Keith Tyler (1957-) was the Labor Prime Minister of Australia from 6 March 2023 to 6 October 2025, interrupting Bob Bristow's terms. After sponsoring a bipartisan liberal agenda as leader of the opposition, Tyler oversaw the implementation of federal maternity leave, food control, and a ban on animal testing, although he was reluctant to raise taxes or spending. His second term saw cautious rises in taxation and spending, including the expansion of public housing and the implementation of vehicle emissions limits, and he also oversaw the legalization of same-sex marriage; however, a bill to expand abortion rights was defeated. Tyler would oversee an expansion of the House of Representatives and the shortening of working hours in his last term, and, while his party attained a plurality of nearly 40% at the 2025 election, he was outmaneuvered by a coalition of right-wing parties that brought Bristow back into power.
Biography[]
Keith Tyler was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in 1957. Tyler headed a skilled trades union before entering politics with the Australian Labor Party. He served on the Melbourne city council and as mayor before being appointed leader of Labor at the 2022 election. While Labor placed in first and won a plurality of the vote, the Liberals formed a center-right coalition with Bob Bristow as prime minister. In opposition, Tyler proposed progressive laws like an air pollution monitor and ambulance service funding, and he gave support to Bristow's liberal laws while fighting back against deregulated fishing practices and a school bus tax. Taking advantage of the Australian electorate's culturally liberal trend, Tyler brought Labor into government at the 2023 election after winning 35.87% of the popular vote and 11/30 seats in the House of Representatives. The Liberals came in second with 26.49% and 8/30 seats, followed by the Nationals with 11.38% and 3/30 seats, the Teal independents with 9.71% and 3/30 seats, the Australian Greens with 8.56% and 3/30 seats, and the Liberal National Party of Queensland with 7.99% and 2/30 seats. Tyler won the support of the Greens in forming a center-left coalition government on 6 March 2023.
Premiership[]
Tyler inherited a budget of $180 million with a weekly increase of $2 million. Tyler determined to continue his predecessor's policies and maintain economic growth while making minor improvements to standards of living where he could. The House of Representatives voted 21-2 for his maternity leave law, as well as 21-4 for a driving license program, 22-2 for food control, 13-11 for an animal testing ban, 12-11 against Olympics funding, 15-10 to abolish the school bus tax, 14-6 against bank secrecy, 19-8 to keep the agricultural subsidy, and 25-1 for a dog license program.
On 1 January 2024, new elections saw Labor win 37.82% of the vote and 12/30 seats, followed by the Liberals with 20.87% and 6/30 seats, the Nationals with 9.75% and 3/30 seats, the Teal independents with 7.81% and 2/30 seats, the Greens with 10.96% and 3/30 seats, and the LNP with 12.79% and 4/30 seats. While some preliminary polls put Labor at around 39% of the vote, an economic standstill caused by Labor's reluctance to raise taxes caused Labor's rising poll numbers to stagnate as well. The Liberals continued their decline, although their Queensland branch, the LNP, increased its support at the Nationals' and Liberals' expense. Tyler won re-election with 15 votes to Bristow's 14, receiving the backing of the Greens and the full opposition of the Liberals, Nationals, LNP, and Teal independents.
During Tyler's second term, the House voted 14-8 against protest prohibition, 28-0 to increase the number of Parliament seats from 30 to 54, 14-10 against capital punishment, 22-5 for expanded public housing, 18-6 for an air travel tax, 20-3 for a GMO ban, 17-6 for prison labor, 12-12 against a robbery penalty, 20-4 to keep mandatory vaccinations, 21-4 for vehicle emission limits, 21-4 against a one-child policy, 22-2 for a national lottery, 18-3 against bank secrecy, 12-10 against legalizing abortion, and 11-10 to legalize same-sex marriage.
On 11 November 2024, new elections were held for the enlarged House of Representatives. Labor placed in first with 38.32% and 21/54 seats, followed by the Liberals with 18.95% and 10/54 seats, the LNP with 13.33% and 7/54 seats, the Greens with 10.47% and 6/54 seats, the Nationals with 9.84% and 5/54 seats, and the Teal independents with 9.09% and 5/54 seats. The Liberal Party continued to decline as its Queensland affiliate rose in popularity and culturally progressive Liberals defected to the Teal independents. A week later, the House voted 30-9 for fishing regulations. On 25 November, Tyler won 26 votes to Bristow's 24 votes, retaining the premiership.
The House went on to vote 23-22 against the death sentence, 39-6 to keep the air pollution monitor, 40-4 to fund Olympic games in Australia, 38-5 to shorten working hours (giving Labor a brief poll boost), and 26-21 to implement highway tolls.
On 22 September 2025, new elections saw Labor rise to 39.72% of the vote and 21/54 seats, followed by the Liberals with 18.09% and 10/54 seats, the LNP with 10.22% and 5/54 seats, the Greens with 13.27% and 7/54 seats, the Nationals with 6.98% and 4/54 seats, the Independents with 10.68% and 6/54 seats, and the right-wing populist One Nation party with 1.04% and 1/54 seats. Labor's cautious increase in taxation and public services enabled the party to make slight electoral gains, while the Teal independents and Greens profited from rising environmentalist sentiment. As the establishment right experienced declining support, far-rightists began to creep into the mainstream with One Nation leader Jim Byrum's election to the House of Representatives. In the ensuing premiership election, Tyler narrowly won re-election with 23 votes to Bob Bristow's 25, with the Teals, Nationals, LNP, Liberals, and One Nation teaming up to support Bristow's return. On 17 August 2026, Tyler stood down as Labor leader after another major defeat to Bristow, and Sophie Ling succeeded him as party leader. Tyler would remain active in Labor parliamentary politics as the party's chief spokesman under Ling, frequently appearing in the media to advertise the party's legislative victories and attack rival parties.