12.1963 to 26.1.1966 |
| 34 | Holt | 26.1.1966 to 14.12.1966 |
| 35 | Holt | 14.12.1966 to 19.12.1967 |
| 36 | McEwen | 19.12.1967 to 10.1.1968 |
| 37 | Gorton | 10.1.1968 to 28.2.1968 |
| 38 | Gorton | 28.2.1968 to 12.11.1969 |
| 39 | Gorton | 12.11.1969 to 10.3.1971 |
| 40 | McMahon | 10.3.1971 to 5.12.1972 |
| 41 | Whitlam | 5.12.1972 to 19.12.1972 |
| 42 | Whitlam | 19.12.1972 to 12.6.1974 |
| 43 | Whitlam | 12.6.1974 to 11.11.1975 |
| 44 | Fraser | 11.11.1975 to 22.12.1975 |
| 45 | Fraser | 22.12.1975 to 20.12.1977 |
| 46 | Fraser | 20.12.1977 to 3.11.1980 |
| 47 | Fraser | 3.11.1980 to 7.5.1982 |
| 48 | Fraser | 7.5.1982 to 11.3.1983 |
| 49 | Hawke | 11.3.1983 to 13.12.1984 |
| 50 | Hawke | 13.12.1984 to 24.7.1987 |
| 51 | Hawke | 24.7.1987 to 4.4.1990 |
| 52 | Hawke | 4.4.1990 to 20.12.1991 |
| 53 | Keating | 20.12.1991 to 27.12.1991 |
| 54 | Keating | 27.12.1991 to 24.3.1993 |
| 55 | Keating | 24.3.1993 to 11.3.1996 |
| 56 | Howard | 11.3.1996 to 21.10.1998 |
| 57 | Howard | 21.10.1998 to 26.11.2001 |
| 58 | Howard | 26.11.2001 to 26.10.2004 |
| 59 | Howard | 26.10.2004 to 3.12.2007 |
| 60 | Rudd | 3.12.2007 to 24.6.2010 |
| 61 | Gillard | 24.6.2010 to 28.6.2010 |
| 62 | Gillard | 28.6.2010 to 14.9.2010 |
| 63 | Gillard | 14.9.2010 – |
Source: Parliamentary Library, Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia.