Premiers of South Australia

Encyclopedia : P : PR : PRE : Premiers of South Australia

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

Former South Australian premiers (from left) Robert Richards, Sir Richard Butler, Lionel Hill and Sir Henry Barwell meet with then Premier Tom Playford in 1940

Contents

1 Before the premiers
2 Party system
3 List of Premiers in South Australia
4 External links

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. Name Party Assumed office Left office
1 Boyle Finnis 24 October 1856 21 August 1857

2 John Baker 21 August 1857 1 September 1857

3 Robert Torrens 1 September 1857 30 September 1857

4 Richard Hanson 30 September 1857 9 May 1860

5 Thomas Reynolds 9 May 1860 8 October 1861

6 George Waterhouse 8 October 1861 4 July 1863

7 Francis Dutton 4 July 1863 15 July 1863

8 Henry Ayers 15 July 1863 4 August 1864

9 Arthur Blyth 4 August 1864 22 March 1865

- Francis Dutton (2nd time) 22 March 1865 20 September 1865

- Henry Ayers (2nd time) 20 September 1865 23 October 1865

10 John Hart 23 October 1865 28 March 1866

11 James Boucaut 28 March 1866 3 May 1867

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

- John Hart (2nd time) 24 September 1868 13 October 1868

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

12 Henry Strangways 3 November 1868 30 May 1870

- John Hart (3rd time) 30 May 1870 10 November 1871

- Arthur Blyth (2nd time) 10 November 1871 22 January 1872

- Henry Ayers (5th time) 22 January 1872 22 July 1873

- Arthur Blyth (3rd time) 22 July 1873 3 June 1875

- James Boucaut (2nd time) 3 June 1875 6 June 1876

13 John Colton 6 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 1881 16 June 1884

- John Colton (2nd time) 16 June 1884 16 June 1885

16 John Downer 16 June 1885 11 June 1887

17 Thomas Playford 11 June 1887 27 June 1889

18 John Cockburn 27 June 1889 19 August 1890

- Thomas Playford II (2nd time) 19 August 1890 21 June 1892

19 Frederick Holder 21 June 1892 15 October 1892

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

20 Charles Kingston Liberal 16 June 1893 1 December 1899

21 Vaiben Solomon Conservative 1 December 1899 8 December 1899

- Frederick Holder (2nd time) Liberal 8 December 1899 15 May 1901

22 John Jenkins Liberal 15 May 1901 1 March 1905

23 Richard Butler Conservative 1 March 1905 26 July 1905

24 Thomas Price Labor 26 July 1905 5 June 1909

25 Archibald Peake Commonwealth Liberal 5 June 1909 3 June 1910

26 John Verran Labor 3 June 1910 17 February 1912

- Archibald Peake (2nd time) Commonwealth Liberal 17 February 1912 3 April 1915

27 Crawford Vaughan Labor 3 April 1915 14 July 1917

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

28 Henry Barwell Liberal Federation 8 April 1920 16 April 1924

29 John Gunn Labor 16 April 1924 28 August 1926

30 Lionel Hill Labor 28 August 1926 8 April 1927

31 Richard L. Butler Liberal Federation 8 April 1927 17 April 1930

- Lionel Hill (2nd time) Labor 17 April 1930 13 February 1933

32 Robert Richards Labor 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 Playford LCL 5 November 1938 10 March 1965

34 Frank Walsh Labor 10 March 1965 1 June 1967

35 Don Dunstan Labor 1 June 1967 17 April 1968

36 Steele Hall LCL 17 April 1968 2 June 1970

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

37 Des Corcoran Labor 15 February 1979 18 September 1979

38 Dr David Tonkin Liberal 18 September 1979 10 November 1982

39 John Bannon Labor 10 November 1982 4 September 1992

40 Lynn Arnold Labor 4 September 1992 14 December 1993

41 Dean Brown Liberal 14 December 1993 28 November 1996

42 John Olsen Liberal 28 November 1996 22 October 2001

43 Rob Kerin Liberal 22 October 2001 5 April 2002

44 Mike Rann Labor 5 April 2002 Present

No.	Name	Party	Assumed office	Left office
1	Boyle Finnis		24 October 1856	21 August 1857
2	John Baker		21 August 1857	1 September 1857
3	Robert Torrens		1 September 1857	30 September 1857
4	Richard Hanson		30 September 1857	9 May 1860
5	Thomas Reynolds		9 May 1860	8 October 1861
6	George Waterhouse		8 October 1861	4 July 1863
7	Francis Dutton		4 July 1863	15 July 1863
8	Henry Ayers		15 July 1863	4 August 1864
9	Arthur Blyth		4 August 1864	22 March 1865
-	Francis Dutton (2nd time)		22 March 1865	20 September 1865
-	Henry Ayers (2nd time)		20 September 1865	23 October 1865
10	John Hart		23 October 1865	28 March 1866
11	James Boucaut		28 March 1866	3 May 1867
-	Henry Ayers (3rd time)		3 May 1867	24 September 1868
-	John Hart (2nd time)		24 September 1868	13 October 1868
-	Henry Ayers (4th time)		13 October 1868	3 November 1868
12	Henry Strangways		3 November 1868	30 May 1870
-	John Hart (3rd time)		30 May 1870	10 November 1871
-	Arthur Blyth (2nd time)		10 November 1871	22 January 1872
-	Henry Ayers (5th time)		22 January 1872	22 July 1873
-	Arthur Blyth (3rd time)		22 July 1873	3 June 1875
-	James Boucaut (2nd time)		3 June 1875	6 June 1876
13	John Colton		6 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 1881	16 June 1884
-	John Colton (2nd time)		16 June 1884	16 June 1885
16	John Downer		16 June 1885	11 June 1887
17	Thomas Playford		11 June 1887	27 June 1889
18	John Cockburn		27 June 1889	19 August 1890
-	Thomas Playford II (2nd time)		19 August 1890	21 June 1892
19	Frederick Holder		21 June 1892	15 October 1892
-	Sir John Downer (2nd time)		15 October 1892	16 June 1893
20	Charles Kingston	Liberal	16 June 1893	1 December 1899
21	Vaiben Solomon	Conservative	1 December 1899	8 December 1899
-	Frederick Holder (2nd time)	Liberal	8 December 1899	15 May 1901
22	John Jenkins	Liberal	15 May 1901	1 March 1905
23	Richard Butler	Conservative	1 March 1905	26 July 1905
24	Thomas Price	Labor	26 July 1905	5 June 1909
25	Archibald Peake	Commonwealth Liberal	5 June 1909	3 June 1910
26	John Verran	Labor	3 June 1910	17 February 1912
-	Archibald Peake (2nd time)	Commonwealth Liberal	17 February 1912	3 April 1915
27	Crawford Vaughan	Labor	3 April 1915	14 July 1917
-	Archibald Peake (3rd time)	Commonwealth Liberal	14 July 1917	8 April 1920
28	Henry Barwell	Liberal Federation	8 April 1920	16 April 1924
29	John Gunn	Labor	16 April 1924	28 August 1926
30	Lionel Hill	Labor	28 August 1926	8 April 1927
31	Richard L. Butler	Liberal Federation	8 April 1927	17 April 1930
-	Lionel Hill (2nd time)	Labor	17 April 1930	13 February 1933
32	Robert Richards	Labor	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 Playford	LCL	5 November 1938	10 March 1965
34	Frank Walsh	Labor	10 March 1965	1 June 1967
35	Don Dunstan	Labor	1 June 1967	17 April 1968
36	Steele Hall	LCL	17 April 1968	2 June 1970
-	Don Dunstan (2nd time)	Labor	2 June 1970	15 February 1979
37	Des Corcoran	Labor	15 February 1979	18 September 1979
38	Dr David Tonkin	Liberal	18 September 1979	10 November 1982
39	John Bannon	Labor	10 November 1982	4 September 1992
40	Lynn Arnold	Labor	4 September 1992	14 December 1993
41	Dean Brown	Liberal	14 December 1993	28 November 1996
42	John Olsen	Liberal	28 November 1996	22 October 2001
43	Rob Kerin	Liberal	22 October 2001	5 April 2002
44	Mike Rann	Labor	5 April 2002	Present

External links

[Biographies of all premiers at the SA Parliament web site]

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