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Sir Edmund Barton (18 January 1849–7 January 1920), was the first Prime Minister of Australia.

Barton was born in Sydney, New South Wales. He went to school and university in Sydney and played cricket. He became a barrister in 1871

In 1879, Barton umpired a cricket game at Sydney Cricket Ground between New South Wales and an English touring side captained by Lord Harris. After a controversial decision by Barton's fellow umpire, the crowd spilled onto the pitch, leading to international cricket's first riot. Barton helped to defuse the situation, and gained much favourable publicity for his efforts, which helped him politically; Barton successfully stood for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the University of Sydney constituency later in the year. In 1882 he became Speaker of the assembly. From 1887 to 1891, and again from 1897 to 1898, Barton sat in the Legislative Council. During the 1890s Barton changed his economic views and joined the Protectionists, who were opposed to the Free Traders, led by George Reid. The mutual dislike between Barton and Reid drove much of New South Wales politics in the 1890s.

In the 1890s, there were six different colonies in Australia and Barton wanted the colonies to join together in a federation (so that the six colonies made one country). He spent many years giving speeches and writing articles trying to get people to agree to federation. In 1897 he was one of the delegates elected from New South Wales to the Constitutional Convention which developed a constitution for the proposed federation. Although Sir Samuel Griffith wrote most of the text of the Constitution, Barton was the political leader who carried it through the Convention.

In 1899 Barton campaigned for New South Wales to approve the new Constitution at a referendum, but Reid opposed him and the draft was rejected. Barton was forced to make a deal with Reid to get the Constitution approved at a second referendum. He then joined Alfred Deakin and other politicians in London to lobby the British Parliament to pass the federation bill.

Barton became Prime Minister in 1901 when he was chosen by the Governor-General.

The Barton government's first piece of legislation was the Immigration Restriction Act, which put the White Australia Policy into law. This was the price of the Labor Party's support for the government. One notable reform was the introduction of women's suffrage for federal elections in 1902. Barton was a moderate conservative, and advanced liberals in his party disliked his relaxed attitude to political life.

given a knighthood in 1902. In September 1903, Barton left Parliament to become one of the founding justices of the High Court of Australia. He was succeeded as Prime Minister by Alfred Deakin on September 24.

Barton died on 7 January 1920 at the Hydro Majestic Hotel, Medlow Bath, New South Wales. He had four sons and two daughters and his numerous descendants are still prominent in Sydney.

As the first Prime Minister of Australia, Barton has become something of a national icon, and is remembered for his statement that "For the first time, we have a nation for a continent, and a continent for a nation." Today, Australians are much less inclined to remember his other well known statement at the time, "I do not think that the doctrine of the equality of man was really ever intended to include racial equality."

Most historians feel that in reality Barton was a fairly ordinary politician. His greatest contribution to Australian history was his leadership of the federation movement through the 1890s, when he showed real leadership. By the time he became Prime Minister he was ready to rest on his laurels. A large, handsome, jovial man, he was fond of long dinners and good wine, and earned the nickname "Toby Tosspot".