President of the Victorian Legislative Council

The President of the Victorian Legislative Council, also known as the presiding officer of the council, is the presiding officer of the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house of the Parliament of Victoria and equivalent to the President of the Australian Senate. When there is a vacancy in the office of president, a new president is elected by the members of the council from among its number. The president ceases to hold that office if they cease to be a member of the council, and can be removed at any time by a vote of the members. The current president is Nazih Elasmar.[1]

President of the Legislative Council
Incumbent
Nazih Elasmar (Labor)
since 18 June 2020
StyleThe Honourable
AppointerElected by the Victorian Legislative Council
Inaugural holderSir James Frederick Palmer
Formation21 November 1856
Websitehttp://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/president

The role of the President

The president is always a member of the Victorian Legislative Council, and is the ceremonial head of that council. The president performs ceremonial duties, and represents the council to other organisations. In conjunction with the Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, the president is responsible for the administration of the Victorian Parliament. When the council is sitting, the president enforces procedures and assists the smooth running of council meetings. The president is assisted in their duties by a deputy president.[2]

Choosing the president

The president of the Legislative Council is an elected position. When a new president is required, any member of the Legislative Council may propose, during a council sitting, any other present member for the position of president. If more than one member is proposed and seconded, all members must agree to one particular candidate. After election, the president presents his or herself as the choice of the council to be their president.[2]

List of Presidents of the Legislative Council
Note: where no political party is listed, this means that either the party is unknown, or that the President in question was not affiliated with any particular party. Multiple parties are listed in cases where the President represented more than one party over his career as a Member of the Legislative Council.
President[3] Party (if applicable) Term in office
Sir James Frederick Palmer 21 November 1856 – September 1870
Sir William Mitchell 27 October 1870 – 24 November 1884
Sir James MacBain 27 November 1884 – 8 November 1892
Sir William Zeal 10 November 1892 – May 1901
Sir Henry John Wrixon 18 June 1901 – 28 June 1910
Sir John Mark Davies 6 July 1910 – June 1919
Sir Walter Manifold Nationalist Party of Australia 8 July 1919 – 28 August 1923
Sir Frank Clarke Nationalist, UAP, Liberal 29 August 1923 – June 1943
Sir Clifden Eager Nationalist, Liberal, Lib. & Country 29 June 1943 – June 1958
Sir Gordon McArthur Lib. & Country, Liberal 8 July 1958 – 10 August 1965
Sir Ronald Mack Liberal 14 September 1965 – 12 February 1968
Sir Raymond Garrett Liberal 20 February 1968 – June 1976
William Fry Liberal 29 June 1976 – July 1979
Fred Grimwade Liberal 18 July 1979 – 15 July 1985
Rod Mackenzie Labor 16 July 1985 – 24 October 1988
Alan Hunt Liberal 25 October 1988 – 26 October 1992
Bruce Chamberlain Liberal 27 October 1992 – 24 February 2003
Monica Gould Labor 25 February 2003 – 18 December 2006
Bob Smith Labor 19 December 2006 – 20 December 2010
Bruce Atkinson Liberal 21 December 2010 – 19 December 2018
Shaun Leane Labor 19 December 2018 – 18 June 2020
Nazih Elasmar Labor 18 June 2020

References
  1. "Legislative Council - The President". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  2. "Legislative Council - Role of the President". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  3. "Former Presidents of the Legislative Council". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
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