Attorney-General of Western Australia

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Attorney-General of Western Australia
Western Australian Coat of Arms.svg
Western Australian coat of arms
Flag of Western Australia.svg
Flag of Western Australia
Tony Buti.jpg
Incumbent
Tony Buti
since 19 March 2025
Department of Justice
Style The Honourable
Member of
Reports to Premier of Western Australia
Seat Dumas House, Perth
NominatorPremier of Western Australia
Appointer Governor of Western Australia
on the advice of the premier
Term length At the governor's pleasure
Formation1831
First holder William Mackie
(as Advocate-General)
Website www.justice.wa.gov.au

The Attorney-General of Western Australia is the member of the Government of Western Australia responsible for maintenance and improvement of Western Australia's system of law and justice. Before the advent of representative government in 1870, the title was Advocate-General of Western Australia. The Attorney-General must be a qualified legal practitioner. When there are none in the cabinet, a lay person is sometimes appointed to the office of Minister for Justice. [1]

The current Attorney-General of Western Australia, since 19 March 2025, is Tony Buti who administers the portfolio through the Department of Justice and a range of other agencies.

List

This is a list of Attorneys-General of Western Australia, or any precedent titles. [2] The office of Attorney-General was not always filled: the Australian Parliamentary Library notes that where there was no lawyer among the ministers elected, there would be a Minister for Justice instead of an Attorney-General. [3] [4]

OrderMinisterPartyPremierTitleTerm startTerm endTime in office
1 William Mackie noneAdvocate-General183118342–3 years
2 George Fletcher Moore 1834184611–12 years
3 Richard West Nash Acting Advocate-General184618470–1 years
(2)George Fletcher MooreAdvocate-General184718524–5 years
4 B. W. Vigors Acting Advocate-General185218541–2 years
5 George Frederick Stone Advocate-General185418572–3 years
6 Richard Burnie 185718591–2 years
(5)George Frederick Stone186018709–10 years
7 Robert John Walcott [5] [6] Attorney-General4 November 1870December 18722 years, 27 days
8Sir Henry Hicks Hocking [7] December 187230 June 18741 year, 211 days
9Sir George Walpole Leake QC 30 June 187416 January 1875200 days
(8)Henry Hicks Hocking16 January 187525 February 18794 years, 40 days
9Sir George Walpole Leake QC 1 March 187924 November 1879268 days
10 Edward Albert Stone 24 November 187921 March 1880118 days
(9)Sir George Walpole Leake QC 21 March 188021 March 18811 year, 0 days
11 Alexander Onslow 21 March 18819 April 18832 years, 19 days
(9)Sir George Walpole Leake QC 9 April 188310 July 188392 days
12 Alfred Hensman 10 July 188318 June 18862 years, 343 days
13 Septimus Burt 19 June 18863 December 1886167 days
14 Charles Warton 9 December 1886December 18904 years, 20 days
(13)Septimus Burtnone Forrest 29 December 189027 October 18976 years, 302 days
15 Richard Pennefather 27 October 189720 March 19013 years, 144 days
16 William Sayer Throssell 25 March 190127 May 190168 days
17 George Leake KC Leake 27 May 190121 November 1901178 days
18 Frederick Moorhead Morgans 21 November 190123 December 190132 days
(17)George Leake KC Leake23 December 190124 June 1902183 days
19 Walter James James 1 July 190210 August 19042 years, 40 days
20 Norbert Keenan Ministerialist Moore Attorney-General14 May 190614 May 19093 years, 0 days
21 John Nanson Ministerialist Wilson Attorney-General16 September 19107 October 19111 year, 21 days
22 Thomas Walker   Labor Scadden 7 October 191127 July 19164 years, 294 days
23 Robert Robinson   Liberal Wilson27 July 191628 June 19172 years, 294 days
  Nationalist Lefroy 28 June 191717 April 1919
  Colebatch 17 April 191917 May 1919
24 Thomas Draper   Mitchell 17 May 191912 March 19211 year, 299 days
25 Thomas Davy  NationalistMitchellAttorney-General24 April 193018 February 19332 years, 300 days
26 Hubert Parker  Labor Collier 22 February 19338 April 193345 days
27 Robert Ross McDonald  Liberal McLarty Attorney-General1 April 19475 January 1948279 days
28 Arthur Abbott  5 January 194823 February 19535 years, 49 days
29 Arthur Watts  Liberal Brand Attorney-General2 April 195931 January 19622 years, 304 days
30 Ron Bertram  Labor Tonkin Attorney-General3 March 197130 September 1971211 days
31 Tom Evans  12 October 19718 April 19742 years, 178 days
32 Ian Medcalf  Liberal Court Attorney-General22 December 197525 January 19827 years, 65 days
  O'Connor 25 January 198225 February 1983
33 Joe Berinson  Labor Burke 25 February 198325 February 19889 years, 357 days
  Dowding 25 February 198812 February 1990
  Lawrence 12 February 199016 February 19933 years, 4 days
34 Cheryl Edwardes  Liberal Court 16 February 199321 December 19952 years, 308 days
35 Peter Foss  21 December 199516 February 20015 years, 57 days
36 Jim McGinty  Labor Gallop 16 February 200125 January 20067 years, 220 days
  Carpenter 25 January 200623 September 2008
37 Christian Porter  Liberal Barnett 23 September 200812 June 20123 years, 279 days
38 Michael Mischin  28 June 201217 March 20174 years, 262 days
39 John Quigley  Labor McGowan 17 March 20178 June 20238 years, 2 days
Cook 8 June 202319 March 2025
40 Tony Buti  19 March 2025incumbent279 days

References

  1. ↑ "Justice Ministers of Western Australia" (PDF). Parliamentary Library. Perth, WA: Parliament of Western Australia. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "Membership of the Legislative Council, 1832-70" (PDF). Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "List of Australian Attorneys-General". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  4. ↑ E. M. Russell, ‘Early Lawyers of Western Australia’, Journal and Proceedings (Western Australian Historical Society), vol 4, part 3, 1951, pp 32-53
  5. ↑ "Events of the Month". The Herald . Fremantle, WA. 8 December 1870. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  6. ↑ "Summary for the Mails". The Herald. Fremantle, WA. 12 October 1872. p. 3. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  7. ↑ "Arrival of the English and Colonial Mails". The Herald. Fremantle, WA. 15 February 1873. p. 3. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
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