Premier of Western Australia

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Premier of Western Australia
Incumbent
Roger Cook
since 8 June 2023
Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Style
StatusHead of Government
Member of
Reports toParliament
SeatDumas House, Perth
AppointerGovernor of Western Australia
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)
Formation29 December 1890
First holderJohn Forrest
DeputyDeputy Premier of Western Australia
SalaryA$355,681[1][2]
Websitewww.premier.wa.gov.au

The premier of Western Australia is the head of government of the state of Western Australia.[3] The role of premier at a state level is similar to the role of the prime minister of Australia at a federal level. The premier leads the executive branch of the Government of Western Australia and is accountable to the Parliament of Western Australia. The premier is appointed by the governor of Western Australia. By convention, the governor appoints as premier whoever has the support of the majority of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, the lower house of the Parliament of Western Australia. In practice, this means that the premier is the leader of the political party or group of parties with a majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly. Since Western Australia achieved self-governance in 1890, there have been 31 premiers. Roger Cook is the current premier, having been appointed to the position on 8 June 2023.

History

The position of premier is not mentioned in the constitution of Western Australia. From 1890 to 1917, the premier was not an official position, rather, it was the title unofficially given, but widely used to refer, to the head of the government.[3][4] When Western Australia became a self-governing colony in 1890, Governor William Robinson initially indicated he would use the title prime minister to refer to the head of the government. However, after he appointed John Forrest, the title premier was used for consistency with the other Australian colonies.[3][5] The position was first officially mentioned when the governor appointed Henry Lefroy as premier on 28 June 1917. However, when the governor designated and declared the six executive offices of the government on 2 July 1917, the position of premier was not listed, creating an ambiguity.[3][4][6] It was not until 3 April 1947 that the premier became one of the executive offices of the government.[3][4][7]

The most common cause for a change of premier is an election. Since the 1990s, elections have occurred roughly every four years. Before then, elections were at most three years apart, except for during World War II. A less common cause for a change of premier is the ruling party changing its leader. This can occur as a result of a resignation, death or leadership spill. In this case, the new premier is whoever the party elects as its new leader. Another cause for a change of premier is a loss of majority support in the Legislative Assembly. This commonly occurred in the first three decades of self-governance, but has not occurred since 1916. If this occurs, the premier must either resign or be dismissed by the governor.[8]

Powers and function

The powers of the premier are set out by convention and by legislation. By convention, the premier advises the Monarch of Australia as to who to appoint as governor. The premier advises the governor as to who to appoint to cabinet and which portfolios should be given to each cabinet minister. The premier sets out the responsibilities of ministers and the acts that they would administer. The premier leads the cabinet and chairs cabinet meetings. They communicate with the governor, the cabinet, the state government, other state and territory governments, the federal government, and overseas governments. The premier advises the governor on when state elections should be held. They oversee the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. While premier, they stay as a member of parliament and they retain their responsibility for representing their electoral district.[3]

Characteristics

As of 2023, there have been 31 premiers of Western Australia.[9] Carmen Lawrence, who was appointed on 12 February 1990, is the first and only woman to be premier of Western Australia. She is also the first woman to be premier of an Australian state.[3][10] By convention, the premier is a member of the Legislative Assembly. However, the premier can be a member of either house of parliament. Hal Colebatch is the only premier to be a member of the Legislative Council (upper house). He served for 30 days in 1919, making him the shortest serving premier of Western Australia.[3][11] David Brand is the longest serving premier, serving for 11 years and 335 days between 1959 and 1971.[3][12] The youngest premier is John Scaddan, who was 35 years, 2 months and 3 days old when he was sworn in in 1911.[3][13] The oldest premier is John Tonkin, who was 69 years, 1 month and 1 day old when he was sworn in in 1971.[3][14] Newton Moore became premier after two years in parliament, the least time aside from Forrest. Tonkin became premier after almost 38 years in parliament, the most time in parliament before becoming premier.[15] The only father and son pair to have both been premier is Charles Court and his son Richard Court. George Leake, who died of pneumonia on 24 June 1902, is the only premier to have died in office.[3][15] Moore, Philip Collier, John Willcock and Geoff Gallop are the only premiers to have resigned due to ill health.[11][16]

Forrest, Colebatch and Lawrence are the only premiers to have served in the Parliament of Australia as well.[17] Forrest and Lawrence are the only premiers to have been ministers in the Government of Australia as well. Moore is the only premier to have served in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.[18] The only premier to subsequently serve as governor is James Mitchell.[3] George Leake, Frank Wilson, Phillip Collier and Mitchell are the only people to have been premier more than once.[12] There are currently eight living former premiers.[19] The most recent premier to die is Ray O'Connor, who was premier from 1982 to 1983 and died in 2013.[20][21]

Two former premiers have been sentenced to jail. In 1994, Brian Burke was sentenced to two years in jail for defrauding the state by $17,000 by making false claims on the parliamentary imprest account.[22] He was released on parole after serving seven months.[23] In 1995, O'Connor served six months in jail for stealing a $25,000 cheque from the Bond Corporation during his time as premier.[21][24] In 1997, Burke was sentenced to three years jail for stealing $122,585 in Labor Party campaign donations. He served six months before this conviction was quashed upon appeal.[23][25]

List of premiers of Western Australia

No. Portrait Name
Electoral district
(Birth–Death)
Term of office[12] Election Party[26] Ministry Monarch
Term start Term end Time in office
1 Sir John Forrest
MLA for Bunbury
(1890–1901)
[12][27]
29 December
1890
14 February
1901
10 years, 47 days 1890 None Forrest Victoria
(1837–1901)
Governor:
1894
1897
Edward VII
(1901–1910)
Governor:
2 George Throssell
MLA for Northam
(1840–1910)
[12][28]
14 February
1901
27 May
1901
102 days None Throssell
1901
3 George Leake
MLA for West Perth
(1856–1902)
[12][29]
27 May
1901
21 November
1901
178 days None Leake I
4 Alf Morgans
MLA for Coolgardie
(1850–1933)
[12][30]
21 November
1901
23 December
1901
32 days None Morgans
(3) George Leake
MLA for West Perth
(1856–1902)
[12]
23 December
1901
24 June
1902
183 days None Leake II
5 Walter James
MLA for East Perth
(1863–1943)
[12][31]
1 July
1902
10 August
1904
2 years, 40 days None James
1904
6 Henry Daglish
MLA for Subiaco
(1866–1920)
[12][32]
10 August
1904
25 August
1905
1 year, 15 days Labor Daglish
7 Hector Rason
MLA for Guildford
(1858–1927)
[12][33]
25 August
1905
7 May
1906
255 days None Rason
1905
8 Sir Newton Moore
MLA for Bunbury
(1870–1936)
[12][34]
7 May
1906
16 September
1910
4 years, 132 days None Moore
1908
George V
(1910–1936)
Governor:
9 Frank Wilson
MLA for Sussex
(1859–1918)
[12][35]
16 September
1910
7 October
1911
1 year, 21 days None Wilson I
10 John Scaddan
MLA for Brown Hill-Ivanhoe
(1876–1934)
[12][36]
7 October
1911
27 July
1916
4 years, 294 days 1911 Labor Scaddan
1914
(9) Frank Wilson
MLA for Sussex
(1859–1918)
[12][35]
27 July
1916
28 June
1917
336 days Liberal Wilson II
11 Sir Henry Lefroy
MLA for Moore
(1854–1930)
[12][37]
28 June
1917
17 April
1919
1 year, 293 days Nationalist Lefroy
1917
12 Hal Colebatch
MLC for East Province
(1872–1953)
[12][38]
17 April
1919
17 May
1919
30 days Nationalist Colebatch
13 James Mitchell
MLA for Northam
(1866–1951)
[12][39]
17 May
1919
17 April
1924
4 years, 336 days Nationalist Mitchell I
1921
14 Philip Collier
MLA for Boulder
(1873–1948)
[12][40]
17 April
1924
24 April
1930
6 years, 7 days 1924 Labor Collier I
1927
(13) James Mitchell
MLA for Northam
(1866–1951)
[12][39]
24 April
1930
26 April
1933
3 years, 2 days 1930 Nationalist Mitchell II
(14) Philip Collier
MLA for Boulder
(1873–1948)
[12][40]
26 April
1933
19 August
1936
3 years, 115 days 1933 Labor Collier II
Edward VIII
(1936)
1936
15 John Willcock
MLA for Geraldton
(1879–1947)
[12][41]
19 August
1936
31 July
1945
8 years, 346 days Labor Willcock
George VI
(1936–1952)
Governor:
1939
1943
16 Frank Wise
MLA for Gascoyne
(1897–1986)
[12]
31 July
1945
1 April
1947
1 year, 244 days Labor Wise
17 Sir Ross McLarty
MLA for Murray-Wellington
(1891–1962)
[12][42]
1 April
1947
23 February
1953
5 years, 328 days 1947 Liberal McLarty–Watts
1950
Elizabeth II
(1952–2022)
Governor:
18 Bert Hawke
MLA for Northam
(1900–1986)
[12][43]
23 February
1953
2 April
1959
6 years, 38 days 1953 Labor Hawke
1956
19 Sir David Brand
MLA for Greenough
(1912–1979)
[12][44]
2 April
1959
3 March
1971
11 years, 335 days 1959 Liberal Brand–Watts
Brand–Nalder
1962
1965
1968
20 John Tonkin
MLA for Melville
(1902–1995)
[12]
3 March
1971
8 April
1974
3 years, 36 days 1971 Labor Tonkin
21 Charles Court
MLA for Nedlands
(1911–2007)
[12]
8 April
1974
25 January
1982
7 years, 292 days 1974 Liberal Court–McPharlin
Court
1977
1980
22 Ray O'Connor
MLA for Mount Lawley
(1926–2013)
[12]
25 January
1982
25 February
1983
1 year, 31 days Liberal O'Connor
23 Brian Burke
MLA for Balga
(born 1947)
[12]
25 February
1983
25 February
1988
5 years, 0 days 1983 Labor Burke
1986
24 Peter Dowding
MLA for Maylands
(born 1943)
[12]
25 February
1988
12 February
1990
1 year, 352 days Labor Dowding
1989
25 Carmen Lawrence
MLA for Glendalough
(born 1948)
[12]
12 February
1990
16 February
1993
3 years, 4 days Labor Lawrence
26 Richard Court
MLA for Nedlands
(born 1947)
[12]
16 February
1993
16 February
2001
8 years, 0 days 1993 Liberal Court–Cowan
1996
27 Geoff Gallop
MLA for Victoria Park
(born 1951)
[12]
16 February
2001
25 January
2006
4 years, 343 days 2001 Labor Gallop
2005
28 Alan Carpenter
MLA for Willagee
(born 1951)
[12]
25 January
2006
23 September
2008
2 years, 242 days Labor Carpenter
29 Colin Barnett
MLA for Cottesloe
(born 1950)
[12]
23 September
2008
17 March
2017
8 years, 175 days 2008 Liberal Barnett
2013
30 Mark McGowan
MLA for Rockingham
(born 1967)
[45]
17 March
2017
8 June
2023
6 years, 83 days 2017 Labor McGowan I
2021 McGowan II
Charles III
(since 2022)
Governor:
31 Roger Cook
MLA for Kwinana
(born 1965)
[46]
8 June
2023
Incumbent 294 days Labor Cook

Graphical timeline

Roger Cook (politician)Mark McGowanColin BarnettAlan CarpenterGeoff GallopRichard CourtCarmen LawrencePeter DowdingBrian Burke (Australian politician)Ray O'ConnorCharles CourtJohn TonkinDavid BrandBert HawkeRoss McLartyFrank WiseJohn WillcockPhilip CollierJames Mitchell (Australian politician)Hal ColebatchHenry LefroyJohn ScaddanFrank Wilson (politician)Newton MooreHector RasonHenry DaglishWalter James (Australian politician)Alf MorgansGeorge LeakeGeorge ThrossellJohn Forrest

References

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  44. ^ Black, David. "Brand, Sir David (1912–1979)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
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Bibliography