Premier of Tasmania

Premier of Tasmania
Ministry
State
Incumbent
Lara Giddings
Style The Honourable
Appointed by Peter Underwood
as Governor of Tasmania
First William Champ
Formation 1 November 1856
Term length At the Governor's pleasure

The Premier of Tasmania is the head of the executive government in the Australian state of Tasmania. By convention, the party or political grouping which has majority support in the House of Assembly will nominate its leader to be Premier. The nominated politician is then invited by the Governor of Tasmania to act as their principal adviser.[1] The current Premier is Lara Giddings of the Australian Labor Party, who was sworn in on 24 January 2011.

Before the 1890s, there was no formal party system in Tasmania. Party labels before that time indicate a general tendency only. The current convention of appointing the Premier from the House of Assembly was not generally applied prior to 1920, with Premiers often appointed from the Legislative Council.[1]

Contents

List of Premiers of Tasmania

No. Name Party Assumed office Left office
1 William Champ 1 November 1856 26 February 1857
2 Thomas Gregson 26 February 1857 25 April 1857
3 William Weston 25 April 1857 12 May 1857
4 Francis Smith 12 May 1857 1 November 1860
— William Weston 1 November 1860 2 August 1861
5 Thomas Chapman 2 August 1861 20 January 1863
6 James Whyte 20 January 1863 24 November 1866
7 Sir Richard Dry 24 November 1866 4 August 1869
8 James Wilson 4 August 1869 4 November 1872
9 Frederick Innes 4 November 1872 4 August 1873
10 Alfred Kennerley 4 August 1873 20 July 1876
11 Thomas Reibey 20 July 1876 9 August 1877
12 Philip Fysh 9 August 1877 5 March 1878
13 William Giblin 5 March 1878 20 December 1878
14 William Crowther 20 December 1878 30 October 1879
— William Giblin 30 October 1879 15 August 1884
15 Adye Douglas 15 August 1884 8 March 1886
16 James Agnew 8 March 1886 29 March 1887
— Philip Fysh Liberal 29 March 1887 17 August 1892
17 Henry Dobson Conservative 17 August 1892 14 April 1894
18 Sir Edward Braddon Liberal /
Free Trade		 14 April 1894 12 October 1899
19 Elliott Lewis Conservative 12 October 1899 9 April 1903
20 William Propsting Liberal 9 April 1903 12 July 1904
21 John Evans Conservative 12 July 1904 19 June 1909
— Sir Elliott Lewis Liberal 19 June 1909 20 October 1909
22 John Earle Labor 20 October 1909 27 October 1909
— Sir Elliott Lewis Commonwealth Liberal 27 October 1909 14 June 1912
23 Albert Solomon Commonwealth Liberal 14 June 1912 6 April 1914
— John Earle Labor 6 April 1914 15 April 1916
24 Walter Lee Commonwealth Liberal,
Nationalist		 15 April 1916 12 August 1922
25 John Hayes Nationalist 12 August 1922 14 August 1923
— Sir Walter Lee Nationalist 14 August 1923 25 October 1923
26 Joseph Lyons Labor 25 October 1923 15 June 1928
27 John McPhee Nationalist 15 June 1928 15 March 1934
— Sir Walter Lee Nationalist 15 March 1934 22 June 1934
28 Albert Ogilvie Labor 22 June 1934 11 June 1939
29 Edmund Dwyer-Gray Labor 11 June 1939 18 December 1939
30 Robert Cosgrove Labor 18 December 1939 18 December 1947
31 Edward Brooker Labor 18 December 1947 25 February 1948
— Robert Cosgrove Labor 25 February 1948 26 August 1958
32 Eric Reece Labor 26 August 1958 26 May 1969
33 Angus Bethune Liberal 26 May 1969 3 May 1972
— Eric Reece Labor 3 May 1972 31 March 1975
34 Bill Neilson Labor 31 March 1975 1 December 1977
35 Doug Lowe Labor 1 December 1977 11 November 1981
36 Harry Holgate Labor 11 November 1981 26 May 1982
37 Robin Gray Liberal 26 May 1982 29 June 1989
38 Michael Field Labor 29 June 1989 17 February 1992
39 Ray Groom Liberal 17 February 1992 18 March 1996
40 Tony Rundle Liberal 18 March 1996 14 September 1998
41 Jim Bacon Labor 14 September 1998 21 March 2004
42 Paul Lennon Labor 21 March 2004 26 May 2008
43 David Bartlett Labor 26 May 2008 24 January 2011
44 Lara Giddings Labor 24 January 2011 present

Graphical timeline


Living former premiers

As of 24 January 2011, seven former premiers are alive, the oldest being Tony Rundle (1996–98, born 1939). The most recent premier to die was Sir Angus Bethune (1969–72), on 27 August 2004. The most recently-serving premier to die was Jim Bacon (1998–2004), on 20 June 2004.

Name Term as premier Date of birth
Doug Lowe 1977–1981 15 May 1942 (1942-05-15) (age 69)
Robin Gray 1982–1989 1 March 1940 (1940-03-01) (age 71)
Michael Field 1989–1992 28 May 1948 (1948-05-28) (age 63)
Ray Groom 1992–1996 3 September 1944 (1944-09-03) (age 67)
Tony Rundle 1996–1998 5 March 1939 (1939-03-05) (age 72)
Paul Lennon 2004–2008 8 October 1955 (1955-10-08) (age 56)
David Bartlett 2008–2011 19 January 1968 (1968-01-19) (age 44)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Premier and Leader of the Opposition, Tasmanian Parliamentary Library.

External links

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