The premier of New South Wales is the head of government in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Government of New South Wales follows the Westminster Parliamentary System, with a Parliament of New South Wales acting as the legislature. The premier is appointed by the Governor of New South Wales, and by modern convention holds office by their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the lower house of Parliament, the Legislative Assembly.

Premier of New South Wales
Incumbent
Chris Minns
since 28 March 2023
Premier's Department
Cabinet Office
Style
StatusHead of government
Member ofNew South Wales Legislative Assembly
Reports toParliament
AppointerGovernor of New South Wales
by convention, based on appointee's ability to command confidence in the Legislative Assembly
Term lengthAt the governor's pleasure
contingent on the premier's ability to command confidence in the lower house of Parliament
Constituting instrumentNone (constitutional convention)
Formation6 June 1856
First holderStuart Donaldson
DeputyDeputy Premier of New South Wales
Salary$416,440[1]

Before Federation in 1901, the term "prime minister of New South Wales" was also used. "Premier" has been used more or less exclusively from 1901, to avoid confusion with the federal prime minister of Australia.[2][3]

The current premier is Chris Minns, the leader of the New South Wales Labor Party, who assumed office on 28 March 2023. Minns defeated Dominic Perrottet at the election held on 25 March 2023, after twelve years of Liberal/National Coalition rule.[4]

List of premiers of New South Wales

No. Portrait Name
Electoral district
(Birth–death)
Election Term of office Political party Ministry Monarch
Term start Term end Time in office
1   Stuart Donaldson
MLA for Sydney Hamlets
(1812–1867)
1856 6 June
1856
25 August
1856
80 days Independent Donaldson Victoria
(1837–1901)
Governor:
2   Charles Cowper
MLA for Sydney City
(1807–1875)
26 August
1856
2 October
1856
37 days Independent Cowper I
3   Henry Parker
MLA for Parramatta
(1808–1881)
3 October
1856
7 September
1857
339 days Independent Parker
(2)   Charles Cowper
MLA for Sydney City
(until 1859)
MLA for East Sydney
(from 1859)

(1807–1875)
7 September
1857
26 October
1859
2 years, 49 days Independent Cowper II
1858
1859
4   William Forster
MLA for Queanbeyan
(1818–1882)
27 October
1859
9 March
1860
1 year, 165 days Independent Forster
5   John Robertson
MLA for Upper Hunter
(1816–1891)
9 March
1860
9 January
1861
306 days Independent Robertson I
(2)   Charles Cowper
MLA for East Sydney
(1807–1875)
1860 10 January
1861
15 October
1863
2 years, 278 days Independent Cowper III
6   James Martin
MLA for Tumut
(until 1864)
MLA for Monara
(1864)
MLA for Lachlan
(from 1864)

(1820–1886)
16 October
1863
2 February
1865
1 year, 109 days Independent Martin I
(2)   Charles Cowper
MLA for East Sydney
(1807–1875)
1864–65 3 February
1865
21 January
1866
352 days Independent Cowper IV
(6)   James Martin
MLA for Lachlan
(1820–1886)
22 January
1866
26 October
1868
2 years, 278 days Independent Martin II
(5)   John Robertson
MLA for Clarence
(1816–1891)
27 October
1868
12 January
1870
1 year, 77 days Independent Robertson II
(2)   Charles Cowper
MLA for Liverpool Plains
(1807–1875)
1869–70 13 January
1870
15 December
1870
336 days Independent Cowper V
(6)   James Martin
MLA for East Sydney
(until 1872)
MLA for East Macquarie
(from 1872)

(1820–1886)
16 December
1870
13 May
1872
1 year, 149 days Independent Martin III
7   Henry Parkes
MLA for East Sydney
(1815–1896)
1872 14 May
1872
8 February
1875
2 years, 270 days Independent Parkes I
(5)   John Robertson
MLA for West Sydney
(1816–1891)
1874–75 9 February
1875
21 March
1877
2 years, 40 days Independent Robertson III
(7)   Henry Parkes
MLA for East Sydney
(1815–1896)
22 March
1877
16 August
1877
175 days Independent Parkes II
(5)   Sir John Robertson
MLA for West Sydney
(until November 1877)
MLA for East Macquarie
(from November 1877)
MLA for Lachlan
(from November 1877)

(1816–1891)
17 August
1877
17 December
1877
122 days Independent Robertson IV
8   James Farnell
MLA for St Leonards
(1825–1888)
1877 18 December
1877
20 December
1878
1 year, 2 days Independent Farnell
(7)   Sir Henry Parkes
MLA for Canterbury
(until 1880)
MLA for East Sydney
(1880–1882)
MLA for Tenterfield
(from 1882)

(1815–1896)
21 December
1878
4 January
1883
4 years, 14 days Independent Parkes III
1880
9   Alexander Stuart
MLA for Illawarra
(1824–1886)
1882 5 January
1883
6 October
1885
2 years, 274 days Independent Stuart
10   George Dibbs
MLA for St Leonards
(until October 1885)
MLA for Murrumbidgee
(from October 1885)

(1834–1904)
7 October
1885
21 December
1885
75 days Independent Dibbs I
1885
(5)   Sir John Robertson
MLA for Mudgee
(1816–1891)
22 December
1885
22 February
1886
62 days Independent Robertson V
11   Sir Patrick Jennings
MLA for The Bogan
(1831–1897)
26 February
1886
19 January
1887
327 days Independent Jennings
(7)   Sir Henry Parkes
MLA for St Leonards
(1815–1896)
25 January
1887
16 January
1889
1 year, 357 days Free Trade Parkes IV
1887
10   George Dibbs
MLA for Murrumbidgee

(1834–1904)
17 January
1889
7 March
1889
49 days Protectionist Dibbs II
(7)   Sir Henry Parkes
MLA for St Leonards
(1815–1896)
1889 8 March
1889
23 October
1891
2 years, 229 days Free Trade Parkes V
1891
(10)   George Dibbs
MLA for Murrumbidgee

(1834–1904)
23 October
1891
2 August
1894
2 years, 283 days Protectionist Dibbs III
12   George Reid
MLA for Sydney-King

(1845–1918)
1894 3 August
1894
13 September
1899
5 years, 41 days Free Trade Reid
1895
1898
13   Sir William Lyne
MLA for Hume

(1844–1913)
14 September
1899
27 March
1901
1 year, 194 days Protectionist Lyne
Edward VII
(1901–1910)
Governor:
14   Sir John See
MLA for Grafton

(1844–1907)
1901 28 March
1901
14 June
1904
3 years, 78 days Progressive See
15   Thomas Waddell
MLA for Cowra

(1854–1940)
15 June
1904
29 August
1904
75 days Progressive Waddell
16   Sir Joseph Carruthers
MLA for St George

(1857–1932)
1904 29 August
1904
1 October
1907
3 years, 33 days Liberal Reform Carruthers
1907
17   Charles Wade
MLA for Gordon

(1863–1922)
2 October
1907
1 October
1910
2 years, 364 days Liberal Reform Wade
George V
(1910–1936)
Governor:
18   James McGowen
MLA for Redfern

(1855–1922)
1910 21 October
1910
29 June
1913
2 years, 251 days Labor McGowen
19   William Holman
MLA for Cootamundra

(1871–1934)
30 June
1913
12 April
1920
6 years, 287 days Labor Holman I
1913
Nationalist Holman II
1917
20   John Storey
MLA for Balmain

(1869–1921)
1920 13 April
1920
5 October
1921
1 year, 175 days Labor Storey
21   James Dooley
MLA for Bathurst

(1877–1950)
5 October
1921
20 December
1921
76 days Labor Dooley I
22   Sir George Fuller
MLA for Wollondilly

(1861–1940)
20 December
1921
20 December
1921
7 hours Nationalist Fuller I
(21)   James Dooley
MLA for Bathurst

(1877–1950)
20 December
1921
13 April
1922
114 days Labor Dooley II
(22)   Sir George Fuller
MLA for Wollondilly

(1861–1940)
1922 13 April
1922
17 June
1925
3 years, 55 days Nationalist Fuller II
23   Jack Lang
MLA for Parramatta

(1876–1975)
1925 17 June
1925
18 October
1927
2 years, 123 days Labor Lang I
Lang II
24   Thomas Bavin
MLA for Gordon

(1874–1941)
1927 18 October
1927
4 November
1930
3 years, 17 days Nationalist Bavin
(23)   Jack Lang
MLA for Auburn

(1876–1975)
1930 4 November
1930
16 May
1932
1 year, 194 days Labor
(until 1931)
Lang III
Lang Labor
25   Bertram Stevens
MLA for Croydon

(1889–1973)
16 May
1932
5 August
1939
7 years, 81 days United Australia Stevens I
1932
1935 Stevens II
Edward VIII
(1936)
Governor:
George VI
(1936–1952)
Governor:
1938 Stevens III
26   Alexander Mair
MLA for Albury

(1889–1969)
5 August
1939
16 May
1941
1 year, 284 days United Australia Mair
27   William McKell
MLA for Redfern

(1891–1985)
1941 16 May
1941
6 February
1947
5 years, 266 days Labor McKell I
1944 McKell II
28   Jim McGirr
MLA for Bankstown
(until 1950)
MLA for Liverpool
(from 1950)

(1890–1957)
6 February
1947
2 April
1952
5 years, 56 days Labor McGirr I
1947 McGirr II
1950 McGirr III
Elizabeth II
(1952–2022)
Governor:
29   Joseph Cahill
MLA for Cook's River

(1891–1959)
2 April
1952
22 October
1959
7 years, 203 days Labor Cahill I
1953 Cahill II
1956 Cahill III
1959 Cahill IV
30   Bob Heffron
MLA for Maroubra

(1890–1978)
23 October
1959
30 April
1964
4 years, 190 days Labor Heffron I
1962 Heffron II
31   Jack Renshaw
MLA for Castlereagh

(1909–1987)
30 April
1964
13 May
1965
1 year, 13 days Labor Renshaw
32   Sir Robert Askin
MLA for Collaroy
(until 1973)
MLA for Pittwater
(from 1973)

(1907–1981)
1965 13 May
1965
3 January
1975
9 years, 235 days Liberal Askin I
1968 Askin II
Askin III
1971 Askin IV
Askin V
1973 Askin VI
33   Tom Lewis
MLA for Wollondilly

(1922–2016)
3 January
1975
23 January
1976
1 year, 20 days Liberal Lewis I
Lewis II
34   Sir Eric Willis
MLA for Earlwood

(1922–1999)
23 January
1976
14 May
1976
112 days Liberal Willis
35   Neville Wran
MLA for Bass Hill

(1926–2014)
1976 14 May
1976
4 July
1986
10 years, 21 days Labor Wran I
1978 Wran II
Wran III
1981 Wran IV
Wran V
Wran VI
1984 Wran VII
Wran VIII
36   Barrie Unsworth
MLA for Rockdale

(born 1934)
4 July
1986
25 March
1988
1 year, 295 days Labor Unsworth
37   Nick Greiner
MP for Ku-ring-gai

(born 1947)
1988 25 March
1988
24 June
1992
4 years, 91 days Liberal Greiner I
1991 Greiner II
38 John Fahey
MP for Southern Highlands

(1945–2020)
24 June
1992
4 April
1995
2 years, 284 days Liberal Fahey I
Fahey II
Fahey III
39   Bob Carr
MP for Maroubra

(born 1947)
1995 4 April
1995
3 August
2005
10 years, 121 days Labor Carr I
Carr II
1999 Carr III
2003 Carr IV
40   Morris Iemma
MP for Lakemba

(born 1961)
3 August
2005
5 September
2008
3 years, 36 days Labor Iemma I
2007 Iemma II
41   Nathan Rees
MP for Toongabbie

(born 1968)
5 September
2008
4 December
2009
1 year, 90 days Labor Rees
42   Kristina Keneally
MP for Heffron

(born 1968)
4 December
2009
28 March
2011
1 year, 114 days Labor Keneally
43   Barry O'Farrell
MP for Ku-ring-gai

(born 1959)
2011 28 March
2011
17 April
2014
3 years, 20 days Liberal O'Farrell
44   Mike Baird
MP for Manly

(born 1968)
17 April
2014
23 January
2017
2 years, 281 days Liberal Baird I
2015 Baird II
45   Gladys Berejiklian
MP for Willoughby

(born 1970)
23 January
2017
5 October
2021
4 years, 255 days Liberal Berejiklian I
2019 Berejiklian II
46   Dominic Perrottet
MP for Epping

(born 1982)
5 October
2021
28 March
2023
1 year, 174 days Liberal Perrottet I
Perrottet II
Charles III
(2022–present)
Governor:
47   Chris Minns
MP for Kogarah

(born 1979)
2023 28 March
2023
Incumbent 1 year, 188 days Labor Minns

See also

References

  1. ^ "Parliamentary Salaries and Allowances | As From 1 July 2022 | Following Application Of Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal" (PDF). parliament.nsw.gov.au. 8 June 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  2. ^ Mennell, Philip (1892). "Parkes, Hon. Sir Henry" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.
  3. ^ "Speeches of Sir Henry Parkes, G.G.M.G., M.P., Prime Minister of New South Wales". Archived from the original on 6 December 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  4. ^ "Labor wins NSW election after big swing against Coalition government". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 March 2023. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.