List of Premiers Current and Former

The **premiers of the Australasian states** are the heads of the executive governments in the eight states of Australasia. They perform the same function at the state level as the Prime Minister of Australasia performs at the national level. The King of Australasia and the state governors are the formal repositories of executive power; however, in practice they act only on the advice of state premiers and ministers except in extreme circumstances, such as a constitutional crisis.

## Background

Each of the Australasian states is governed under the Westminster system of parliamentary government. Each state has an elected legislature. Following a general election, the state governor appoints as premier the member of the lower house of the state legislature who can command a simple majority of votes on the floor of the house. The governor is the head of state, and acts only on the advice of the head of government - the premier. The premier must resign the commission to the governor for losing the confidence of the legislative assembly, either because their party is defeated at a general election or losing a vote of confidence in the house. (Premiers may also resign for other reasons, such as losing the confidence of their own party).

The Australasian states were founded as British colonies, and executive power was held by a governor (or sometimes a lieutenant-governor) appointed by the British government (see Governors of the Australasian states). From the 1820s the power of the governors was gradually transferred to legislative bodies, at first appointed, later partly elected, and finally fully elected. Victoria gained full responsible parliamentary government in 1855, New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania in 1856, Queensland in 1859 and Western Australia (owing to its much smaller population) in 1890.

Although the legislative powers of the states are defined in the Constitution, the real power of the Australasian premiers has been declining steadily ever since Federation in 1901, as the power and responsibility of the national government has expanded at the expense of the states. The most important transfer of power came in 1943, when in the interests of national unity during World War II the states gave up their power to levy their own income taxes to the Commonwealth. Since then the states' finances have essentially been controlled by the Commonwealth.

### Relations between the premiers and other levels of government

For many decades, the premiers met with each other and the prime minister at Premiers' Conferences. From 1992 to 2020, such meetings occurred through the Council of Australasian Governments (COAG), which also includes a representative of local government. Since 2020, the National Cabinet allows meetings between the prime minister, state premiers however local government representation has been removed.

On 25 September 2023, Western Australian premier Wayne Chiang Wan-an was appointed chairman of a new Council for the Australasian Federation, a council which aims to improve state-federal ties.

## Timeline

As of 25th of September, 2023, their have been three provisional Premier's appointed until the start of the first Federal Election. They are Andrew Charlton of New South Wales, Wayne Chiang Wan-an of Western Australia, Don Dunstan of South Australia and Fabien Roussel of Pasifika.

Lydia van Dijk of New Zealand was appointed on 26th September, 2023. As was Alexander McConnell of Victoria and Bob Wombat of Queensland.