# Leader of the Opposition (Victoria)

The leader of the opposition in Victoria is the leader of the largest political party in parliament that is not in government. They are always a member of the Legislative Assembly.
Prior to 1904, opposition to the government of the day was less organised. Thus, the Victorian Parliamentary Record does not designate leaders of the opposition before then. The leader acts as the public face of the opposition, leading the opposition on the floor of parliament. They act as a chief critic of the government and ultimately attempt to portray the party in opposition as a feasible alternate government.
The office is currently held by Brad Battin after his election to the position of leader of the Liberal Party on 27 December 2024.

## List of leaders of the opposition in Victoria

| No. | Name | Party | Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Tenure | Elections | Premier |
| 1 | George Prendergast | Labor | North Melbourne | 7 June 1904 | 17 September 1913 | 9 years, 102 days | 1904 | Bent 1904–1909 |
| 1 | George Prendergast | Labor | North Melbourne | 7 June 1904 | 17 September 1913 | 9 years, 102 days | 1907 | Bent 1904–1909 |
| 1 | George Prendergast | Labor | North Melbourne | 7 June 1904 | 17 September 1913 | 9 years, 102 days | 1908 | Bent 1904–1909 |
| 1 | George Prendergast | Labor | North Melbourne | 7 June 1904 | 17 September 1913 | 9 years, 102 days | 1911 | Murray 1909–1912 |
| 1 | George Prendergast | Labor | North Melbourne | 7 June 1904 | 17 September 1913 | 9 years, 102 days | – | Watt 1912–1913 |
| 2 | George Elmslie | Labor | Albert Park | 17 September 1913 | 9 December 1913 | 83 days | – | Watt 1912–1913 |
| 3 | William Watt | Commonwealth Liberal | Essendon | 9 December 1913 | 22 December 1913 | 13 days | – | Elmslie 1913 |
| (2) | George Elmslie | Labor | Albert Park | 22 December 1913 | 11 May 1918 | 4 years, 140 days | – | Watt 1913–1914 |
| (2) | George Elmslie | Labor | Albert Park | 22 December 1913 | 11 May 1918 | 4 years, 140 days | 1914 | Peacock 1914–1917 |
| (2) | George Elmslie | Labor | Albert Park | 22 December 1913 | 11 May 1918 | 4 years, 140 days | 1917 | Bowser 1917–1918 |
| (2) | George Elmslie | Labor | Albert Park | 22 December 1913 | 11 May 1918 | 4 years, 140 days | – | Lawson 1918–1924 |
| (1) | George Prendergast | Labor | North Melbourne | 18 June 1918 | 18 July 1924 | 6 years, 30 days | 1920 | Lawson 1918–1924 |
| (1) | George Prendergast | Labor | North Melbourne | 18 June 1918 | 18 July 1924 | 6 years, 30 days | 1921 | Lawson 1918–1924 |
| (1) | George Prendergast | Labor | North Melbourne | 18 June 1918 | 18 July 1924 | 6 years, 30 days | 1924 | Peacock 1924 |
| 4 | Alexander Peacock | Nationalist | Allandale | 18 July 1924 | 18 November 1924 | 123 days | – | Prendergast 1924 |
| (1) | George Prendergast | Labor | North Melbourne | 18 November 1924 | 14 April 1926 | 1 year, 147 days | – | Allan 1924–1927 |
| 5 | Edmond Hogan | Labor | Warrenheip | 14 April 1926 | 20 May 1927 | 1 year, 36 days | 1927 | Allan 1924–1927 |
| 6 | William McPherson | Nationalist | Hawthorn | 20 May 1927 | 22 November 1928 | 1 year, 186 days | – | Hogan 1927–1928 |
| (5) | Edmond Hogan | Labor | Warrenheip and Grenville | 22 November 1928 | 12 December 1929 | 1 year, 20 days | 1929 | McPherson 1928–1929 |
| (6) | William McPherson | Nationalist | Hawthorn | 12 December 1929 | 3 September 1930 | 265 days | – | Hogan 1929–1932 |
| 7 | Stanley Argyle | Nationalist | Toorak | 3 September 1930 | 19 May 1932 | 1 year, 259 days | – | Hogan 1929–1932 |
| 7 | Stanley Argyle | United Australia | Toorak | 3 September 1930 | 19 May 1932 | 1 year, 259 days | 1932 | Hogan 1929–1932 |
| 8 | Tom Tunnecliffe | Labor | Collingwood | 13 July 1932 | 2 April 1935 | 2 years, 263 days | 1935 | Argyle 1932–1935 |
| (7) | Stanley Argyle | United Australia | Toorak | 2 April 1935 | 23 November 1940 | 5 years, 235 days | 1937 | Dunstan 1935–1943 |
| (7) | Stanley Argyle | United Australia | Toorak | 2 April 1935 | 23 November 1940 | 5 years, 235 days | 1940 | Dunstan 1935–1943 |
| 9 | Thomas Hollway | United Australia | Ballarat | 23 November 1940 | 14 September 1943 | 2 years, 295 days | 1943 | Dunstan 1935–1943 |
| 10 | Albert Dunstan | United Country | Korong and Eaglehawk | 14 September 1943 | 18 September 1943 | 4 days | – | Cain 1943 |
| 11 | John Cain | Labor | Northcote | 18 September 1943 | 21 November 1945 | 2 years, 64 days | – | Dunstan 1943–1945 |
| 11 | John Cain | Labor | Northcote | 18 September 1943 | 21 November 1945 | 2 years, 64 days | 1945 | Macfarlan 1945 |
| 12 | John McDonald | United Country | Shepparton | 21 November 1945 | 20 November 1947 | 1 year, 364 days | 1947 | Cain 1945–1947 |
| (11) | John Cain | Labor | Northcote | 20 November 1947 | 7 December 1948 | 1 year, 17 days | – | Hollway 1947–1950 |
| (12) | John McDonald | Country | Shepparton | 7 December 1948 | 27 June 1950 | 1 year, 202 days | 1950 | Hollway 1947–1950 |
| (9) | Thomas Hollway | Liberal and Country | Ballarat | 27 June 1950 | 5 December 1951 | 1 year, 161 days | – | McDonald 1950–1952 |
| 13 | Les Norman | Liberal and Country | Glen Iris | 5 December 1951 | 23 July 1952 | 231 days | – | McDonald 1950–1952 |
| (11) | John Cain | Labor | Northcote | 23 July 1952 | 17 December 1952 | 147 days | – | McDonald 1950–1952 |
| (11) | John Cain | Labor | Northcote | 23 July 1952 | 17 December 1952 | 147 days | – | Hollway 1952 |
| (11) | John Cain | Labor | Northcote | 23 July 1952 | 17 December 1952 | 147 days | 1952 | McDonald 1952 |
| 14 | Trevor Oldham | Liberal and Country | Malvern | 17 December 1952 | 2 May 1953 | 136 days | – | Cain 1952–1955 |
| 15 | Henry Bolte | Liberal and Country | Hampden | 3 June 1953 | 7 June 1955 | 2 years, 4 days | 1955 | Cain 1952–1955 |
| (11) | John Cain | Labor | Northcote | 8 June 1955 | 4 August 1957 | 2 years, 57 days | – | Bolte 1955–1972 |
| 16 | Ernie Shepherd | Labor | Ascot Vale Footscray | 20 August 1957 | 12 September 1958 | 1 year, 23 days | 1958 | Bolte 1955–1972 |
| 17 | Clive Stoneham | Labor | Midlands | 7 October 1958 | 15 May 1967 | 8 years, 220 days | 1961 | Bolte 1955–1972 |
| 17 | Clive Stoneham | Labor | Midlands | 7 October 1958 | 15 May 1967 | 8 years, 220 days | 1964 | Bolte 1955–1972 |
| 17 | Clive Stoneham | Labor | Midlands | 7 October 1958 | 15 May 1967 | 8 years, 220 days | 1967 | Bolte 1955–1972 |
| 18 | Clyde Holding | Labor | Richmond | 15 May 1967 | 29 June 1977 | 10 years, 45 days | 1970 | Bolte 1955–1972 |
| 18 | Clyde Holding | Labor | Richmond | 15 May 1967 | 29 June 1977 | 10 years, 45 days | 1973 | Hamer 1972–1981 |
| 18 | Clyde Holding | Labor | Richmond | 15 May 1967 | 29 June 1977 | 10 years, 45 days | 1976 | Hamer 1972–1981 |
| 19 | Frank Wilkes | Labor | Northcote | 29 June 1977 | 9 September 1981 | 4 years, 72 days | 1979 | Hamer 1972–1981 |
| 19 | Frank Wilkes | Labor | Northcote | 29 June 1977 | 9 September 1981 | 4 years, 72 days | – | Thompson 1981–1982 |
| 20 | John Cain | Labor | Bundoora | 9 September 1981 | 8 April 1982 | 211 days | 1982 | Thompson 1981–1982 |
| 21 | Lindsay Thompson | Liberal | Malvern | 8 April 1982 | 5 November 1982 | 211 days | – | Cain 1982–1990 |
| 22 | Jeff Kennett | Liberal | Burwood | 5 November 1982 | 23 May 1989 | 6 years, 199 days | 1985 | Cain 1982–1990 |
| 22 | Jeff Kennett | Liberal | Burwood | 5 November 1982 | 23 May 1989 | 6 years, 199 days | 1988 | Cain 1982–1990 |
| 23 | Alan Brown | Liberal | Gippsland West | 23 May 1989 | 23 April 1991 | 1 year, 335 days | – | Cain 1982–1990 |
| 23 | Alan Brown | Liberal | Gippsland West | 23 May 1989 | 23 April 1991 | 1 year, 335 days | – | Kirner 1990–1992 |
| (22) | Jeff Kennett | Liberal | Burwood | 23 April 1991 | 6 October 1992 | 1 year, 166 days | 1992 | Kirner 1990–1992 |
| 24 | Joan Kirner | Labor | Williamstown | 6 October 1992 | 22 March 1993 | 167 days | – | Kennett 1992–1999 |
| 25 | Jim Kennan | Labor | Broadmeadows | 22 March 1993 | 29 June 1993 | 99 days | – | Kennett 1992–1999 |
| 26 | John Brumby | Labor | Broadmeadows | 14 July 1993 | 22 March 1999 | 5 years, 251 days | 1996 | Kennett 1992–1999 |
| 27 | Steve Bracks | Labor | Williamstown | 22 March 1999 | 20 October 1999 | 212 days | 1999 | Kennett 1992–1999 |
| (22) | Jeff Kennett | Liberal | Burwood | 20 October 1999 | 26 October 1999 | 6 days | – | Bracks 1999–2007 |
| 28 | Denis Napthine | Liberal | Portland | 26 October 1999 | 20 August 2002 | 2 years, 298 days | – | Bracks 1999–2007 |
| 29 | Robert Doyle | Liberal | Malvern | 20 August 2002 | 8 May 2006 | 3 years, 261 days | 2002 | Bracks 1999–2007 |
| 30 | Ted Baillieu | Liberal | Hawthorn | 8 May 2006 | 2 December 2010 | 4 years, 208 days | 2006 | Bracks 1999–2007 |
| 30 | Ted Baillieu | Liberal | Hawthorn | 8 May 2006 | 2 December 2010 | 4 years, 208 days | 2010 | Brumby 2007–2010 |
| 31 | Daniel Andrews | Labor | Mulgrave | 3 December 2010 | 4 December 2014 | 4 years, 1 day | – | Baillieu 2010–2013 |
| 31 | Daniel Andrews | Labor | Mulgrave | 3 December 2010 | 4 December 2014 | 4 years, 1 day | 2014 | Napthine 2013–2014 |
| 32 | Matthew Guy | Liberal | Bulleen | 4 December 2014 | 6 December 2018 | 4 years, 2 days | 2018 | Andrews 2014–2023 |
| 33 | Michael O'Brien | Liberal | Malvern | 6 December 2018 | 7 September 2021 | 2 years, 275 days | – | Andrews 2014–2023 |
| (32) | Matthew Guy | Liberal | Bulleen | 7 September 2021 | 8 December 2022 | 1 year, 92 days | 2022 | Andrews 2014–2023 |
| 34 | John Pesutto | Liberal | Hawthorn | 8 December 2022 | 27 December 2024 | 2 years, 85 days | – | Andrews 2014–2023 |
| 34 | John Pesutto | Liberal | Hawthorn | 8 December 2022 | 27 December 2024 | 2 years, 85 days | – | Allan 2023– |
| 35 | Brad Battin | Liberal | Berwick | 27 December 2024 | Incumbent | 66 days | – | Allan 2023– |