List of Australian heads of government by time in office
Historical premiers
Columns: Rank: | State: | Premier: | Party: | Assumed office: | Left office: | TOTAL Time in office:
1 | SA | Sir Thomas Playford (1896–1981) GCMG | Liberal & Country League | 5 November 1938 | 10 March 1965 | 26years, 125days | 2 | QLD | Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen (1911–2005) KCMG | Country & National Parties of Australia | 8 August 1968 | 1 December 1987 | 19years, 115days | 3 | TAS | Sir Robert Cosgrove (1884–1969) KCMG | Australian Labor Party | 18 December 1939 | 18 December 1947 | 18 years, 182 days | 3 | TAS | Sir Robert Cosgrove (1884–1969) KCMG | Australian Labor Party | 25 February 1948 | 26 August 1958 | 18 years, 182 days | 4 | VIC | Sir Henry Bolte (1908–1990) GCMG | Liberal & Country League | 7 June 1955 | 23 August 1972 | 17years, 47days | 5 | TAS | Eric Reece (1909–1999) AC | Australian Labor Party | 26 August 1958 | 26 May 1969 | 13 years, 240 days | 5 | TAS | Eric Reece (1909–1999) AC | Australian Labor Party | 3 May 1972 | 31 March 1975 | 13 years, 240 days | 6 | WA | Sir David Brand (1908–1990) KCMG | Liberal Party of Australia | 2 April 1959 | 3 March 1971 | 11years, 335days | 7 | NSW | Sir Henry Parkes (1815–1896) GCMG | Liberalism | 14 May 1872 | 8 February 1875 | 11 years, 278 days. | 7 | NSW | Sir Henry Parkes (1815–1896) GCMG | Liberalism | 22 March 1877 | 16 August 1877 | 11 years, 278 days. | 7 | NSW | Sir Henry Parkes (1815–1896) GCMG | Liberalism | 21 December 1878 | 4 January 1883 | 11 years, 278 days. | 7 | NSW | Sir Henry Parkes (1815–1896) GCMG | Free Trade | 25 January 1887 | 16 January 1889 | 11 years, 278 days. | 7 | NSW | Sir Henry Parkes (1815–1896) GCMG | Free Trade | 8 March 1889 | 23 October 1891 | 11 years, 278 days. | 8 | VIC | Sir Albert Dunstan (1882–1950) KCMG | Country Party of Australia | 2 April 1935 | 14 September 1943 | 10 years, 179 days | 8 | VIC | Sir Albert Dunstan (1882–1950) KCMG | Country Party of Australia | 18 September 1943 | 2 October 1945 | 10 years, 179 days | 9 | QLD | Sir Francis Nicklin (1895–1978) KCMG , MM | Country Party of Australia | 12 August 1957 | 17 January 1968 | 10years, 158days | 10 | NSW | Bob Carr (1947– ) | Australian Labor Party | 4 April 1995 | 3 August 2005 | 10years, 121days | 11 | QLD | William Forgan Smith (1897–1953) | Australian Labor Party | 17 June 1932 | 16 September 1942 | 10years, 91days | 12 | NSW | Neville Wran (1926– ) AC , CNZM , QC | Australian Labor Party | 14 May 1976 | 4 July 1986 | 10years, 51days | 13 | WA | Sir John Forrest (1847–1918) GCMG | No Party Alignment | 29 December 1890 | 15 February 1901 | 10years, 48days | 14 | SA | John Bannon (1943– ) AO | Australian Labor Party | 10 November 1982 | 4 September 1992 | 9years, 299days | 15 | NSW | Sir Robert Askin (1907–1981) GCMG | Liberal Party of Australia | 13 May 1965 | 3 January 1975 | 9years, 235days | 16 | SA | Mike Rann (1953– ) CNZM RP | Australian Labor Party | 5 March 2002 | 21 October 2011 | 9years, 230days | 17 | SA | Don Dunstan (1926–1999) AC , QC | Australian Labor Party | 1 June 1967 | 17 April 1968 | 9 years, 214 days | 17 | SA | Don Dunstan (1926–1999) AC , QC | Australian Labor Party | 2 June 1970 | 15 February 1979 | 9 years, 214 days | 18 | WA | Philip Collier (1873–1948) | Australian Labor Party | 17 April 1924 | 23 April 1930 | 9 Years, 123 days | 18 | WA | Philip Collier (1873–1948) | Australian Labor Party | 24 April 1933 | 19 August 1936 | 9 Years, 123 days | 19 | VIC | Sir James McCulloch (1819–1893) KCMG | No Party Alignment | 27 June 1863 | 6 May 1868 | 9 years, 118 days | 19 | VIC | Sir James McCulloch (1819–1893) KCMG | No Party Alignment | 11 July 1868 | 20 September 1869 | 9 years, 118 days | 19 | VIC | Sir James McCulloch (1819–1893) KCMG | No Party Alignment | 9 April 1870 | 19 June 1871 | 9 years, 118 days | 19 | VIC | Sir James McCulloch (1819–1893) KCMG | No Party Alignment | 20 October 1875 | 21 May 1877 | 9 years, 118 days | 20 | QLD | Peter Beattie (1952– ) AC | Australian Labor Party | 20 June 1998 | 13 September 2007 | 9years, 85days | 21 | WA | John Willcock (1879–1956) | Australian Labor Party | 20 August 1936 | 31 July 1945 | 8years, 345days | 22 | VIC | Sir Rupert Hamer (1916–2004) KCMG AC ED | Liberal Party of Australia | 23 August 1972 | 5 June 1981 | 8years, 286days | 23 | SA | Sir Richard Butler (1885–1966) KCMG | Liberal & Country League | 8 April 1927 | 17 April 1930 | 8 years, 210 days | 23 | SA | Sir Richard Butler (1885–1966) KCMG | Liberal & Country League | 18 April 1933 | 5 November 1938 | 8 years, 210 days | 24 | VIC | John Cain II (1931– ) | Australian Labor Party | 8 April 1982 | 10 August 1990 | 8years, 124days | 25 | WA | Richard Court (1947– ) AC | Liberal Party of Australia | 16 February 1993 | 10 February 2001 | 7years, 360days | 26 | WA | Sir James Mitchell (1866–1951) GCMG | Nationalist Party of Australia | 17 May 1919 | 16 April 1924 | 7 years, 335 days | 26 | WA | Sir James Mitchell (1866–1951) GCMG | Nationalist Party of Australia | 24 April 1930 | 24 April 1933 | 7 years, 335 days | 27 | WA | Sir Charles Court (1911–2007) AK KCMG OBE | Liberal Party of Australia | 8 April 1974 | 25 January 1982 | 7years, 292days | 28 | VIC | Steve Bracks (1954– ) AC | Australian Labor Party | 20 October 1999 | 30 July 2007 | 7years, 283days | 29 | NSW | Joseph Cahill (1891-1959) | Australian Labor Party | 2 April 1952 | 22 October 1959 | 7years, 204days | 30 | NSW | Sir Bertram Stevens (1889–1973) KCMG | United Australia Party | 16 May 1932 | 4 August 1939 | 7years, 80days | 31 | QLD | Sir Samuel Griffith (1845–1920) GCMG QC | Liberalism | 13 November 1883 | 13 June 1888 | 7 years, 75 days | 31 | QLD | Sir Samuel Griffith (1845–1920) GCMG QC | Ministerial | 12 August 1890 | 27 March 1893 | 7 years, 75 days | 32 | TAS | Robin Gray (1940– ) | Liberal Party of Australia | 26 May 1982 | 29 June 1989 | 7years, 34days | 33 | VIC | Jeff Kennett (1948– ) AC | Liberal Party of Australia | 6 October 1992 | 20 October 1999 | 7years, 14days | 34 | NSW | Sir Charles Cowper (1807-1875) KCMG | Liberalism | 26 August 1856 | 2 October 1856 | 6 years, 352 days | 34 | NSW | Sir Charles Cowper (1807-1875) KCMG | Liberalism | 7 September 1857 | 26 October 1859 | 6 years, 352 days | 34 | NSW | Sir Charles Cowper (1807-1875) KCMG | Liberalism | 10 January 1861 | 15 October 1863 | 6 years, 352 days | 34 | NSW | Sir Charles Cowper (1807-1875) KCMG | Liberalism | 3 February 1865 | 21 January 1866 | 6 years, 352 days | 34 | NSW | Sir Charles Cowper (1807-1875) KCMG | Liberalism | 13 January 1870 | 15 December 1870 | 6 years, 352 days | 35 | SA | Archibald Peake (1859–1920) | Liberal & Democratic Union | 5 June 1909 | 3 June 1910 | 6 years, 312 days | 35 | SA | Archibald Peake (1859–1920) | Liberal Union | 17 February 1912 | 3 April 1915 | 6 years, 312 days | 35 | SA | Archibald Peake (1859–1920) | Liberal Union | 14 July 1917 | 8 April 1920 | 6 years, 312 days | 36 | NSW | William Holman (1871–1934) | Australian Labor Party | 30 June 1913 | 15 November 1916 | 6years, 287days | 36 | NSW | William Holman (1871–1934) | Nationalist Party of Australia | 15 November 1916 | 12 April 1920 | 6years, 287days | 37 | TAS | Sir Walter Lee (1874–1963) KCMG | Commonwealth Liberal Party | 15 April 1916 | 12 August 1922 | 6 years, 191 days | 37 | TAS | Sir Walter Lee (1874–1963) KCMG | Nationalist Party of Australia | 14 August 1923 | 25 October 1923 | 6 years, 191 days | 38 | TAS | Sir Elliott Lewis (1858–1935) KCMG | Conservatism | 2 October 1899 | 9 April 1903 | 6 years, 188 days | 38 | TAS | Sir Elliott Lewis (1858–1935) KCMG | Commonwealth Liberal Party | 19 June 1909 | 20 October 1909 | 6 years, 188 days | 38 | TAS | Sir Elliott Lewis (1858–1935) KCMG | Commonwealth Liberal Party | 27 October 1909 | 14 June 1912 | 6 years, 188 days | 39 | SA | Charles Kingston (1850–1908) | Liberalism | 16 June 1893 | 1 December 1899 | 6years, 168days | 40 | QLD | Wayne Goss (1951– ) | Australian Labor Party | 7 December 1989 | 19 February 1996 | 6years, 74days | 41 | QLD | Sir Robert Herbert (1831–1905) GCB | No Party Alignment | 10 December 1859 | 1 February 1866 | 6 years, 71 days | 41 | QLD | Sir Robert Herbert (1831–1905) GCB | No Party Alignment | 20 July 1866 | 7 August 1866 | 6 years, 71 days | 42 | TAS | Sir Philip Fysh (1835–1919) KCMG | No Party Alignment | 9 August 1877 | 5 March 1878 | 5 years, 349 days | 42 | TAS | Sir Philip Fysh (1835–1919) KCMG | Liberalism | 29 March 1887 | 17 August 1892 | 5 years, 349 days | 43 | WA | Sir Duncan McLarty (1891–1962) KBE MM | Liberal Party of Australia | 1 April 1947 | 23 February 1953 | 5years, 328days | 44 | QLD | Edward Hanlon (1887–1952) | Australian Labor Party | 7 March 1946 | 17 January 1952 | 5years, 316days | 45 | QLD | Sir Thomas McIlwraith (1835–1900) KCMG | Conservatism | 22 January 1879 | 13 November 1883 | 5 years, 314 days | 45 | QLD | Sir Thomas McIlwraith (1835–1900) KCMG | Conservatism | 13 June 1888 | 30 November 1888 | 5 years, 314 days | 45 | QLD | Sir Thomas McIlwraith (1835–1900) KCMG | Ministerial | 27 March 1893 | 27 October 1893 | 5 years, 314 days | 46 | TAS | Sir John McPhee (1878–1952) KCMG | Nationalist Party of Australia | 15 June 1928 | 15 March 1934 | 5years, 273days | 47 | NSW | Sir William McKell (1891–1985) GCMG | Australian Labor Party | 16 May 1941 | 6 February 1947 | 5years, 266days | 48 | TAS | William Giblin (1840–1887) | No Party Alignment | 5 March 1878 | 20 December 1878 | 5 years, 215 days | 48 | TAS | William Giblin (1840–1887) | No Party Alignment | 30 October 1879 | 15 August 1884 | 5 years, 215 days | 49 | QLD | Vince Gair (1901–1980) | Australian Labor Party | 17 January 1952 | 12 August 1957 | 5years, 207days | 50 | TAS | Jim Bacon (1950–2004) AC | Australian Labor Party | 14 September 1998 | 21 March 2004 | 5years, 189days