Premier of Western Australia
Encyclopedia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australia
n State of Western Australia
. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia
to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia
at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions. The current Premier is Colin Barnett
who was sworn into office by Governor
Ken Michael
on 23 September 2008.
. He or she is appointed by the governor
on the advice of the lower house, and must resign if he or she loses the support of the majority of that house. Consequently, the premier is almost always the leader of the political party or coalition of parties with the majority of seats in the lower house.
The office of premier of Western Australia was first formed in 1890, after Western Australia was officially granted responsible government
by Britain
in 1889. The Constitution of Western Australia does not explicitly provide for a premier, and the office was not formally listed as one of the executive offices until the appointment of Ross McLarty
in 1947. Nonetheless, John Forrest
immediately adopted the title on taking office as first premier of Western Australia in 1890, and it has been used ever since.
John Forrest
was the only premier of Western Australia as a self-governing colony
. Following the Federation of Australia
in 1901, Western Australia became an Australian state
and the responsibilities of the office of premier were diminished.
Party politics began in Western Australia with the rise of the Labor party in 1901. By 1904, the party system was entrenched in Western Australian politics. Since then the premiers have been associated with political parties.
Western Australia's constitution contains nothing to preclude the premier being a member of the upper house, the Western Australian Legislative Council
. Historically and by convention, however, the premier is a member of the Assembly. The only exception has been Hal Colebatch
, a member of the Legislative Council who accepted the premiership in April 1919 on the understanding that an Assembly seat would be found for him, only to resign a month later when no seat could be found.
During the economic boom of the 1980s, the Western Australian government became closely involved with a number of large businesses. A succession of deals were made between the government and businesses, and these ultimately caused great losses for the state. A subsequent royal commission found evidence of widespread corruption. Three former premiers were found to have acted improperly and two of them, Ray O'Connor
and Brian Burke
, were jailed. This scandal became popularly known as WA Inc
.
(1982–1983, born in 1926). The most recent premier to die was Sir Charles Court
(1974–1982) on 22 December 2007, aged 96.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n State of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions. The current Premier is Colin Barnett
Colin Barnett
Colin James Barnett , Australian politician, is the leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party, the 29th and current Premier of Western Australia since the 2008 election and served as the Treasurer of Western Australia in 2010. He was sworn into office by Governor Ken Michael on 23 September 2008...
who was sworn into office by Governor
Governor of Western Australia
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
Ken Michael
Ken Michael
Kenneth Comninos Michael, AC was the 32nd Governor of Western Australia, succeeding Lieutenant-General John Sanderson.His vice-regal appointment was announced on 6 June 2005 by the then Premier Geoff Gallop and he was sworn in at Government House, Perth on 18 January 2006 by the Chief Justice of...
on 23 September 2008.
Function
The premier must be a member of one of the two Houses of the Parliament of Western Australia; by convention the premier is a member of the lower house, the Western Australian Legislative AssemblyWestern Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
. He or she is appointed by the governor
Governor of Western Australia
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
on the advice of the lower house, and must resign if he or she loses the support of the majority of that house. Consequently, the premier is almost always the leader of the political party or coalition of parties with the majority of seats in the lower house.
History
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
by Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1889. The Constitution of Western Australia does not explicitly provide for a premier, and the office was not formally listed as one of the executive offices until the appointment of Ross McLarty
Ross McLarty
Sir Duncan Ross McLarty KBE MM was the 17th Premier of Western Australia.-Early life:McLarty was born in Pinjarra, Western Australia, the youngest of seven children of Edward McLarty, a farmer and grazier and member of the Western Australian Legislative Council, and his wife Mary Jane, née Campbell...
in 1947. Nonetheless, John Forrest
John Forrest
Sir John Forrest GCMG was an Australian explorer, the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia's first federal parliament....
immediately adopted the title on taking office as first premier of Western Australia in 1890, and it has been used ever since.
John Forrest
John Forrest
Sir John Forrest GCMG was an Australian explorer, the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia's first federal parliament....
was the only premier of Western Australia as a self-governing colony
Self-governing colony
A self-governing colony is a colony with an elected legislature, in which politicians are able to make most decisions without reference to the colonial power with formal or nominal control of the colony...
. Following the Federation of Australia
Federation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
in 1901, Western Australia became an Australian state
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
and the responsibilities of the office of premier were diminished.
Party politics began in Western Australia with the rise of the Labor party in 1901. By 1904, the party system was entrenched in Western Australian politics. Since then the premiers have been associated with political parties.
Western Australia's constitution contains nothing to preclude the premier being a member of the upper house, the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
. Historically and by convention, however, the premier is a member of the Assembly. The only exception has been Hal Colebatch
Hal Colebatch
Sir Harry Pateshall Colebatch CMG , better known as Sir Hal Colebatch, was a long-serving and occasionally controversial figure in Western Australian politics...
, a member of the Legislative Council who accepted the premiership in April 1919 on the understanding that an Assembly seat would be found for him, only to resign a month later when no seat could be found.
During the economic boom of the 1980s, the Western Australian government became closely involved with a number of large businesses. A succession of deals were made between the government and businesses, and these ultimately caused great losses for the state. A subsequent royal commission found evidence of widespread corruption. Three former premiers were found to have acted improperly and two of them, Ray O'Connor
Ray O'Connor
Raymond James "Ray" O'Connor was the 22nd Premier of Western Australia.-Pre-political life:He was born in Perth and attended schools in towns of Narrogin and York, and St Patrick's Boys' School in Perth...
and Brian Burke
Brian Burke
Brian Thomas Burke was Labor premier of Western Australia from 25 February 1983 until his resignation on 25 February 1988...
, were jailed. This scandal became popularly known as WA Inc
WA Inc
WA Inc was a political scandal in Western Australia. In the 1980s, the state government, which was led for much of the period by premier Brian Burke, engaged in business dealings with several prominent businessmen, including Alan Bond, Laurie Connell and Warren Anderson...
.
List of Premiers of Western Australia
| Premier | Party | Assumed office | Left office | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir John Forrest John Forrest Sir John Forrest GCMG was an Australian explorer, the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia's first federal parliament.... |
(pro-Forrest)1 | 29 December 1890 | 15 February 1901 | |
| George Throssell George Throssell George Lionel Throssell, CMG was the second Premier of Western Australia. He served for just three months, from 15 February 1901 until 27 May 1901 during a period of great instability in Western Australian politics.... |
(pro-Forrest) | 15 February 1901 | 27 May 1901 | |
| George Leake George Leake George Leake CMG QC was Premier of Western Australia from 27 May 1901 to 21 November 1901, and again from 23 December 1901 until his death on 24 June 1902.-Early life:... |
Opposition1 | 27 May 1901 | 21 November 1901 | |
| Alf Morgans Alf Morgans Alfred Edward Morgans was Premier of Western Australia for just 32 days, from 21 November to 23 December 1901.-Early life and career:... |
Ministerialist1 | 21 November 1901 | 23 December 1901 | |
| George Leake | Opposition1 | 23 December 1901 | 1 July 1902 | |
| Sir Walter James Walter James Sir Walter Hartwell James KCMG KC was the fifth Premier of Western Australia and an ardent supporter of the federation movement.... |
Opposition1 | 1 July 1902 | 10 August 1904 | |
| Henry Daglish Henry Daglish Henry Daglish was the sixth Premier of Western Australia and the state's first Labor Premier.Henry Daglish was born in Ballarat West, Victoria on 18 November 1866. He was educated in Geelong, and attended Melbourne University... |
Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
10 August 1904 | 25 August 1905 | |
| Sir Cornthwaite Rason Cornthwaite Rason Sir Cornthwaite Hector William James Rason , better known as Hector Rason, was the seventh Premier of Western Australia.... |
Ministerialist | 25 August 1905 | 7 May 1906 | |
| Sir Newton Moore Newton Moore Major-General Sir Newton James Moore KCMG , was the eighth Premier of Western Australia and a member of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1932.... |
Ministerialist | 7 May 1906 | 16 September 1910 | |
| Frank Wilson | Ministerialist | 16 September 1910 | 7 October 1911 | |
| John Scaddan John Scaddan John Scaddan, CMG , popularly known as "Happy Jack", was Premier of Western Australia from 7 October 1911 until 27 July 1916.- Biography :... |
Labor | 7 October 1911 | 27 July 1916 | |
| Frank Wilson | Liberal (WA) | 27 July 1916 | 28 June 1917 | |
| Sir Henry Lefroy Henry Lefroy Sir Henry Bruce Lefroy KCMG was the eleventh Premier of Western Australia.-Biography:Lefroy was born in Perth, Western Australia on 24 March 1854. His father was Anthony O'Grady Lefroy, Colonial Treasurer of Western Australia for over 30 years... |
Nationalist Nationalist Party of Australia The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime... |
28 June 1917 | 17 April 1919 | |
| Sir Hal Colebatch Hal Colebatch Sir Harry Pateshall Colebatch CMG , better known as Sir Hal Colebatch, was a long-serving and occasionally controversial figure in Western Australian politics... |
Nationalist | 17 April 1919 | 17 May 1919 | |
| Sir James Mitchell James Mitchell (Australian politician) Sir James Mitchell GCMG was the 13th Premier of Western Australia, serving on two occasions, the Lieutenant-Governor of Western Australia for 15 years and the 22nd Governor of Western Australia.... |
Nationalist | 17 May 1919 | 16 April 1924 | |
| Philip Collier Philip Collier Philip Collier was Premier of Western Australia for nine years, the longest ever term for an Australian Labor Party premier.... |
Labor | 16 April 1924 | 24 April 1930 | |
| Sir James Mitchell | Nationalist | 24 April 1930 | 24 April 1933 | |
| Philip Collier | Labor | 24 April 1933 | 20 August 1936 | |
| John Willcock John Willcock John Collings Willcock was the 15th Premier of Western Australia.-Early life:John Willcock was born at Frogmoor , New South Wales on 9 August 1879. The son of miner Joseph Willcock, he was educated at Sydney High School before emigrating to Western Australia in 1897... |
Labor | 20 August 1936 | 31 July 1945 | |
| Frank Wise Frank Wise Frank Joseph Scott Wise AO was an Australian Labor Party politician and the 16th Premier of Western Australia. He took office on 31 July 1945 in the closing stages of the Second World War, following the resignation of his predecessor due to ill health... |
Labor | 31 July 1945 | 1 April 1947 | |
| Ross McLarty Ross McLarty Sir Duncan Ross McLarty KBE MM was the 17th Premier of Western Australia.-Early life:McLarty was born in Pinjarra, Western Australia, the youngest of seven children of Edward McLarty, a farmer and grazier and member of the Western Australian Legislative Council, and his wife Mary Jane, née Campbell... |
Liberal Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
1 April 1947 | 23 February 1953 | |
| Albert Hawke Albert Hawke Albert Redvers George Hawke was the 18th Premier of Western Australia.Hawke was born to James Renfrey Hawke and Eliza Ann Blinman Pascoe, both of Cornish descent, in Kapunda, South Australia... |
Labor | 23 February 1953 | 2 April 1959 | |
| Sir David Brand David Brand Sir David Brand KCMG was the 19th and longest serving Premier of Western Australia and a Member of the Legislative Assembly from 1945 to 1975.-Early life:... |
Liberal | 2 April 1959 | 3 March 1971 | |
| John Tonkin John Tonkin John Trezise Tonkin AC , popularly known as "Honest John", was the 20th Premier of Western Australia , taking power after the almost 12 year term of Liberal Sir David Brand.... |
Labor | 3 March 1971 | 8 April 1974 | |
| Sir Charles Court Charles Court Sir Charles Walter Michael Court, was a Western Australian politician, 21st Premier of Western Australia and member for the seat of Nedlands for the Liberal Party for nearly 30 years.-Early life:... |
Liberal | 8 April 1974 | 25 January 1982 | |
| Ray O'Connor Ray O'Connor Raymond James "Ray" O'Connor was the 22nd Premier of Western Australia.-Pre-political life:He was born in Perth and attended schools in towns of Narrogin and York, and St Patrick's Boys' School in Perth... |
Liberal | 25 January 1982 | 25 February 1983 | |
| Brian Burke Brian Burke Brian Thomas Burke was Labor premier of Western Australia from 25 February 1983 until his resignation on 25 February 1988... |
Labor | 25 February 1983 | 25 February 1988 | |
| Peter Dowding Peter Dowding Peter McCallum Dowding SC was the 24th Premier of Western Australia, serving from 25 February 1988 until his resignation on 12 February 1990 after an internal party dispute.... |
Labor | 25 February 1988 | 12 February 1990 | |
| Dr Carmen Lawrence Carmen Lawrence Carmen Mary Lawrence is a retired Australian politician; a former Premier of Western Australia and the first woman to become Premier of a State of the Commonwealth of Australia.... |
Labor | 12 February 1990 | 16 February 1993 | |
| Richard Court Richard Court Richard Fairfax Court AC , was a Western Australian politician, representing the seat of Nedlands in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for the Liberal Party of Australia from 1982 to 2001. He served as Premier of Western Australia from 1993 to 2001.Court was born into an old political... |
Liberal | 16 February 1993 | 10 February 2001 | |
| Dr Geoff Gallop Geoff Gallop Geoffrey Ian Gallop, AC is an Australian academic and former politician. He was the Premier of Western Australia from 2001 to 2006. He currently resides in Sydney.-Early life and education:... |
Labor | 16 February 2001 | 25 January 2006 | |
| Alan Carpenter Alan Carpenter Alan John Carpenter is a former Australian politician. He was the 28th Premier of Western Australia, serving from 2006 to 2008. He took office following the resignation of Dr Geoff Gallop... |
Labor | 25 January 2006 | 23 September 2008 | |
| Colin Barnett Colin Barnett Colin James Barnett , Australian politician, is the leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party, the 29th and current Premier of Western Australia since the 2008 election and served as the Treasurer of Western Australia in 2010. He was sworn into office by Governor Ken Michael on 23 September 2008... |
Liberal | 23 September 2008 | incumbent |
- The premiers were not officially associated with organised partiesPolitical partyA political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
until 1904.
Living former premiers
As of March 2008, seven former premiers are alive, the oldest being Ray O'ConnorRay O'Connor
Raymond James "Ray" O'Connor was the 22nd Premier of Western Australia.-Pre-political life:He was born in Perth and attended schools in towns of Narrogin and York, and St Patrick's Boys' School in Perth...
(1982–1983, born in 1926). The most recent premier to die was Sir Charles Court
Charles Court
Sir Charles Walter Michael Court, was a Western Australian politician, 21st Premier of Western Australia and member for the seat of Nedlands for the Liberal Party for nearly 30 years.-Early life:...
(1974–1982) on 22 December 2007, aged 96.
| Name | Term as premier | Date of birth | Current age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray O'Connor Ray O'Connor Raymond James "Ray" O'Connor was the 22nd Premier of Western Australia.-Pre-political life:He was born in Perth and attended schools in towns of Narrogin and York, and St Patrick's Boys' School in Perth... |
1982–1983 | 6 March 1926 | |
| Brian Burke Brian Burke Brian Thomas Burke was Labor premier of Western Australia from 25 February 1983 until his resignation on 25 February 1988... |
1983–1988 | 25 February 1947 | |
| Peter Dowding Peter Dowding Peter McCallum Dowding SC was the 24th Premier of Western Australia, serving from 25 February 1988 until his resignation on 12 February 1990 after an internal party dispute.... |
1988–1990 | 6 October 1943 | |
| Dr Carmen Lawrence Carmen Lawrence Carmen Mary Lawrence is a retired Australian politician; a former Premier of Western Australia and the first woman to become Premier of a State of the Commonwealth of Australia.... |
1990–1993 | 2 March 1948 | |
| Richard Court Richard Court Richard Fairfax Court AC , was a Western Australian politician, representing the seat of Nedlands in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for the Liberal Party of Australia from 1982 to 2001. He served as Premier of Western Australia from 1993 to 2001.Court was born into an old political... |
1993–2001 | 27 September 1947 | |
| Dr Geoff Gallop Geoff Gallop Geoffrey Ian Gallop, AC is an Australian academic and former politician. He was the Premier of Western Australia from 2001 to 2006. He currently resides in Sydney.-Early life and education:... |
2001–2006 | 27 September 1951 | |
| Alan Carpenter Alan Carpenter Alan John Carpenter is a former Australian politician. He was the 28th Premier of Western Australia, serving from 2006 to 2008. He took office following the resignation of Dr Geoff Gallop... |
2006–2008 | 4 January 1957 |
See also
- Leader of the Opposition (Western Australia)Leader of the Opposition (Western Australia)The Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia is the leader of the largest minority political party or coalition of parties in the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia. By convention, he or she is generally a member of the Legislative Assembly...
- Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative AssemblySpeaker of the Western Australian Legislative AssemblyThe Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly is the presiding officer in the Legislative Assembly. The office has existed since the creation of the Legislative Assembly in 1890 under the Constitution Act 1889...