# Leader of the Opposition (Queensland)

The leader of the opposition in Queensland is the title of the leader of the largest minority political party or coalition of parties, known as the Opposition, in the Parliament of Queensland. Prior to 1898, opposition to the government of the day was less organised. Thus the Queensland Parliamentary Record does not designate leaders of the opposition before then. The leader is responsible for managing the Opposition and has a role in administering the Legislative Assembly through the Committee of the Legislative Assembly.

## List of leaders of the opposition

| No. | Name | Affiliation | Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Elections | Premier |
| 1 | Thomas Glassey | Labor | Bundaberg | 30 August 1898 | 12 May 1899 | – | Byrnes 1898 |
| 1 | Thomas Glassey | Labor | Bundaberg | 30 August 1898 | 12 May 1899 | 1899 | Dickson 1898–1899 |
| 2 | Anderson Dawson | Labor | Charters Towers | 12 May 1899 | 1 December 1899 | – | Dickson 1898–1899 |
| 3 | Robert Philp | Ministerial | Townsville | 1 December 1899 | 7 December 1899 | – | Dawson 1899 |
| (2) | Anderson Dawson | Labor | Charters Towers | 7 December 1899 | 16 July 1900 | – | Philp 1899–1903 |
| 4 | W. H. Browne | Labor | Croydon | 16 July 1900 | 17 September 1903 | 1902 | Philp 1899–1903 |
| (3) | Robert Philp | Conservative | Townsville | 17 September 1903 | 28 June 1904 | – | Morgan 1903–1906 |
| 5 | Arthur Rutledge | Conservative | Maranoa | 28 June 1904 | 27 August 1904 | 1904 | Morgan 1903–1906 |
| (3) | Robert Philp | Conservative | Townsville | 19 September 1904 | 19 November 1907 | – | Morgan 1903–1906 |
| (3) | Robert Philp | Conservative | Townsville | 19 September 1904 | 19 November 1907 | – | Kidston 1906–1907 |
| (3) | Robert Philp | Conservative | Townsville | 19 September 1904 | 19 November 1907 | 1907 | Kidston 1906–1907 |
| 6 | William Kidston | Kidstonites | Rockhampton | 19 November 1907 | 15 February 1908 | 1908 | Philp 1907–1908 |
| (3) | Robert Philp | Conservative | Townsville | 15 February 1908 | 29 October 1908 | – | Kidston 1908–1911 |
| 7 | David Bowman | Labor | Fortitude Valley | 16 November 1908 | 6 September 1912 | 1909 | Kidston 1908–1911 |
| 7 | David Bowman | Labor | Fortitude Valley | 16 November 1908 | 6 September 1912 | 1912 | Denham 1911–1915 |
| 8 | T. J. Ryan | Labor | Barcoo | 6 September 1912 | 22 May 1915 | 1915 | Denham 1911–1915 |
| 9 | Edward Macartney | Liberal | Toowong | 24 June 1915 | 8 September 1915 | – | Ryan 1915–1919 |
| 10 | James Tolmie | Liberal | Toowoomba | 8 September 1915 | 15 February 1918 | – | Ryan 1915–1919 |
| 10 | James Tolmie | National | Toowoomba | 8 September 1915 | 15 February 1918 | – | Ryan 1915–1919 |
| (9) | Edward Macartney | National | Toowong | 15 February 1918 | 28 January 1920 | 1918 | Ryan 1915–1919 |
| (9) | Edward Macartney | National | Toowong | 15 February 1918 | 28 January 1920 | – | Theodore 1919–1925 |
| 11 | William Vowles | National | Dalby | 28 January 1920 | 11 July 1923 | – | Theodore 1919–1925 |
| 11 | William Vowles | Country | Dalby | 28 January 1920 | 11 July 1923 | 1920 1923 | Theodore 1919–1925 |
| 12 | Charles Taylor | United | Windsor | 11 July 1923 | 19 April 1924 | – | Theodore 1919–1925 |
| 13 | Arthur Edward Moore | Country | Aubigny | 19 April 1924 | 11 May 1929 | – | Theodore 1919–1925 |
| 13 | Arthur Edward Moore | Country | Aubigny | 19 April 1924 | 11 May 1929 | – | Gillies 1925 |
| 13 | Arthur Edward Moore | CPNP | Aubigny | 19 April 1924 | 11 May 1929 | 1926 | McCormack 1925–1929 |
| 14 | William Forgan Smith | Labor | Mackay | 27 May 1929 | 11 June 1932 | 1932 | Moore 1929–1932 |
| (13) | Arthur Edward Moore | CPNP | Aubigny | 15 August 1932 | 15 July 1936 | 1935 | Forgan Smith 1932–1942 |
| (13) | Arthur Edward Moore | Country | Aubigny | 15 August 1932 | 15 July 1936 | – | Forgan Smith 1932–1942 |
| 15 | Ted Maher | Country | West Moreton | 15 July 1936 | 21 May 1941 | 1938 1941 | Forgan Smith 1932–1942 |
| 16 | Frank Nicklin | Country | Murrumba Landsborough | 21 May 1941 | 15 August 1957 | – | Forgan Smith 1932–1942 |
| 16 | Frank Nicklin | Country | Murrumba Landsborough | 21 May 1941 | 15 August 1957 | 1944 | Cooper 1942–1946 |
| 16 | Frank Nicklin | Country | Murrumba Landsborough | 21 May 1941 | 15 August 1957 | 1947 1950 | Hanlon 1946–1952 |
| 16 | Frank Nicklin | Country | Murrumba Landsborough | 21 May 1941 | 15 August 1957 | 1953 1956 | Gair 1952–1957 |
| 16 | Frank Nicklin | Country | Murrumba Landsborough | 21 May 1941 | 15 August 1957 | 1957 | Gair 1952–1957 |
| 17 | Les Wood | Labor | North Toowoomba | 15 August 1957 | 14 April 1958 | – | Nicklin 1957–1968 |
| 18 | Jim Donald | Labor | Bremer | 14 April 1958 | 18 August 1958 | – | Nicklin 1957–1968 |
| 19 | Jack Duggan | Labor | North Toowoomba Toowoomba West | 18 August 1958 | 12 October 1966 | 1960 1963 1966 | Nicklin 1957–1968 |
| 20 | Jack Houston | Labor | Bulimba | 12 October 1966 | 1 July 1974 | – | Nicklin 1957–1968 |
| 20 | Jack Houston | Labor | Bulimba | 12 October 1966 | 1 July 1974 | – | Pizzey 1968 |
| 20 | Jack Houston | Labor | Bulimba | 12 October 1966 | 1 July 1974 | – | Chalk 1968 |
| 20 | Jack Houston | Labor | Bulimba | 12 October 1966 | 1 July 1974 | 1969 1972 | Bjelke-Petersen 1968–1987 |
| 21 | Perc Tucker | Labor | Townsville West | 1 July 1974 | 19 December 1974 | 1974 | Bjelke-Petersen 1968–1987 |
| 22 | Tom Burns | Labor | Lytton | 19 December 1974 | 28 November 1978 | 1977 | Bjelke-Petersen 1968–1987 |
| 23 | Ed Casey | Labor | Mackay | 28 November 1978 | 20 October 1982 | 1980 | Bjelke-Petersen 1968–1987 |
| 24 | Keith Wright | Labor | Rockhampton | 20 October 1982 | 29 August 1984 | 1983 | Bjelke-Petersen 1968–1987 |
| 25 | Nev Warburton | Labor | Sandgate | 29 August 1984 | 2 March 1988 | 1986 | Bjelke-Petersen 1968–1987 |
| 25 | Nev Warburton | Labor | Sandgate | 29 August 1984 | 2 March 1988 | – | Ahern 1987–1989 |
| 26 | Wayne Goss | Labor | Logan | 2 March 1988 | 2 December 1989 | – | Ahern 1987–1989 |
| 26 | Wayne Goss | Labor | Logan | 2 March 1988 | 2 December 1989 | 1989 | Cooper 1989 |
| 27 | Russell Cooper | National | Roma | 2 December 1989 | 9 December 1991 | – | Goss 1989–1996 |
| 28 | Rob Borbidge | National | Surfers Paradise | 10 December 1991 | 19 February 1996 | 1992 1995 | Goss 1989–1996 |
| 29 | Peter Beattie | Labor | Brisbane Central | 19 February 1996 | 29 June 1998 | 1998 | Borbidge 1996–1998 |
| (28) | Rob Borbidge | National | Surfers Paradise | 29 June 1998 | 2 March 2001 | 2001 | Beattie 1998–2007 |
| 30 | Mike Horan | National | Toowoomba South | 2 March 2001 | 4 February 2003 | – | Beattie 1998–2007 |
| 31 | Lawrence Springborg | National | Southern Downs | 4 February 2003 | 18 September 2006 | 2004 2006 | Beattie 1998–2007 |
| 32 | Jeff Seeney | National | Callide | 18 September 2006 | 29 January 2008 | – | Beattie 1998–2007 |
| 32 | Jeff Seeney | National | Callide | 18 September 2006 | 29 January 2008 | – | Bligh 2007–2012 |
| (31) | Lawrence Springborg | National | Southern Downs | 29 January 2008 | 2 April 2009 | 2009 | Bligh 2007–2012 |
| (31) | Lawrence Springborg | Liberal National | Southern Downs | 29 January 2008 | 2 April 2009 | | Bligh 2007–2012 |
| 33 | John-Paul Langbroek | Liberal National | Surfers Paradise | 2 April 2009 | 22 March 2011 | – | Bligh 2007–2012 |
| (32) | Jeff Seeney$^1$ | Liberal National | Callide | 22 March 2011 | 28 March 2012 | 2012 | Bligh 2007–2012 |
| 34 | Annastacia Palaszczuk | Labor | Inala | 28 March 2012 | 14 February 2015 | 2015 | Newman 2012–2015 |
| (31) | Lawrence Springborg | Liberal National | Southern Downs | 14 February 2015 | 6 May 2016 | – | Palaszczuk 2015–2023 |
| 35 | Tim Nicholls | Liberal National | Clayfield | 6 May 2016 | 12 December 2017 | 2017 | Palaszczuk 2015–2023 |
| 36 | Deb Frecklington | Liberal National | Nanango | 12 December 2017 | 12 November 2020 | 2020 | Palaszczuk 2015–2023 |
| 37 | David Crisafulli | Liberal National | Broadwater | 12 November 2020 | 28 October 2024 | – | Palaszczuk 2015–2023 |
| 37 | David Crisafulli | Liberal National | Broadwater | 12 November 2020 | 28 October 2024 | 2024 | Miles 2023–2024 |
| 38 | Steven Miles | Labor | Murrumba | 28 October 2024 | incumbent | – | Crisafulli 2024–present |

### Notes

$^1$ On 2 April 2011, Campbell Newman was elected to lead the LNP into the 2012 Queensland state election, but was not recognised as the leader of the opposition as he was not a Member of Parliament during the 53rd Parliament.