Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania)
| Leader of the Opposition | |
|---|---|
| Term length | While leader of the largest political party not in government |
| Inaugural holder | Thomas Gregson |
| Formation | November 1856 |
| Deputy | Michelle O'Byrne |
The Leader of the Opposition in Tasmania is the title of the leader of the largest minority party in the state lower house, the Tasmanian House of Assembly. He or she acts as the public face of the opposition, leads the opposition on the floor of parliament. They thus act as a chief critic of the government and ultimately attempt to portray the opposition as a feasible alternate government. They are also given certain additional rights under parliamentary standing orders, such as extended time limits for speeches. Should the opposition win an election, the Leader of the Opposition will usually be nominated to become the Premier of Tasmania.
The position of Leader of the Opposition was essentially informal throughout the nineteenth century, with formal recognition only being granted in the early twentieth century. As there was no party system until 1909, the loose ideological blocs in parliament tended to change regularly, and few people lasted in the position for more than one or two years at a time. The development of a party system gave the role greater significance, and it was subsequently given greater formal recognition, with an additional salary payment being accommodated for in 1927 and formal recognition in the parliamentary standing orders in 1937.
The current Leader of the Opposition is Rebecca White of the Labor Party. She has been in the role since 17 March 2017, having been elected unopposed after the resignation of Bryan Green.
List of Leaders of the Opposition in Tasmania
| Opposition Leader | Party | Period in office |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Gregson | – | November 1856 – February 1857 |
| William Champ | – | February 1857 – April 1857 |
| Thomas Gregson | – | April 1857 – July 1862 |
| Charles Meredith | – | July 1862 – January 1863 |
| Thomas Chapman | – | February 1863 – 1864 |
| Sir William Dobson | – | June 1864 – November 1866 |
| Charles Meredith | – | November 1866 – November 1872 |
| William Giblin | – | November 1872 – August 1873 |
| Frederick Innes | – | August 1873 – March 1875 |
| Thomas Reibey | – | August 1875 – July 1876 |
| William Giblin | – | July 1876 – June 1877 |
| Philip Fysh | – | July 1877 – August 1877 |
| Thomas Reibey | – | September 1877 – December 1878 |
| William Giblin | – | January 1879 – October 1879 |
| none | – | October 1879 – October 1882 |
| Alfred Dobson | – | October 1882 – July 1885 |
| Thomas Reibey | – | July 1885 – August 1886 |
| Sir Edward Braddon | – | August 1886 – March 1887 |
| Nicholas Brown | – | July 1887 – July 1889 |
| William Burgess | – | July 1889 – August 1891 |
| Henry Dobson | – | September 1891 – August 1892 |
| Stafford Bird | – | August 1892 – February 1894 |
| Sir Edward Braddon | – | February 1894 – April 1894 |
| Sir Elliott Lewis | – | May 1894 – November 1897 |
| Andrew Clark | – | November 1897 – May 1898 |
| Stafford Bird | – | June 1898 – October 1899 |
| Sir Edward Braddon | – | October 1899 – March 1901 |
| Sir Thomas Reibey | – | May 1901 – October 1901 |
| William Propsting | – | October 1901 – April 1903 |
| Robert Patterson | – | May 1903 – March 1904 |
| Sir John Evans | – | March 1904 – July 1904 |
| William Propsting | – | July 1904 – December 1905 |
| Herbert Nicholls | – | May 1906 – January 1909 |
| John Earle | Labor | June 1909 – October 1909 |
| Sir Neil Lewis | Anti-Socialist | October 1909 |
| John Earle | Labor | October 1909 – April 1914 |
| Albert Solomon | Liberal | April 1914 – October 1914 |
| Norman Ewing | Liberal | October 1914 – September 1915 |
| Sir Walter Lee | Liberal | September 1915 – April 1916 |
| John Earle | Labor | April 1916 – November 1916 |
| Joseph Lyons | Labor | November 1916 – October 1923 |
| Edward Hobbs (interim) | Country Party | October 1923 – November 1923 |
| James Newton | Nationalist | November 1923 – October 1924 |
| Edward Hobbs | Country Party | October 1924 – July 1925 |
| Sir John McPhee | Nationalist | July 1925 – June 1928 |
| Joseph Lyons | Labor | July 1928 – September 1929 |
| Benjamin Watkins (interim) | Labor | September 1929 – October 1929 |
| Albert Ogilvie | Labor | October 1929 – June 1934 |
| Sir Walter Lee | Nationalist | July 1934 – July 1936 |
| Henry Baker | Nationalist | July 1936 – February 1945 |
| Neil Campbell | Nationalist/Liberal | February 1945 – February 1950 |
| Reginald Townley | Liberal | 6 February 1950 – 26 June 1956 |
| Tim Jackson | Liberal | 26 June 1956 – March 1960 |
| Sir Angus Bethune | Liberal | 19 March 1960 – 27 May 1969 |
| Eric Reece | Labor | 27 May 1969 – 4 May 1972 |
| Max Bingham | Liberal | 4 May 1972 – 7 August 1979 |
| Geoff Pearsall | Liberal | 7 August 1979 – 11 November 1981 |
| Robin Gray | Liberal | 11 November 1981 – 27 May 1982 |
| Ken Wriedt | Labor | 27 May 1982 – 19 February 1986 |
| Neil Batt | Labor | 19 February 1986 – 14 December 1988 |
| Michael Field | Labor | 14 December 1988 – 29 June 1989 |
| Robin Gray | Liberal | 29 June 1989 – 17 December 1991 |
| Ray Groom | Liberal | 17 December 1991 – 17 February 1992 |
| Michael Field | Labor | 17 February 1992 – 14 April 1997 |
| Jim Bacon | Labor | 14 April 1997 – 14 September 1998 |
| Tony Rundle | Liberal | 14 September 1998 – 2 July 1999 |
| Sue Napier | Liberal | 2 July 1999 – 20 August 2001 |
| Bob Cheek | Liberal | 20 August 2001 – 6 August 2002 |
| Rene Hidding | Liberal | 6 August 2002 – 30 March 2006 |
| Will Hodgman | Liberal | 30 March 2006 – 31 March 2014 |
| Bryan Green | Labor | 31 March 2014 – 17 March 2017 |
| Rebecca White | Labor | 17 March 2017 – present |
