Premier of South Australia

Last updated

Premier of South Australia
South Australian Coat of Arms.svg
Flag of South Australia.svg
Peter Malinauskas (cropped).png
since 21 March 2022
Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Government of South Australia
Style
Status Head of government
Member of
Reports to Parliament
Seat State Administration Centre
200 Victoria Square, Adelaide
Appointer Governor of South Australia
by convention, based on appointee's ability to command confidence in the House of Assembly
Term length At the governor's pleasure
contingent on the premier's ability to command confidence in the House of Assembly
Constituting instrumentNone (constitutional convention)
Formation24 October 1856
First holder Boyle Finniss
Deputy Deputy Premier of South Australia
SalaryA$418,000 [1]
Website www.premier.sa.gov.au

The premier of South Australia is the head of government in the state of South Australia, Australia. The Government of South Australia follows the Westminster system, with a Parliament of South Australia acting as the legislature. The premier is appointed by the governor of South Australia, and by modern convention holds office by virtue of their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the lower house of Parliament, the House of Assembly.

Contents

Peter Malinauskas is the current premier, having served since 21 March 2022.

History

The office of premier of South Australia was established upon the commencement of responsible government with the passage of the Constitution Act 1856. The role was based upon that of the prime minister of the United Kingdom, with the premier requiring the support of a majority of the members of the lower house to remain head of government. For the early years of responsible government, the office was held in conjunction with that of Chief Secretary of South Australia, a role that had existed since colonsiation, but by the 1890's, this was no longer a convention.

No parties or solid groupings would be formed until after the 1890 election, which resulted in frequent changes of the premier of South Australia. If for any reason the incumbent premier lost sufficient support through a successful motion of no confidence at any time on the floor of the house, he would tender his resignation to the governor of South Australia, which would result in another member deemed to have the support of the House of Assembly being sworn in by the governor as the next premier.

Informal groupings began and increased government stability occurred from the 1887 election. The United Labor Party would be formed in 1891, while the National Defence League would be formed later in the same year.

Before the 1890s when there was no formal party system in South Australia, MPs tended to have historical liberal or conservative beliefs. The liberals dominated government from the 1893 election to 1905 election with the support of the South Australian United Labor Party, with the conservatives mostly in opposition. Labor took government with the support of eight dissident liberals in 1905 when Labor won the most seats for the first time. The rise of Labor saw non-Labor politics start to merge into various party incarnations.

The two independent conservative parties, the Australasian National League (formerly the National Defence League) and the Farmers and Producers Political Union merged with the Liberal and Democratic Union to become the Liberal Union in 1910. Labor formed South Australia's first majority government after winning the 1910 state election, triggering the merger. The 1910 election came two weeks after federal Labor formed Australia's first elected majority government at the 1910 federal election.

No "Country" or rural conservative parties emerged as serious long-term forces in South Australian state politics, the majority folding into the main non-Labor party.

List of premiers of South Australia

The first six governors of South Australia oversaw governance from proclamation in 1836 until self-government and an elected Parliament of South Australia was enacted in the year prior to the inaugural 1857 election.

Political parties

   Independent
  Liberalism
  Conservatism
   Liberal Federation/Union
   Liberal & Country
   Liberal
   Labor
No.PortraitName
Birth–death
Constituency
Election
Parliament
Term of officePolitical partyMinistry
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Colonial Government (1856–1901)
1 B. T. Finniss 2.jpeg Boyle Finniss
(1807–1893)
MHA for Adelaide
1857 (1st)24 October 185621 August 1857301 days Independent Finniss
2 John Baker SA.jpg John Baker
(1813–1872)
Councillor
— (1st)21 August 18571 September 185711 days Independent Baker
3 Robert Richard Torrens.jpg Robert Richard Torrens
(1814–1884)
MHA for Adelaide
— (1st)1 September 185730 September 185729 days Independent Torrens
4 Richard Hanson (Australia).jpg Richard Hanson
(1805–1876)
MHA for Adelaide
— (1st)30 September 18579 May 18602 years, 222 days Independent Hanson
5 Thomas Reynolds (Australian politician).jpg Thomas Reynolds
(1818–1875)
MHA for Adelaide
1860 (2nd)9 May 18608 October 18611 year, 152 days Independent Reynolds (1st)
Reynolds (2nd)
6 George Marsden Waterhouse.jpg George Waterhouse
(1824–1906)
Councillor
— (2nd)
1862 (3rd)
8 October 18614 July 18631 year, 269 days Independent Waterhouse (1st)
Waterhouse (2nd)
7 Francis Dutton.jpg Francis Dutton
(1818–1877)
MHA for Light
— (3rd)4 July 186315 July 186311 days Independent Dutton (1st)
8 Henry Ayers.jpg Henry Ayers
(1821–1897)
Councillor
— (3rd)15 July 18634 August 18641 year, 20 days Independent Ayers (1st)
Ayers (2nd)
9 ArthurBlyth.jpg Arthur Blyth
(1823–1891)
MHA for Gumeracha
— (3rd)4 August 186422 March 1865230 days Independent Blyth (1st)
(7) Francis Dutton.jpg Francis Dutton 1865 (4th)22 March 186520 September 1865182 days Independent Dutton (2nd)
(8) Henry Ayers.jpg Henry Ayers — (4th)20 September 186523 October 186533 days Independent Ayers (3rd)
10 John Hart 2.jpeg John Hart
(1809–1873)
MHA for Port Adelaide
— (4th)23 October 186528 March 1866156 days Independent Hart (1st)
11 Boucat.jpg James Boucaut
(1831–1916)
MHA for Encounter Bay
— (4th)28 March 18663 May 18671 year, 36 days Independent Boucaut (1st)
(8) Henry Ayers.jpg Henry Ayers — (4th)
1868 (5th)
3 May 186724 September 18681 year, 144 days Independent Ayers (4th)
(10) John Hart 2.jpeg John Hart
MHA for Light
— (5th)24 September 186813 October 186819 days Independent Hart (2nd)
(8) Henry Ayers.jpg Henry Ayers — (5th)13 October 18683 November 186821 days Independent Ayers (5th)
12 Henry Strangways.jpg Henry Strangways
(1832–1920)
MHA for West Torrens
— (5th)
1870 (6th)
3 November 186830 May 18701 year, 208 days Independent Strangways (1st)
Strangways (2nd)
(10) John Hart 2.jpeg John Hart
MHA for The Burra
— (6th)30 May 187010 November 18711 year, 164 days Independent Hart (3rd)
(9) ArthurBlyth.jpg Arthur Blyth — (6th)
1871 (7th)
10 November 187122 January 187273 days Independent Blyth (2nd)
(8) Henry Ayers.jpg Henry Ayers — (7th)22 January 187222 July 18731 year, 151 days Independent Ayers (6th)
Ayers (7th)
(9) ArthurBlyth.jpg Arthur Blyth — (7th)
1875 (8th)
22 July 18733 June 18751 year, 316 days Independent Blyth (3rd)
(11) Boucat.jpg James Boucaut — (8th)3 June 18756 June 18761 year, 3 days Independent Boucaut (2nd)
Boucaut (3rd)
13 John colton.jpg John Colton
(1823–1902)
MHA for Noarlunga
— (8th)6 June 187626 October 18771 year, 142 days Independent Colton (1st)
(11) Boucat.jpg James Boucaut — (8th)
1878 (9th)
26 October 187727 September 1878336 days Independent Boucaut (4th)
14 William Morgan (Australian politician).jpg William Morgan
(1828–1883)
Councillor
— (9th)
1881 (10th)
27 September 187824 June 18812 years, 270 days Independent Morgan
15 John Cox Bray.jpg John Bray
(1842–1894)
MHA for East Adelaide
— (10th)
1884 (11th)
24 June 188116 June 18842 years, 358 days Independent Bray
(13) John colton.jpg John Colton — (11th)16 June 188416 June 18851 year, 0 days Independent Colton (2nd)
16 John Downer (Australian politician).jpg John Downer
(1843–1915)
MHA for Barossa
— (11th)
1887 (12th)
16 June 188511 June 18871 year, 360 days Independent Downer (1st)
17 Thomas playford II.jpg Thomas Playford
(1837–1915)
MHA for Newcastle
— (12th)11 June 188727 June 18892 years, 16 days Independent Playford II (1st)
18 John Cockburn (Australian politician).jpg John Cockburn
(1850–1929)
MHA for Mount Barker
— (12th)
1890 (13th)
27 June 188919 August 18901 year, 53 daysLiberalism Cockburn
(17) Thomas playford II.jpg Thomas Playford
MHA for East Torrens
— (13th)19 August 189021 June 18921 year, 307 daysConservatism Playford II (2nd)
19 Frederick Holder1.jpg Frederick Holder
(1850–1909)
MHA for Burra
— (13th)21 June 189215 October 1892116 daysLiberalism Holder (1st)
(16) John Downer (Australian politician).jpg John Downer — (13th)15 October 189216 June 1893244 daysConservatism Downer (2nd)
20 Charles Kingston.jpg Charles Kingston
(1850–1908)
MHA for West Adelaide
1893 (14th)
1896 (15th)
1899 (16th)
16 June 18931 December 18996 years, 168 daysLiberalism Kingston
21 Vaiben Solomon1.jpg Vaiben Solomon
(1853–1908)
MHA for Northern Territory
— (16th)1 December 18998 December 18997 daysConservatism Solomon
(19) Frederick Holder1.jpg Frederick Holder — (16th)8 December 189915 May 19011 year, 158 daysLiberalism Holder (2nd)
State Government (1901–present)
22 JohnJenkins.jpg John Jenkins
(1851–1923)
MHA for Torrens
— (16th)
1902 (17th)
15 May 19011 March 19053 years, 290 daysLiberalism Jenkins
23 Sir Richard Butler (Australia).jpg Richard Butler
(1850–1925)
MHA for Barossa
— (17th)1 March 190526 July 1905147 daysConservatism Butler I
24 Thomas Price.jpeg Thomas Price
(1852–1909)
MHA for Torrens
1905 (18th)
1906 (19th)
26 July 19055 June 19093 years, 314 days United Labor Price
25 Archibald Peake.jpg Archibald Peake
(1859–1920)
MHA for Victoria & Albert
— (19th)5 June 19093 June 1910363 days Liberal &
Democratic Union
Peake (1st)
26 JohnVerran.jpg John Verran
(1856–1932)
MHA for Wallaroo
1910 (20th)3 June 191017 February 19121 year, 259 days United Labor Verran
(25) Archibald Peake.jpg Archibald Peake
(1859–1920)
1912 (21st)17 February 19123 April 19153 years, 45 days Liberal Union Peake (2nd)
27 CrawfordVaughan.jpg Crawford Vaughan
(1874–1947)
MHA for Sturt
1915 (22nd)3 April 191514 July 19172 years, 102 days United Labor Vaughan
(25) Archibald Peake.jpg Archibald Peake
(1859–1920)
— (22nd)
1918 (23rd)
14 July 19178 April 19202 years, 269 days Liberal Union Peake (3rd)
28 Henry Barwell.jpg Henry Barwell
(1877–1959)
MHA for Stanley
— (23rd)
1921 (24th)
8 April 192016 April 19244 years, 8 days Liberal Union
(until 1923)
Liberal Federation
(from 1923)
Barwell
29 JohnGunn.jpg John Gunn
(1884–1959)
MHA for Adelaide
1924 (25th)16 April 192428 August 19262 years, 134 days Labor Gunn
30 Lionel Hill1.JPG Lionel Hill
(1881–1963)
MHA for Port Pirie
— (25th)28 August 19268 April 1927223 days Labor Hill (1st)
31 Richard Layton Butler.jpg Richard L. Butler
(1885–1966)
MHA for Wooroora
1927 (26th)8 April 192717 April 19303 years, 9 days Liberal Federation Butler II (1st)
(30) Lionel Hill1.JPG Lionel Hill
(1881–1963)
1930 (27th)17 April 193013 February 19332 years, 302 days Labor Hill (2nd)
32 Portrait of R.S. Richards(GN11825) (cropped).jpg Robert Richards
(1885–1967)
MHA for Wallaroo
— (27th)13 February 193318 April 193364 days Labor Richards
(31) Richard Layton Butler.jpg Richard L. Butler
(1885–1966)
1933 (28th)
1938 (29th)
18 April 19335 November 19385 years, 201 days Liberal and
Country League
Butler II (2nd)
33 Playford portrait 38.jpg Thomas Playford
(1896–1981)
MHA for Gumeracha
— (29th)
1941 (30th)
1944 (31st)
1947 (32nd)
1950 (33rd)
1953 (34th)
1956 (35th)
1959 (36th)
1962 (37th)
5 November 193810 March 196526 years, 125 days Liberal and
Country League
Playford IV (1st)
Playford IV (2nd)
34 FrankWalsh1963.jpg Frank Walsh
(1897–1968)
MHA for Edwardstown
1965 (38th)10 March 19651 June 19672 years, 83 days Labor Walsh
35 Don Dunstan 1968 crop.jpg Don Dunstan
(1926–1999)
MHA for Norwood
— (38th)1 June 196717 April 1968321 days Labor Dunstan (1st)
36 Steele Hall 1974 (cropped).jpg Steele Hall
(1928–2024)
MHA for Gouger
1968 (39th)17 April 19682 June 19702 years, 46 days Liberal and
Country League
Hall
(35) Don Dunstan 1968 crop.jpg Don Dunstan 1970 (40th)
1973 (41st)
1975 (42nd)
1977 (43rd)
2 June 197015 February 19798 years, 258 days Labor Dunstan (2nd)
37 Des Corcoran.jpg Des Corcoran
(1928–2004)
MHA for Hartley
— (43rd)15 February 197918 September 1979215 days Labor Corcoran
38 David Tonkin.jpg David Tonkin
(1929–2000)
MHA for Bragg
1979 (44th)18 September 197910 November 19823 years, 53 days Liberal Tonkin
39 John Charles Bannon 1943-2015.jpg John Bannon
(1943–2015)
MHA for Ross Smith
1982 (45th)
1985 (46th)
1989 (47th)
10 November 19824 September 19929 years, 299 days Labor Bannon
40 Lynn Arnold
(born 1949)
MHA for Ramsay
— (47th)4 September 199214 December 19931 year, 101 days Labor Arnold
41 Dean Brown
(born 1943)
MHA for Finniss
1993 (48th)14 December 199328 November 19962 years, 350 days Liberal Brown
42 John Olsen (1).jpg John Olsen
(born 1945)
MHA for Kavel
— (48th)
1997 (49th)
28 November 199622 October 20014 years, 328 days Liberal Olsen
43 Rob Kerin
(born 1954)
MHA for Frome
— (49th)22 October 20015 March 2002165 days Liberal Kerin
44 Mike Rann (smiling).jpg Mike Rann
(born 1953)
MHA for Ramsay
2002 (50th)
2006 (51st)
2010 (52nd)
5 March 200221 October 20119 years, 230 days Labor Rann
45 Jay Weatherill crop.jpg Jay Weatherill
(born 1964)
MHA for Cheltenham
— (52nd)
2014 (53rd)
21 October 201119 March 20186 years, 149 days Labor Weatherill
46 PremierMarshall2018.jpg Steven Marshall
(born 1968)
MHA for Dunstan
2018 (54th)19 March 201821 March 20224 years, 2 days Liberal Marshall
47 Peter Malinauskas (cropped).png Peter Malinauskas
(born 1980)
MHA for Croydon
2022 (55th)21 March 20223 years, 50 days Labor Malinauskas

Timeline

In the following timeline, the legend includes the Liberal and Democratic Union, the Liberal Union and the Liberal Federation represented as "Liberal (pre-1979)". The Liberal Party is represented as "Liberal (post-1979)" only. The grey area represents the duration of Playmander electoral malapportionment, beginning in 1936, in effect until the 1970 election.

Peter MalinauskasSteven MarshallJay WeatherillMike RannRob KerinJohn OlsenDean BrownLynn ArnoldJohn BannonDavid Tonkin 1979–1982Des CorcoranSteele Hall (Australian politician)Don Dunstan 1967–1968Frank WalshThomas Playford IV 1938–1965Robert Richards (Australian politician)Richard Layton ButlerLionel HillJohn Gunn (Australian politician)Henry BarwellCrawford VaughanJohn VerranArchibald PeakeThomas PriceRichard Butler (Australian politician)John Jenkins (Australian politician)Vaiben SolomonCharles KingstonFrederick Holder 1892John Cockburn (Australian politician)Thomas Playford IIJohn DownerJohn Cox BrayWilliam Morgan (South Australian politician)John ColtonHenry StrangwaysJames BoucautJohn Hart (South Australian colonist)Arthur BlythHenry AyresFrancis DuttonGeorge Marsden WaterhouseThomas ReynoldsRichard Hanson (Australian politician)Robert Richard TorrensJohn Baker (Australian politician)Boyle FinnissPremier of South Australia

See also

References

  1. Tyeson, Cam (1 June 2021). "Here's How Much Every State Premier Gets Paid If You Wanna Get Boomer-Tier Mad About Yr Taxes". Pedestrian. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.