Deputy Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory

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Deputy Chief Minister of the
Australian Capital Territory
Coat of Arms of the Australian Capital Territory.svg
Flag of the Australian Capital Territory.svg
Yvette Berry.png
Incumbent
Yvette Berry
since 31 October 2016
Style The Honourable
Member of
Seat 1 Constitution Avenue, Canberra
Nominator Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
Formation16 May 1989
First holder Paul Whalan

The Deputy Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory is the second-most senior officer in the government of the Australian Capital Territory. The position has been a ministerial portfolio since its establishment in 1989. Unlike in other states and territories, the deputy chief minister of the ACT is not nominally appointed by an administrator or vice-regal, but by the chief minister.

Contents

The current deputy chief minister is the Labor Party's Yvette Berry [1] who took over from former Labor deputy leader Simon Corbell on 31 October 2016, following Corbell's retirement [2] at the 2016 Australian Capital Territory general election.

History

The 1989 ACT election, which was the first under self-government, resulted in Labor emerging as the largest party in the Legislative Assembly with five seats. [3] Following the formation of the inaugural government ministry under chief minister Rosemary Follett, deputy Labor leader Paul Whalan was appointed to the position. [4]

When a no-confidence motion resulted in the end of the Follett government, new chief minister and Liberal Party leader Trevor Kaine briefly held all portfolios after becoming chief minister, before the new ministry was sworn in on 13 December 1988. [5]

There was no deputy chief minister between 29 May 1991 and 18 June 1991 after Kaine sacked the Residents Rally (including its leader, deputy chief minister Bernard Collaery) from the Alliance government. [6] [7] Independents Group leader Craig Duby expected to be elevated to the position, but this never occurred. [8] [9]

Gary Humphries, Katy Gallagher and Andrew Barr are the only deputy chief ministers who have gone on to become chief minister. Trevor Kaine is the only chief minister who has taken a 'backward' step to become deputy chief minister.

Duties

The duties of the deputy chief minister are to act on behalf of the chief minister of the Australian Capital Territory in his or her absence overseas or on leave. The deputy chief minister has always been a member of the Cabinet, and has always held at least one substantive portfolio (it would be technically possible for a minister to hold only the portfolio of deputy chief minister, but this has never happened).

If the chief minister were to die, become incapacitated or resign, the Assembly would normally elect the deputy chief minister as chief minister. If the governing or majority party had not yet elected a new leader, that appointment would be on an interim basis. Should a different leader emerge, that person would then be appointed chief minister.

List of deputy chief ministers

#Deputy Chief Minister
(birth–death)
PartyTerm startTerm endTime in officeChief Minister (term)
1 Labor Placeholder.png Paul Whalan
(born 1941)
Labor 16 May 19895 December 1989203 days Follett (1989–1989)
2 SenatorXenophonWitnessK (cropped).jpg Bernard Collaery
(born 1944)
Residents Rally 13 December 198929 May 19911 year, 167 days Kaine (1989–1991)
3 Labor Placeholder.png Wayne Berry
(born 1942)
Labor 18 June 199113 April 19942 years, 299 days Follett (1991–1995)
4 Labor Placeholder.png David Lamont
(born 1953)
Labor 13 April 199415 March 1995336 days
5 Liberal Placeholder.png Tony De Domenico
(born 1950)
Liberal 15 March 19959 January 19971 year, 300 days Carnell (1995–2000)
6 Gary John Joseph Humphries.jpg Gary Humphries
(born 1958)
Liberal 9 January 199731 January 199722 days
7 Trevor Kaine and John Langmore (cropped).jpg Trevor Kaine
(1928–2009)
Liberal 31 January 199717 February 199717 days
(6) Gary John Joseph Humphries.jpg Gary Humphries
(born 1958)
Liberal 17 February 1997 18 October 2000 3 years, 244 days
8 Brendan Smyth Wanniassa head.jpg Brendan Smyth
(born 1959)
Liberal 18 October 2000 13 November 20011 year, 25 days
9 Tedquinlan-softball.jpg Ted Quinlan
(born 1942)
Labor 13 November 200120 April 20064 years, 158 days Stanhope (2001–2011)
10 Katy Gallagher portrait.jpg Katy Gallagher
(born 1970)
Labor 20 April 200616 May 20115 years, 26 days
11 Andrew Barr.jpg Andrew Barr
(born 1973)
Labor 16 May 2011 11 December 2014 3 years, 209 days Gallagher (2011–2014)
12
Simon Corbell.jpg
Simon Corbell
(born 1970)
Labor 11 December 2014 31 October 2016 1 year, 325 days Barr (2014–present)
13 Yvette Berry.png Yvette Berry
(born 1968)
Labor 31 October 2016 Incumbent7 years, 364 days

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. Manager, Web (17 November 2016). "Berry-Yvette". www.parliament.act.gov.au. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  2. "Deputy Chief Minister Simon Corbell to retire at 2016 ACT election". ABC News. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  3. "1989 List of elected candidates". Elections ACT. 9 July 2024. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  4. "Chronological list of ministries" (PDF). ACT Parliament. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  5. "THE FIRST KAlNE MINISTRY" (PDF). legislation.act.gov.au. 5 December 1989. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  6. "Kaine's showdown". The Canberra Times. 30 May 1991. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  7. Mason, Leanne (30 May 1991). "The Rally 'remains in a very powerful position'". The Canberra Times. p. 6. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  8. "Hansard of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly" (PDF). hansard.act.gov.au. 29 May 1991. p. 3. Retrieved 24 October 2024. Mr Speaker, there seems to be a misapprehension that because of that there will no longer be an Alliance Government in some other form. That is quite wrong. All that it means, Mr Speaker, is that the remaining two members of the Residents Rally, of the four original members of this Assembly, are no longer a part of the Government.
  9. Uhlmann, Chris (7 June 1991). "Duby's victory champagne goes flat". The Canberra Times. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024.