Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania)

The role of Leader of the Opposition in Tasmania is a title held by 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, leading the government 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 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 in 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 Will Hodgman of the Liberal Party of Australia. He has been in the role since 30 March 2006, having been elected unopposed after the resignation of Rene Hidding. Hidding had stepped down as leader after the party's loss in the 2006 state election.

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 1984
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	Australian Labor Party	June 1909 – October 1909
Sir Neil Lewis	Anti-Socialist Party	October 1909
John Earle	Australian Labor Party	October 1909 – April 1914
Albert Solomon	Liberal Party	April 1914 – October 1914
Norman Ewing	Liberal Party	October 1914 – September 1915
Sir Walter Lee	Liberal Party	September 1915 – April 1916
John Earle	Australian Labor Party	April 1916 – November 1916
Joseph Lyons	Australian Labor Party	November 1916 – October 1923
Edward Hobbs (acting)	Country Party	October 1923 – November 1923
James Newton	Nationalist Party of Australia	November 1923 – October 1924
Edward Hobbs	Country Party	October 1924 – July 1925
Sir John McPhee	Nationalist Party of Australia	July 1925 – June 1928
Joseph Lyons	Australian Labor Party	July 1928 – September 1929
Ben Watkins (acting)	Australian Labor Party	September 1929 – October 1929
Albert Ogilvie	Australian Labor Party	October 1929 – June 1934
Sir Walter Lee	Nationalist Party of Australia	July 1934 – July 1936
Sir Henry Baker	Nationalist Party of Australia	July 1936 – February 1945
Neil Campbell	Nationalist/Liberal Party of Australia	February 1945 – February 1950
Reginald Townley	Liberal Party of Australia	6 February 1950 – 26 June 1956
William Jackson	Liberal Party of Australia	26 June 1956 – March 1960
Sir Angus Bethune	Liberal Party of Australia	19 March 1960 – 27 May 1969
Eric Reece	Australian Labor Party	27 May 1969 – 4 May 1972
Max Bingham	Liberal Party of Australia	4 May 1972 – 7 August 1979
Geoff Pearsall	Liberal Party of Australia	7 August 1979 – 11 November 1981
Robin Gray	Liberal Party of Australia	11 November 1981 – 27 May 1982
Ken Wriedt	Australian Labor Party	27 May 1982 – 19 February 1986
Neil Batt	Australian Labor Party	19 February 1986 – 14 December 1988
Michael Field	Australian Labor Party	14 December 1988 – 29 June 1989
Robin Gray	Liberal Party of Australia	29 June 1989 – 17 December 1991
Ray Groom	Liberal Party of Australia	17 December 1991 – 17 February 1992
Michael Field	Australian Labor Party	17 February 1992 – 14 April 1997
Jim Bacon	Australian Labor Party	14 April 1997 – 14 September 1998
Tony Rundle	Liberal Party of Australia	14 September 1998 – 2 July 1999
Sue Napier	Liberal Party of Australia	2 July 1999 – 20 August 2001
Bob Cheek	Liberal Party of Australia	20 August 2001 – 6 August 2002
Rene Hidding	Liberal Party of Australia	6 August 2002 – 30 March 2006
Will Hodgman	Liberal Party of Australia	30 March 2006 – present

External links

• Leaders of the Opposition (Parliament of Tasmania)