Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania)

The Leader of the Opposition in Tasmania is the title of 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, leads the opposition 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 usually be nominated to become the Premier of Tasmania.

Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent Rebecca White since 17 March 2017
Term length	While leader of the largest political party not in government
Inaugural holder	Thomas Gregson
Formation	November 1856
Deputy	Michelle O'Byrne

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 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 Rebecca White of the Labor Party. She has been in the role since 17 March 2017, having been elected unopposed after the resignation of Bryan Green.

List of Leaders of the Opposition in Tasmania

No.		Name	Portrait	Term of office		Party
	1	Thomas Gregson		November 1856	February 1857
	2	William Champ		February 1857	April 1857
	(1)	Thomas Gregson		April 1857	July 1862
	3	Charles Meredith		July 1862	January 1863
	4	Thomas Chapman		February 1863	June 1864
	5	Sir William Dobson		June 1864	November 1866
	(3)	Charles Meredith		November 1866	November 1872
	6	William Giblin		November 1872	August 1873
	7	Frederick Innes		August 1873	March 1875
	8	Thomas Reibey		August 1875	July 1876
	(6)	William Giblin		July 1876	June 1877
	9	Philip Fysh		July 1877	August 1877
	(8)	Thomas Reibey		September 1877	December 1878
	(6)	William Giblin		January 1879	October 1879
	9	Alfred Dobson		October 1882	July 1885
	(8)	Thomas Reibey		July 1885	August 1886
	10	Sir Edward Braddon		August 1886	March 1887
	11	Nicholas Brown		July 1887	July 1889
	12	William Burgess		July 1889	August 1891
	13	Henry Dobson		September 1891	August 1892
	14	Stafford Bird		August 1892	February 1894
	(10)	Sir Edward Braddon		February 1894	April 1894
	15	Sir Elliott Lewis		May 1894	November 1897
	16	Andrew Clark		November 1897	May 1898
	(14)	Stafford Bird		June 1898	October 1899
	(10)	Sir Edward Braddon		October 1899	March 1901	Free Trade
	(8)	Sir Thomas Reibey		May 1901	October 1901	Protectionist
	17	William Propsting		October 1901	April 1903	Protectionist
	18	Robert Patterson		May 1903	March 1904	Anti-Socialist
	19	Sir John Evans		March 1904	July 1904	Anti-Socialist
	(17)	William Propsting		July 1904	December 1905	Protectionist
	20	Herbert Nicholls		May 1906	January 1909	Protectionist
	21	John Earle		June 1909	October 1909	Labor
	(15)	Sir Elliot Lewis		October 1909	October 1909	Anti-Socialist
	(21)	John Earle		October 1909	April 1914	Labor
	22	Albert Solomon		April 1914	October 1914	Liberal
	23	Norman Ewing		October 1914	September 1915	Liberal
	24	Sir Walter Lee		September 1915	April 1916	Liberal
	(21)	John Earle		April 1916	November 1916	Labor
	25	Joseph Lyons		November 1916	October 1923	Labor
	26	Edward Hobbs		October 1923	November 1923	Country
	27	James Newton		November 1923	October 1924	Nationalist
	(26)	Edward Hobbs		October 1924	July 1925	Country
	28	Sir John McPhee		July 1925	June 1928	Nationalist
	(25)	Joseph Lyons		July 1928	September 1929	Labor
	29	Benjamin Watkins		September 1929	October 1929	Labor
	30	Albert Ogilvie		October 1929	June 1934	Labor
	(24)	Sir Walter Lee		July 1934	July 1936	Nationalist
	31	Henry Baker		July 1936	February 1945	Nationalist
	32	Neil Campbell		February 1945	February 1950	Liberal
	33	Reginald Townley		6 February 1950	26 June 1956	Liberal
	34	Tim Jackson		26 June 1956	March 1960	Liberal
	35	Sir Angus Bethune		19 March 1960	27 May 1969	Liberal
	36	Eric Reece		27 May 1969	4 May 1972	Labor
	37	Max Bingham		4 May 1972	7 August 1979	Liberal
	38	Geoff Pearsall		7 August 1979	11 November 1981	Liberal
	39	Robin Gray		11 November 1981	27 May 1982	Liberal
	40	Ken Wriedt		27 May 1982	19 February 1986	Liberal
	41	Neil Batt		19 February 1986	14 December 1988	Liberal
	42	Michael Field		14 December 1988	29 June 1989	Labor
	43	Robin Gray		29 June 1989	17 December 1991	Liberal
	44	Ray Groom		17 December 1991	17 February 1992	Liberal
	45	Michael Field		17 February 1992	14 April 1997	Labor
	46	Jim Bacon		14 April 1997	14 September 1998	Labor
	47	Tony Rundle		14 September 1998	2 July 1999	Liberal
	48	Sue Napier		2 July 1999	20 August 2001	Liberal
	49	Bob Cheek		20 August 2001	6 August 2002	Liberal
	50	Rene Hidding		6 August 2002	30 March 2006	Liberal
	51	Will Hodgman		30 March 2006	31 March 2014	Liberal
	52	Bryan Green		31 March 2014	17 March 2017	Labor
	53	Rebecca White		17 March 2017	Incumbent	Labor

External links

• Leaders of the Opposition (Parliament of Tasmania)