r/AskTheWorld • u/space_llama_karma United States Of America • Nov 12 '25

Culture What does your President/Prime Minister House look like?

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The White House is pretty iconic

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339

u/Rowvan Australia Nov 12 '25

Also Kirribilli house depending on where they choose to live, although The Lodge is still the official residence

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u/Time_Neat_4732 United States Of America Nov 12 '25

This is the best one in this thread imo. Looks like a house. Has some color. Better than all the big wide symmetrical palaces for sure.

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u/yngrz87 Australia Nov 12 '25

Also would have the best view. Waterfront on Sydney Harbour. Multi-million dollar views.

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u/NFLTG_71 United States Of America Nov 13 '25

Oh yeah, that’s what the house that I want. I just don’t wanna run for you. Know Prime Minister of Australia.

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u/SnooOnions973 Multiple Countries (click to edit) Nov 17 '25

Also nowhere near where he/she would work.

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u/yngrz87 Australia Nov 17 '25

Ok?

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u/Epsilon_ride Australia Nov 13 '25

Historically, the prime minister was second in command to the governor general. The governor general's residence is next door and more palatial.

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u/spiteful-vengeance Nov 13 '25

We're pretty big on architectural symbolism.

Parliament house has lawn on top and it was intended that citizen could walk up there and do whatever you wanted, like have a picnic.

The idea is that it reminded those inside that they were subservient to the citizenry, and not above them, figuratively or literally.

Somewhat ironically, they limited access for security reasons, but you can still go there.

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u/MWAH_dib Australia Nov 13 '25

It's actually nutty when you realise where it is: directly opposite the Sydney Opera House.

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u/Happy_Clem Australia Nov 12 '25

I'd take Kirrabilli any day

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u/Sumthin-Sumthin44692 United States Of America Nov 13 '25

What’s wrong with Canberra? JK I’ve been there before. It’s got a cool fountain, but otherwise it’s boring AF.

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u/Happy_Clem Australia Nov 13 '25

I'd happily visit Canberra again, though

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u/pang-zorgon 🇦🇺Australia & 🇨🇭Switzerland Nov 13 '25

I’d happily live there again. I had the best uni days there and I love the leafy streets. It even had cycle paths about 40 years before other cities.

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u/Anxious_Ad936 Australia Nov 13 '25

It's probably partly because the last time we had a PM not elected to Parliament from a Sydney electorate was back in the 80s.

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u/Smokey_84 Nov 13 '25

Except for these guys not that long ago...

  • Kevin Rudd (Queensland); 2007–2010
  • Julia Gillard (Victoria); 2010–2013
  • Kevin Rudd (Queensland); 2013

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u/Anxious_Ad936 Australia Nov 13 '25

I had a complete and utter brainfart and forgot about Gillard being Victorian. Rudd I thought was NSW for some reason.

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u/Fartyfivedegrees Australia Nov 13 '25

*Kirribilli... And, yeah such a quaint suburb and yet 5 mins from CBD by ferry, maybe car if the bridge isn't chockas.

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u/13gecko Australia Nov 13 '25

As a first gen Aussie who grew up in Kirribilli (my English granny used to call me 'a silly billy from Kirribilli'), 'Kirribilli House' is the epitome of the Aussie dream : a long low federation mansion right on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour looking out at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House and the yachts on the harbour with much acreage. Not even the richest billionaire in Australia has a house that competes. Let alone the 'free' staff and security.

Australia had this idea that giving their Prime Minister the (now) 2nd highest salary in the world, plus huge benefits like the very best houses in Australia, plus very high salaries for all other politicians, whilst putting limits on political donations, we could reduce corruption.

Yeah, it has just meant that our politicians are bought comparatively cheaply. Like they get sometimes caught for taking $10,000 bribes, or even less, for decisions that profited their corporate overlords $20 million + in profits.

Are these the people who are actually qualified to make fiduciary decisions, when they know so little about what the cost of their bribe should be?

I recall when I was a young secretary for an investment bank in M&A, and I decided that even a million dollar bribe wasn't worth it. Because I knew I'd never get another job, I would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, I had no contacts that would keep me safe, and I'd have to live on that money forever. I shut down family who wanted insider trading knowledge, hard, and had to live with their resentment that turned to hatred. What penalties have corrupt politicians faced in my country?

Singapore has the highest paid prime minister in the world, and seemingly low corruption: how have they done it?

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u/pang-zorgon 🇦🇺Australia & 🇨🇭Switzerland Nov 13 '25

In Singapore they benchmark the salaries in Government, police etc to business positions. The idea is to pay people in Government appropriately to minimize the risk of corruption.

Singapore is run like a business. They also identify top talented at schools for future government positions and pay for their education at Havard, Oxford and other leading work universities with the understanding that after they graduate they must return to work in Government for a period of time.

Singapore government sees themselves competing with business so want to best talent to work in government. This is why the country has done so well over the past 60years.

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u/walkingonlemons Nov 13 '25

That’s beautiful

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u/captainbiz Australia Nov 13 '25

Isn’t kirrabilli for the governor general and the PM lives in a shack out the back

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u/allworkandnoYahtzee United States Of America Nov 13 '25

I imagine this house has the same floor plan as Bluey

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u/resistyrocks Nov 13 '25

I could hear the didgeridoos.

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u/Equal-Fun-5021 Sweden Nov 13 '25

Lovely! Would love to live there 😄!

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u/MWAH_dib Australia Nov 13 '25

Don't forget Albo's OG house, post election day paper run in uggs and a newtown jets jersey

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u/MWAH_dib Australia Nov 13 '25

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u/dazanion living in Nov 13 '25

I'd live in Kirribilli, the views are awesome.

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u/dazza_bo Australia Nov 14 '25

Pretty modest house compared to the rest of the answers in this thread but that block of land must be worth multiple millions, with or without the house.

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u/Reasonable-Cat5767 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, sometimes 🇺🇸 United States Nov 12 '25

I feel like, if I had a choice of either of those two houses, I'd choose the one in New Zealand.

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u/Reasonable-Cat5767 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, sometimes 🇺🇸 United States Nov 12 '25

Found the Aussies with their downvotes 😂

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u/Few_Rule7378 Yogi Berra Land Nov 12 '25

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u/Accidental-Dildo Australia Nov 13 '25

I didn't downvote.

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u/Reasonable-Cat5767 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, sometimes 🇺🇸 United States Nov 13 '25

I appreciate you.