List of premiers of South Australia by time in office

Last updated

This is a list of premiers of South Australia by time in office. The basis of the list is the inclusive number of years and days between dates.

Contents

Rank by time in office

Parties

   Australian Labor Party    Liberal Party of Australia    Liberal and Country League / Liberal Federation   Non-Party Conservatism   Non-Party Liberalism

RankNo.OfficeholderPortraitPartyDistrictAssumed
office
Left
office
Time in office
(term)
Time in office
(total)
Election
wins
 1.33rd Sir Thomas Playford
(1896–1981)
GCMG
Playford portrait 38.jpg Liberal & Country League MP for Murray
(1933–1938)
Gumeracha
(1938–1968)
5 November 193810 March 1965 Arrow east.svg 26 years, 125 days 1941 1944
1947
1950 1953
1956
1959 1962
 2.39th John Bannon
(1943–2015)
AO
John Charles Bannon 1943-2015.jpg Labor MP for Ross Smith
(1977–1993)
10 November 19824 September 1992 Arrow east.svg 9 years, 299 days 1982 1985
1989
 3.44th Mike Rann
(1953– )
AC, CNZM
Mike Rann (smiling).jpg Labor MP for Ramsay
(1993–2012)
5 March 200221 October 2011 Arrow east.svg 9 years, 230 days 2002 2006
2010
 4.35th Don Dunstan
(1926–1999)
AC, QC
Don Dunstan 1968 crop.jpg Labor MP for Norwood
(1953–1979)
1 June 196717 April 1968321 days9 years, 214 days 1970 1973
1975
1977
2 June 197015 February 19798 years, 258 days
 5.31st Sir Richard Butler
(1885–1966)
KCMG
Richard Layton Butler.jpg Liberal & Country League MP for Wooroora
(1921–1938)
Light
(1938–1938)
8 April 192717 April 19303 years, 9 days8 years, 210 days 1927 1933
1938
18 April 19335 November 19385 years, 201 days
 6.25th Archibald Peake
(1859–1920)
Archibald Peake.jpg Liberal & Democratic Union MP for Victoria & Albert
(1902–1915)
Alexandra
(1915–1920)
5 June 19093 June 1910363 days6 years, 312 days 1912 1918
  Liberal Union 17 February 19123 April 19153 years, 45 days
14 July 19178 April 19202 years, 269 days
 7.20th Charles Kingston
(1850–1908)
PC, KC
Charles Kingston.jpg Non-Party
Liberalism
MP for West Adelaide
(1881–1900)
16 June 18931 December 1899 Arrow east.svg 6 years, 168 days 1893 1896
1899
 8.45th Jay Weatherill
(1964– )
AO
Jay Weatherill Crop.jpg Labor MP for Cheltenham
(2002–2018)
21 October 201119 March 2018 Arrow east.svg 6 years, 149 days 2014
 9.42nd John Olsen
(1945– )
AO
John Olsen (1).jpg Liberal MP for Kavel
(1992–2002)
28 November 199622 October 2001 Arrow east.svg 4 years, 328 days 1997
 10.8th Sir Henry Ayers
(1821–1897)
GCMG
Henry Ayers.jpg No Party AlignmentMember of the
Legislative Council
(1857–1893)
15 July 18634 August 18641 year, 20 days4 years, 34 days
20 September 186523 October 186533 days
3 May 186724 September 18681 year, 144 days
13 October 18683 November 186821 days
22 January 187222 July 18731 year, 151 days
 11.28th Sir Henry Barwell
(1877–1959)
KCMG
Henry Barwell.jpg Liberal Federation MP for Stanley
(1915–1925)
8 April 192016 April 1924 Arrow east.svg 4 years, 8 days 1921
 12.46th Steven Marshall
(1968– )
PremierMarshall2018.jpg Liberal MP for Norwood
(2010–2014)
Dunstan
(2014–)
19 March 201821 March 2022 Arrow east.svg 4 years, 2 days 2018
 13.17th Thomas Playford
(1837–1915)
Thomas playford II.jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Newcastle
(1887–1890)
East Torrens
(1890–1894)
11 June 188727 June 18892 years, 16 days3 years, 323 days
19 August 189021 June 18921 year, 307 days
 14.24th Thomas Price
(1852–1909)
Thomas Price.jpeg Labor MP for Torrens
(1902–1909)
26 July 19055 June 1909 Arrow east.svg 3 years, 314 days 1905 1906
 15.22nd John Jenkins
(1851–1923)
JohnJenkins.jpg Non-Party
Liberalism
MP for Torrens
(1901–1905)
15 May 19011 March 1905 Arrow east.svg 3 years, 290 days 1902
 16.13th Lionel Hill
(1881–1963)
Lionel Hill1.JPG Labor MP for Port Pirie
(1918–1933)
28 August 19268 April 1927223 days3 years, 160 days 1930
17 April 193014 August 19311 year, 119 days
  Parliamentary Labor 14 August 193113 February 19331 year, 183 days
 17.47th Peter Malinauskas
(1980– )
Peter Malinauskas (cropped).png Labor Member of the
Legislative Council
(2015–2018)
MP for Croydon
(2018– )
21 March 2022Incumbent Arrow east.svg 3 years, 66 days [1] 2022
 18.38th Dr David Tonkin
(1929–2000)
AO
David Tonkin.jpg Liberal MP for Bragg
(1970–1983)
18 September 197910 November 1982 Arrow east.svg 3 years, 53 days 1979
 19.11th Sir James Boucaut
(1831–1916)
KCMG
Boucat.jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Encounter Bay
(1875–1878)
28 March 18663 May 18671 year, 36 days3 years, 10 days
3 June 18756 June 18761 year, 3 days
26 October 187727 September 1878336 days
 20.15th Sir John Bray
(1842–1894)
KCMG, JP
John Cox Bray.jpg No Party AlignmentMP for East Adelaide
(1871–1892)
24 June 188116 June 1884 Arrow east.svg 2 years, 358 days
 21.41st Dean Brown
(1943– )
AO
Liberal MP for Finniss
(1993–2006)
14 December 199328 November 1996 Arrow east.svg 2 years, 350 days 1993
 22.14th Sir William Morgan
(1828–1883)
KCMG
William Morgan (Australian politician).jpg No Party AlignmentMember of the
Legislative Council
(1867–1884)
27 September 187824 June 1881 Arrow east.svg 2 years, 270 days
 23.9th Sir Arthur Blyth
(1823–1891)
KCMG
ArthurBlyth.jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Gumeracha
(1857–1868)
4 August 186422 March 1865230 days2 years, 254 days
MP for Gumeracha
(1870–1875)
10 November 187122 January 187273 days
22 July 18733 June 18751 year, 316 days
 24.16th Sir John Downer
(1843–1915)
KCMG, QC
John Downer (Australian politician).jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Barossa
(1878–1901)
16 June 188511 June 18871 year, 360 days2 year, 239 days
 Non-Party
Conservatism
15 October 189216 June 1893244 days
 25.4th Sir Richard Hanson
(1805–1876)
Richard Hanson (Australia).jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Adelaide
(1857–1861)
30 September 18579 May 1860 Arrow east.svg 2 years, 222 days
 26.13th Sir John Colton
(1823–1902)
KCMG
John colton.jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Noarlunga
(1875–1878)
(1889–1887)
6 June 187626 October 18771 year, 142 days2 years, 142 days
16 June 188416 June 18851 year, 0 days
 27.29th John Gunn
(1884–1959)
JohnGunn.jpg Labor MP for Adelaide
(1918–1926)
16 April 192428 August 1926 Arrow east.svg 2 years, 134 days 1924
 28.27th Crawford Vaughan
(1874–1947)
CrawfordVaughan.jpg Labor MP for Sturt
(1915–1918)
3 April 191513 February 19171 year, 316 days2 years, 102 days 1915
  National Labor 13 February 191714 July 1917151 days
 29.34th Frank Walsh
(1897–1968)
FrankWalsh1963.jpg Labor MP for Edwardstown
(1956–1968)
10 March 19651 June 1967 Arrow east.svg 2 years, 83 days 1965
 30.36th Steele Hall
(1928–2024)
SteeleHall1968crop.jpg Liberal & Country League MP for Gouger
(1959–1973)
17 April 19682 June 1970 Arrow east.svg 2 years, 46 days 1968
 31.10th John Hart
(1809–1873)
John Hart (Australian politician).jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Port Adelaide
(1862–1866)
Light
(1868–1870)
The Burra
(1870–1873)
23 October 186528 March 1866156 days1 year, 339 days
24 September 186813 October 186819 days
30 May 187010 November 18711 year, 164 days
 32.19th Sir Frederick Holder
(1850–1909)
KCMG
Frederick Holder1.jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Burra
(1887–1901)
21 June 189215 October 1892116 days1 year, 274 days
 Non-Party
Liberalism
8 December 189915 May 19011 year, 158 days
 33.6th George Waterhouse
(1824–1906)
George Marsden Waterhouse.jpg No Party AlignmentMember of the
Legislative Council
(1860–1864)
8 October 18614 July 1863 Arrow east.svg 1 year, 269 days
 34.26th John Verran
(1856–1932)
JohnVerran.jpg Labor MP for Wallaroo
(1901–1918)
3 June 191017 February 1912 Arrow east.svg 1 year, 259 days 1910
 35.12th Henry Strangways
(1832–1920)
Henry Strangways.jpg No Party AlignmentMP for West Torrens
(1862–1871)
3 November 186830 May 1870 Arrow east.svg 1 year, 208 days
 36.5th Thomas Reynolds
(1818–1875)
Thomas Reynolds (Australian politician).jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Adelaide
(1860–1862)
9 May 18608 October 1861 Arrow east.svg 1 year, 152 days
 37.40th Lynn Arnold
(1949– )
AO
Labor MP for Ramsay
(1985–1993)
4 September 199214 December 1993 Arrow east.svg 1 year, 101 days
 38.18th Sir John Cockburn
(1850–1929)
KCMG
John Cockburn (Australian politician).jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Mount Barker
(1887–1898)
27 June 188919 August 1890 Arrow east.svg 1 year, 53 days 1890
 39.1st Boyle Travers Finniss
(1807–1893)
BoyleFinniss.jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Adelaide
(1857–1860)
24 October 185621 August 1857 Arrow east.svg 301 days
 40.37th Des Corcoran
(1928–2004)
AO
Des Corcoran.jpg Labor MP for Hartley
(1977–1982)
15 February 197918 September 1979 Arrow east.svg 215 days
 41.7th Francis Dutton
(1818–1877)
CMG
Francis Dutton.jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Light
(1862–1865)
4 July 186315 July 186311 days193 days
22 March 186520 September 1865182 days
 42.23rd Sir Richard Butler
(1850–1925)
Sir Richard Butler (Australia).jpg Non-Party
Conservatism
MP for Barossa
(1902–1924)
1 March 190526 July 1905 Arrow east.svg 147 days
 43.43rd Rob Kerin
(1954– )
Liberal MP for Frome
(1993–2008)
22 October 20015 March 2002 Arrow east.svg 134 days
 44.32nd Robert Richards
(1885–1967)
Robert Richards (Australia).gif Parliamentary Labor MP for Wallaroo
(1918–1949)
13 February 193318 April 1933 Arrow east.svg 64 days
 45.3rd Sir Robert Torrens
(1814–1884)
GCMG
Robert Richard Torrens.jpg No Party AlignmentMP for Adelaide
(1857–1858)
1 September 185730 September 1857 Arrow east.svg 29 days
 46.2nd John Baker
(1813–1872)
John Baker SA.jpg No Party AlignmentMember of the
Legislative Council
(1857–1861)
21 August 18571 September 1857 Arrow east.svg 11 days
 47.21st Vaiben Louis Solomon
(1853–1908)
Vaiben Solomon1.jpg Non-Party
Conservatism
MP for Northern Territory
(1891–1901)
1 December 18998 December 1899 Arrow east.svg 7 days

Total time in office of political parties in South Australia

South Australian Parliament – 61575 days as of 26 May 2025

Current parties

Other parties

Before political parties

Notes

  1. Peter Malinauskas's time in office as of 26May2025

See also