Premier of Victoria

Premier of Victoria
Incumbent Daniel Andrews since 4 December 2014
Style	The Honourable
Appointer	Governor of Victoria
Term length	At the Governor's pleasure
Inaugural holder	Dr William Clark Haines
Formation	30 November 1855

The Premier of Victoria is the leader of the government in the Australian state of Victoria. The Premier is appointed by the Governor of Victoria, and is the leader of the political party able to secure a majority in the Legislative Assembly.^[1]

Responsible government came to the colony of Victoria in 1855. Between 1856 and 1892, the head of the government was commonly called the Premier or the Prime Minister, but neither title had any legal basis. The head of government always held another portfolio, usually Chief Secretary or Treasurer, for which they were paid a salary. The first head of government to hold the title of Premier without holding another portfolio was William Shiels in 1892.

The incumbent Premier of Victoria since the 2014 election is Daniel Andrews of the Australian Labor Party.

List of Premiers of Victoria

No.	Name	Portrait	Party	Assumed office	Left office
1	William Haines			30 November 1855	11 March 1857
2	John O'Shanassy			11 March 1857	29 April 1857
–	William Haines			29 April 1857	10 March 1858
–	John O'Shanassy			10 March 1858	27 October 1859
3	William Nicholson			27 October 1859	26 November 1860
4	Richard Heales			26 November 1860	14 November 1861
–	John O'Shanassy			14 November 1861	27 June 1863
5	James McCulloch			27 June 1863	6 May 1868
6	Charles Sladen			6 May 1868	11 July 1868
–	James McCulloch			11 July 1868	20 September 1869
7	John Alexander MacPherson			20 September 1869	9 April 1870
–	(Sir) James McCulloch			9 April 1870	19 June 1871
8	Charles Gavan Duffy			19 June 1871	10 June 1872
9	James Francis			10 June 1872	31 July 1874
10	George Kerferd			31 July 1874	7 August 1875
11	Graham Berry			7 August 1875	20 October 1875
–	Sir James McCulloch			20 October 1875	21 May 1877
–	Graham Berry			21 May 1877	5 March 1880
12	James Service			5 March 1880	3 August 1880
–	Graham Berry			3 August 1880	9 July 1881
13	Sir Bryan O'Loghlen, Bt			9 July 1881	8 March 1883
–	James Service			8 March 1883	18 February 1886
14	Duncan Gillies		Conservative-Liberal Coalition	18 February 1886	5 November 1890
15	James Munro		National Liberal	5 November 1890	16 February 1892
16	William Shiels		Liberal	16 February 1892	23 January 1893
17	James Patterson		Conservative	23 January 1893	27 September 1894
18	Sir George Turner		Liberal	27 September 1894	5 December 1899
19	Allan McLean		Liberal	5 December 1899	19 November 1900
–	Sir George Turner		Liberal	19 November 1900	12 February 1901
20	Sir Alexander Peacock		Liberal	12 February 1901	10 June 1902
21	William Irvine		Reform	10 June 1902	16 February 1904
22	(Sir) Thomas Bent		Reform	16 February 1904	8 January 1909
23	John Murray		Liberal	8 January 1909	18 May 1912
24	William Watt		Liberal	18 May 1912	9 December 1913
25	George Elmslie		Labor	9 December 1913	22 December 1913
–	William Watt		Liberal	22 December 1913	18 June 1914
–	Sir Alexander Peacock		Liberal	18 June 1914	29 November 1917
26	John Bowser		Nationalist	29 November 1917	21 March 1918
27	Harry Lawson		Nationalist	21 March 1918	7 September 1923
–	Harry Lawson		Nationalist/ Country	7 September 1923	19 March 1924
–	Harry Lawson		Nationalist	19 March 1924	28 April 1924
–	Sir Alexander Peacock		Nationalist	28 April 1924	18 July 1924
28	George Prendergast		Labor	18 July 1924	18 November 1924
29	John Allan		Country/ Nationalist	18 November 1924	20 May 1927
30	Edmond Hogan		Labor	20 May 1927	22 November 1928
31	William McPherson		Nationalist	22 November 1928	12 December 1929
–	Edmond Hogan		Labor	12 December 1929	19 May 1932
32	Sir Stanley Argyle		United Australia	19 May 1932	2 April 1935
33	Albert Dunstan		Country	2 April 1935	14 September 1943
34	John Cain Snr		Labor	14 September 1943	18 September 1943
–	Albert Dunstan		Country	18 September 1943	2 October 1945
35	Ian Macfarlan		Liberal	2 October 1945	21 November 1945
–	John Cain Snr		Labor	21 November 1945	20 November 1947
36	Thomas Hollway		Liberal/Liberal and Country	20 November 1947	27 June 1950
37	Sir John McDonald		Country	27 June 1950	28 October 1952
–	Thomas Hollway		Independent	28 October 1952	31 October 1952
–	Sir John McDonald		Country	31 October 1952	17 December 1952
–	John Cain Snr		Labor	17 December 1952	7 June 1955
38	Sir Henry Bolte		Liberal and Country/Liberal	7 June 1955	23 August 1972
39	Sir Rupert Hamer		Liberal	23 August 1972	5 June 1981
40	Lindsay Thompson		Liberal	5 June 1981	8 April 1982
41	John Cain Jnr		Labor	8 April 1982	10 August 1990
42	Joan Kirner		Labor	10 August 1990	6 October 1992
43	Jeff Kennett		Liberal	6 October 1992	20 October 1999
44	Steve Bracks		Labor	20 October 1999	30 July 2007
45	John Brumby		Labor	30 July 2007	2 December 2010
46	Ted Baillieu		Liberal	2 December 2010	6 March 2013
47	Denis Napthine		Liberal	6 March 2013	4 December 2014
48	Daniel Andrews		Labor	4 December 2014	Incumbent

Living former premiers

As of June 2015, six former premiers are alive, the oldest being John Cain (1982–1990, born 1931). The most recent premier to die was Joan Kirner (1990–92), on 1 June 2015.

Name	Term as premier	Date of birth
John Cain II	1982–1990	26 April 1931
Jeff Kennett	1992–1999	2 March 1948
Steve Bracks	1999–2007	15 October 1954
John Brumby	2007–2010	21 April 1953
Ted Baillieu	2010–2013	31 July 1953
Denis Napthine	2013–2014	6 March 1952

Timeline

See also

• Department of Premier and Cabinet, Victoria
• Deputy Premier of Victoria
• List of Premiers of Victoria by time in office

References

1. Fact Sheet H1: Roles in the Assembly, Parliament of Victoria.

External links

• ABC News - Premiers of Victoria