Australia's Seven Living Prime Ministers In Awkward Family Photo

Forced grins at former PM Gough Whitlam's Sydney Town Hall Memorial.

Australia's prime minister and his six predecessors today shelved old divisions for a special photograph at Gough Whitlam's Memorial.

Dan Himbrechts / AAP

AAP photographer Dan Himbrechts assembled the Liberal and Labor grandees for the photo at the conclusion of the ceremony.

With all the bitter rivalries and ruined friendships it's rather hard to believe they all happily agreed to the snap.

And how did they agree where to stand?!

Let's take a closer look. Guardian writer Aaron Timms noticed there's a three prime ministerial buffer zone between sworn ALP enemies Julia Gillard vs. Kevin Rudd AND Bob Hawke vs. Paul Keating.

Dan Himbrechts / AAP

The theory goes deeper! There is ALSO a three prime ministerial buffer zone between old Liberal haters Malcolm Fraser and John Howard.

Dan Himbrechts / AAP

Also noticeable, Malcolm Fraser is really tall, John Howard is looking at something completely off screen and Paul Keating is rocking a very old school double breasted suit.

Dan Himbrechts / AAP

According to Australian politics blogger Malcolm Farnsworth the record for "alive prime ministers" stands at nine.

Malcolm Farnsworth @mfarnsworth

The record - Oct 7 - Nov 18, 1941: Watson, Cook, Hughes, Bruce, Scullin, Page, Menzies & Fadden, with incumbent Curtin as the 9th.

Wed Nov 05 04:38:33 UTC+0000 2014

Still, it's a special picture. You know the old joke, "how many prime ministers does it take to change a country?"

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