article

See Premiers of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Premier.

Before the premiers

From foundation of the colony in 1836 to responsible government in 1856, executive power was in the hands of the Governor, at first alone, and later with a small advisory legislative council. With responsible government, the governors became ever more a figurehead.

Party system

Before the 1890s, there was no formal party system in South Australia. Party labels before that time indicate a general tendency only.


List of Premiers in South Australia


No.NamePartyAssumed officeLeft office
1 Boyle Finnis24 October 185621 August 1857

2 John Baker21 August 18571 September 1857

3 Robert Torrens1 September 185730 September 1857

4 Richard Hanson30 September 18579 May 1860

5 Thomas Reynolds9 May 18608 October 1861

6 George Waterhouse8 October 18614 July 1863

7 Francis Dutton4 July 186315 July 1863

8 Henry Ayers15 July 18634 August 1864

9 Arthur Blyth4 August 186422 March 1865

- Francis Dutton (2nd time)22 March 186520 September 1865

- Henry Ayers (2nd time)20 September 186523 October 1865

10 John Hart23 October 186528 March 1866

11 James Boucaut28 March 18663 May 1867

- Henry Ayers (3rd time)3 May 1867 24 September 1868

- John Hart (2nd time)24 September 186813 October 1868

- Henry Ayers (4th time)13 October 1868 3 November 1868

12 Henry Strangways3 November 1868 30 May 1870

- John Hart (3rd time) 30 May 187010 November 1871

- Arthur Blyth (2nd time)10 November 187122 January 1872

- Henry Ayers (5th time)22 January 187222 July 1873

- Arthur Blyth (3rd time)22 July 18733 June 1875

- James Boucaut (2nd time)3 June 18756 June 1876

13 John Colton6 June 1876 26 October 1877

- James Boucaut (3rd time) 26 October 1877 27 September 1878

14 William Morgan 27 September 1878 24 June 1881

15 Sir John Cox Bray 24 June 188116 June 1884

- John Colton (2nd time)16 June 188416 June 1885

16 John Downer16 June 188511 June 1887

17 Thomas Playford11 June 188727 June 1889

18 John Cockburn27 June 188919 August 1890

- Thomas Playford II (2nd time)19 August 189021 June 1892

19 Frederick Holder21 June 189215 October 1892

- Sir John Downer (2nd time)15 October 1892 16 June 1893

20 Charles KingstonLiberal 16 June 1893 1 December 1899

21 Vaiben SolomonConservative 1 December 18998 December 1899

- Frederick Holder (2nd time)Liberal8 December 189915 May 1901

22 John JenkinsLiberal15 May 19011 March 1905

23 Richard ButlerConservative1 March 190526 July 1905

24 Thomas PriceLabor26 July 19055 June 1909

25 Archibald PeakeCommonwealth Liberal5 June 1909 3 June 1910

26 John VerranLabor 3 June 191017 February 1912

- Archibald Peake (2nd time)Commonwealth Liberal17 February 1912 3 April 1915

27 Crawford VaughanLabor 3 April 1915 14 July 1917

- Archibald Peake (3rd time)Commonwealth Liberal 14 July 1917 8 April 1920

28 Henry BarwellLiberal Federation 8 April 192016 April 1924

29 John GunnLabor16 April 1924 28 August 1926

30 Lionel HillLabor 28 August 19268 April 1927

31 Richard L. ButlerLiberal Federation 8 April 1927 17 April 1930

- Lionel Hill (2nd time)Labor 17 April 193013 February 1933

32 Robert RichardsLabor 13 February 1933 18 April 1933

- Richard L. Butler (2nd time) Liberal and Country League (LCL) 18 April 1933 5 November 1938

33 Sir Thomas PlayfordLCL 5 November 1938 10 March 1965

34 Frank WalshLabor 10 March 1965 1 June 1967

35 Don DunstanLabor1 June 1967 17 April 1968

36 Steele HallLCL 17 April 1968 2 June 1970

- Don Dunstan (2nd time)Labor 2 June 1970 15 February 1979

37 Des CorcoranLabor 15 February 1979 18 September 1979

38 Dr David Tonkin Liberal 18 September 1979 10 November 1982

39 John BannonLabor10 November 19824 September 1992

40Lynn ArnoldLabor4 September 1992 14 December 1993

41Dean BrownLiberal 14 December 199328 November 1996

42 John OlsenLiberal28 November 1996 22 October 2001

43Rob KerinLiberal22 October 20015 April 2002

44 Mike RannLabor5 April 2002Present

External links

Premiers of South Australia

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Premiers of South Australia".

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