List of premiers of Western Australia by age

Living as of 5 October 2021

Premier	Date of birth	Premier
Peter Dowding	(1943-10-06) 6 October 1943 (age 77)	1988–1990
Brian Burke	(1947-02-25) 25 February 1947 (age 74)	1983–1988
Richard Court	(1947-09-27) 27 September 1947 (age 74)	1993–2001
Carmen Lawrence	(1948-03-02) 2 March 1948 (age 73)	1995–2005
Colin Barnett	(1950-07-15) 15 July 1950 (age 71)	2008–2017
Geoff Gallop	(1951-09-27) 27 September 1951 (age 70)	2001–2006
Alan Carpenter	(1957-01-04) 4 January 1957 (age 64)	2006–2008
Mark McGowan	(1967-07-13) 13 July 1967 (age 54)	2017–

This is a list of premiers of Western Australia by age, including when they were born, what age they were when they were appointed premier, what age were they when they left the office and the age at which they died, or their current age as of 5 October 2021 if they are still alive. The table can be sorted by each different category.

The date of appointment as premier is the date on which they were sworn in by the Governor for their first term. The day on which they departed office is the final day of their final term. This is either the day a new premier was appointed or their date of death if they died whilst in office.

Overview

The median age of a premier on the first day of their first term is roughly 49 years, and 280 days which falls between Mark McGowan and Philip Collier. The youngest person to assume the office was John Scaddan at 35 years and 64 days. The oldest person to assume office was John Tonkin at 69 years and 29 days.

The oldest living former premier is Peter Dowding, born 6 October 1943 (age 77 years, 364 days). The youngest living former premier is Alan Carpenter, born 4 January 1957, (age 64 years, 274 days). The youngest living premier is the incumbent Mark McGowan, born 13 July 1967, (age 54 years, 84 days).

The longest-lived premier was Charles Court who died on 22 December 2007 aged 96 years and 84 days. John Tonkin was the second longest-lived premier, aged 93 years and 260 days, 2 years and 189 days short of Court. The oldest living premier, Peter Dowding will tie Tonkin if he lives to 23 June 2037, and tie Court if he lives to 29 December 2039. The shortest-lived premier was George Leake who died in office at the age of 45 years and 203 days on 24 June 1902.

The premier with the longest retirement is Frank Wise. He left office on 1 April 1947, and died 39 years and 89 days later on 29 June 1986. Brian Burke left office on 25 February 1988. If he's still alive on 25 May 2027, he will surpass Wise's record, and become the premier with the longest retirement. The premier with the shortest retirement is Frank Wilson, who died on 7 December 1918, 1 year and 162 days after leaving office on 28 June 1917.

#	Premier	Born	Took office	Age	Left office	Age	Died	Length of retirement	Lifespan
1	John Forrest	22 August 1847	29 December 1890	43 years, 129 days	15 February 1901	53 years, 177 days	2 September 1918	17 years, 199 days	71 years, 11 days
2	George Throssell	23 May 1840	15 February 1901	60 years, 268 days	27 May 1901	61 years, 4 days	30 August 1910	9 years, 95 days	70 years, 99 days
3	George Leake	3 December 1856	27 May 1901	44 years, 175 days	24 June 1902 [1]	45 years, 203 days	24 June 1902	N/A	45 years, 203 days
4	Alf Morgans	17 February 1850	21 November 1901	51 years, 277 days	23 December 1901	51 years, 309 days	10 August 1933	31 years, 230 days	83 years, 174 days
5	Walter James	29 March 1863	1 July 1902	39 years, 94 days	10 August 1904	41 years, 134 days	3 January 1943	38 years, 146 days	79 years, 280 days
6	Henry Daglish	18 November 1866	10 August 1904	37 years, 266 days	25 August 1905	38 years, 280 days	16 August 1920	14 years, 357 days	53 years, 272 days
7	Hector Rason	18 June 1858	25 August 1905	47 years, 68 days	7 May 1906	47 years, 323 days	15 March 1927	20 years, 312 days	68 years, 270 days
8	Newton Moore	17 May 1870	7 May 1906	35 years, 355 days	16 September 1910	40 years, 122 days	28 October 1936	26 years, 42 days	66 years, 164 days
9	Frank Wilson	12 May 1859	16 September 1910	51 years, 127 days	28 June 1917	58 years, 47 days	7 December 1918	1 year, 162 days	59 years, 209 days
10	John Scaddan	4 August 1876	7 October 1911	35 years, 64 days	26 July 1916	39 years, 357 days	21 November 1934	18 years, 118 days	58 years, 109 days
11	Henry Lefroy	24 March 1854	28 June 1917	63 years, 96 days	17 April 1919	65 years, 24 days	19 March 1930	10 years, 336 days	75 years, 360 days
12	Hal Colebatch	29 March 1872	17 April 1919	47 years, 19 days	17 May 1919	47 years, 49 days	12 February 1953	33 years, 271 days	80 years, 320 days
13	James Mitchell	27 April 1866	17 May 1919	53 years, 20 days	24 April 1933	66 years, 362 days	26 July 1951	18 years, 93 days	85 years, 90 days
14	Philip Collier	21 April 1873	16 April 1924	50 years, 361 days	19 August 1936	63 years, 120 days	18 October 1948	12 years, 60 days	75 years, 180 days
15	John Willcock	9 August 1879	20 August 1936	57 years, 11 days	31 July 1945	65 years, 356 days	7 June 1956	11 years, 311 days	77 years, 302 days
16	Frank Wise	30 May 1897	31 July 1945	48 years, 62 days	1 April 1947	49 years, 306 days	29 June 1986	39 years, 89 days	89 years, 30 days
17	Ross McLarty	17 March 1891	1 April 1947	56 years, 15 days	23 February 1953	61 years, 343 days	22 December 1962	9 years, 302 days	71 years, 280 days
18	Albert Hawke	3 December 1900	23 February 1953	52 years, 82 days	2 April 1959	58 years, 120 days	14 February 1986	26 years, 318 days	85 years, 73 days
19	David Brand	1 August 1912	2 April 1959	46 years, 244 days	3 March 1971	58 years, 214 days	15 April 1979	8 years, 43 days	66 years, 257 days
20	John Tonkin	2 February 1902	3 March 1971	69 years, 29 days	8 April 1974	72 years, 65 days	20 October 1995	21 years, 195 days	93 years, 260 days
21	Charles Court	29 September 1911	8 April 1974	62 years, 191 days	25 January 1982	70 years, 118 days	22 December 2007	25 years, 331 days	96 years, 84 days
22	Ray O'Connor	6 March 1926	25 January 1982	55 years, 325 days	25 February 1983	56 years, 356 days	25 February 2013	30 years, 0 days	86 years, 356 days
23	Brian Burke	25 February 1947	25 February 1983	36 years, 0 days	25 February 1988	41 years, 0 days		33 years, 222 days	74 years, 222 days
24	Peter Dowding	6 October 1943	25 February 1988	44 years, 142 days	12 February 1990	46 years, 129 days		31 years, 235 days	77 years, 364 days
25	Carmen Lawrence	2 March 1948	12 February 1990	41 years, 347 days	16 February 1993	44 years, 351 days		28 years, 231 days	73 years, 217 days
26	Richard Court	27 September 1947	16 February 1993	45 years, 142 days	10 February 2001	53 years, 136 days		20 years, 237 days	74 years, 8 days
27	Geoff Gallop	27 September 1951	10 February 2001	49 years, 136 days	25 January 2006	54 years, 120 days		15 years, 253 days	70 years, 8 days
28	Alan Carpenter	4 January 1957	25 January 2006	49 years, 21 days	23 September 2008	51 years, 263 days		13 years, 12 days	64 years, 274 days
29	Colin Barnett	15 July 1950	23 September 2008	58 years, 70 days	17 March 2017	66 years, 245 days		4 years, 202 days	71 years, 82 days
30	Mark McGowan	13 July 1967	17 March 2017	49 years, 247 days	Incumbent	Incumbent		Incumbent	54 years, 84 days

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Oldest living premiers of Western Australia

Not all premiers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 22 deceased premiers, 12 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 10 did not. Frank Wise became the oldest living premier when Ross McLarty died in 1962 and remained so until his death in 1986, for a record 23 years and 189 days. Hal Colebatch became the oldest living premier when James Mitchell died in 1951, but he survived Mitchell by only 1 year and 201 days.

On one occasion the oldest living premier lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the appointment of a premier who was older. John Forrest lost this distinction when George Throssell was appointed, but when Throssell died in 1910, Forrest regained it again until his own death in 1918 for a total period of 18 years and 51 days. John Tonkin was the oldest to acquire this distinction at the age of 84 years, and 147 days. Albert Hawke, who was aged 85 years, and 73 days when he died, on 14 February 1986 was the oldest and most recent premier to die without ever acquiring this distinction.

Premier	Period when oldest living premier		Age		Duration
	Start date	End date	at start	at end
John Forrest	29 December 1890	15 February 1901	43 years, 129 days	53 years, 177 days	10 years, 48 days
George Throssell	15 February 1901	30 August 1910	60 years, 268 days	70 years, 99 days	9 years, 196 days
John Forrest	30 August 1910	2 September 1918	63 years, 8 days	71 years, 11 days	8 years, 3 days
Alf Morgans	2 September 1918	10 August 1933	68 years, 197 days	83 years, 174 days	14 years, 342 days
Walter James	10 August 1933	3 January 1943	70 years, 134 days	79 years, 280 days	9 years, 146 days
James Mitchell	3 January 1943	26 July 1951	76 years, 251 days	85 years, 90 days	8 years, 204 days
Hal Colebatch	26 July 1951	12 February 1953	79 years, 119 days	80 years, 320 days	1 year, 201 days
John Willcock	12 February 1953	7 June 1956	73 years, 187 days	76 years, 303 days	3 years, 116 days
Ross McLarty	7 June 1956	22 December 1962	65 years, 82 days	71 years, 280 days	6 years, 198 days
Frank Wise	22 December 1962	29 June 1986	65 years, 206 days	89 years, 30 days	23 years, 189 days
John Tonkin	29 June 1986	20 October 1995	84 years, 147 days	93 years, 260 days	9 years, 113 days
Charles Court	20 October 1995	22 December 2007	84 years, 21 days	96 years, 84 days	12 years, 63 days
Ray O'Connor	22 December 2007	25 February 2013	81 years, 291 days	86 years, 356 days	5 years, 65 days
Peter Dowding	25 February 2013	Current oldest living premier	69 years, 142 days	Current oldest living premier	8 years, 222 days
Premier	Start date	End date	Age at start	Age at end	Duration

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See also

• Premier of Western Australia
• List of premiers of Western Australia by time in office
• List of prime ministers of Australia by age
• List of premiers of New South Wales by age
• List of premiers of Queensland by age
• List of premiers of South Australia by age
• List of premiers of Tasmania by age
• List of premiers of Victoria by age

References

1. Died in office on this date.
2. Updated daily according to UTC.
3. Updated daily according to UTC.