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Deputy Premier of Victoria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Deputy Premier of Victoria
Incumbent
Ben Carroll
since 2 October 2023
Department of Premier and Cabinet
StyleThe Honourable
Member of
Reports toPremier of Victoria
Seat1 Treasury Place, Melbourne
NominatorPremier of Victoria
AppointerGovernor of Victoria
on the advice of the premier
Term lengthAt the Governor's pleasure
contingent on serving as deputy leader of party or coalition commanding a majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly
Formation19 May 1932
First holderRobert Menzies
SalaryAU$395,738 (from 1 July 2022)[1]

The deputy premier of Victoria is the second-most senior officer in the Government of Victoria. The deputy premier position was created in May 1932, with Robert Menzies being the first person to hold the position. The deputy premier is appointed by the Governor on the advice of the premier. The deputy premier is usually also a minister in the government.

When the Labor Party forms government, the deputy leader of the Labor parliamentary party typically becomes the deputy premier. The same was the case when the Liberal Party formed government on its own. When the Liberal-National coalition is in government, the deputy premier is usually the leader of the junior coalition partner, the Nationals (or its predecessor, the Country Party). The current deputy premier is Ben Carroll of the Labor Party, who has held the position since 2 October 2023.

Duties

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The duties of the deputy premier are to act on behalf of the premier in his or her absence overseas or on leave. The deputy premier has always been a member of the Cabinet, and has always held at least one substantive portfolio (It would be technically possible for a minister to hold only the portfolio of Deputy Premier, but this has never happened).[citation needed]

If the premier were to die, become incapacitated or resign, the Governor would normally appoint the deputy premier as acting Premier. If the governing or majority party had not yet elected a new leader, that appointment would be on an interim basis. Should a different leader emerge, that person would then be appointed Premier.[citation needed]

List of deputy premiers of Victoria

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No. Portrait Name
Electoral district
(Birth–death)
Term of office Party Premier
Term start Term end
1 Robert Menzies
MP for Nunawading
(1894–1978)
19 May
1932
31 July
1934
United Australia Sir Stanley Argyle
United Australia
(1932–1935)
2 Ian Macfarlan
MP for Brighton
(1881–1964)
31 July
1934
12 March
1935
United Australia
3 Albert Dunstan
MP for Korong and Eaglehawk
(1882–1950)
12 March
1935
20 March
1935
Country
4 Wilfrid Kent Hughes
MP for Kew
(1895–1970)
20 March
1935
2 April
1935
United Australia
5 Murray Bourchier
MP for Goulbourn Valley
(1881–1937)
2 April
1935
24 June
1936
United Country Albert Dunstan
United Country
(1935–1943)
6 Francis Old
MP for Swan Hill
(1875–1950)
30 June
1936
14 October
1937
United Country
7 Albert Lind
MP for Gippsland East
(1878–1964)
14 October
1937
14 September
1943
United Country
8 Bert Cremean
MP for Clifton Hill
(1900–1945)
14 September
1943
18 September
1943
Labor John Cain (Sr.)
Labor
(1943)
9 Thomas Hollway
MP for Ballarat
(1906–1971)
18 September
1943
2 October
1945
United Australia
(until 1945)
Albert Dunstan
United Country
(1943–1945)
Liberal
(from 1945)
10 Thomas Maltby
MP for Ballarat
(1890–1976)
2 October
1945
21 November
1945
Liberal Ian Macfarlan
Liberal
(1945)
11 Frank Field
MP for Dandenong
(1904–1985)
21 November
1945
20 November
1947
Labor John Cain (Sr.)
Labor
(1945–1947)
12 John McDonald
MP for Shepparton
(1896–1977)
20 November
1947
3 December
1948
Country Thomas Hollway
Liberal (until 1949)
Liberal and Country (from 1949)

(1947–1950)
(4) Wilfrid Kent Hughes
MP for Kew
(1895–1970)
3 December
1948
28 October
1949
Liberal
(until 1949)
Liberal and Country
(from 1949)
13 Trevor Oldham
MP for Malvern
(1900–1953)
8 November
1949
27 June
1950
Liberal and Country
14 Keith Dodgshun
MP for Rainbow
(1893–1971)
27 June
1950
28 October
1952
Country John McDonald
Country
(1950–1952)
15 Alexander Dennett
MP for Caulfield
(1894–1956)
28 October
1952
31 October
1952
Electoral Reform Thomas Hollway
Electoral Reform
(1952)
(14) Keith Dodgshun
MP for Rainbow
(1893–1971)
31 October
1952
17 December
1952
Country John McDonald
Country
(1952)
16 Bill Galvin
MP for Bendigo
(1903–1966)
17 December
1952
7 June
1955
Labor John Cain (Sr.)
Labor
(1952–1955)
17 Sir Arthur Rylah
MP for Kew
(1909–1974)
7 June
1955
5 March
1971
Liberal and Country
(until 1965)
Sir Henry Bolte
Liberal and Country (until 1965)
Liberal (from 1965)

(1955–1972)
Liberal
(from 1965)
18 Rupert Hamer
MP for Kew
(1916–2004)
21 April
1971
23 August
1972
Liberal
19 Lindsay Thompson
MP for Malvern
(1923–2008)
23 August
1972
5 June
1981
Liberal Rupert Hamer
Liberal

(1972–1981)
20 Bill Borthwick
MP for Monbulk
(1924–2001)
5 June
1981
8 April
1982
Liberal Lindsay Thompson
Liberal

(1981–1982)
21 Robert Fordham
MP for Footscray
(born 1942)
8 April
1982
31 January
1989
Labor John Cain (Jr.)
Labor
(1982–1990)
22 Joan Kirner
MP for Williamstown
(1938–2015)
7 February
1989
10 August
1990
Labor
23 Jim Kennan
MP for Broadmeadows
(1946–2010)
10 August
1990
6 October
1992
Labor Joan Kirner
Labor
(1990–1992)
24 Pat McNamara
MP for Benalla
(born 1949)
6 October
1992
21 October
1999
National Jeff Kennett
Liberal
(1992–1999)
25 John Thwaites
MP for Albert Park
(born 1955)
21 October
1999
30 July
2007
Labor Steve Bracks
Labor
(1999–2007)
26 Rob Hulls
MP for Niddrie
(born 1957)
30 July
2007
2 December
2010
Labor John Brumby
Labor
(2007–2010)
27 Peter Ryan
MP for Gippsland South
(born 1950)
2 December
2010
4 December
2014
National Ted Baillieu
Liberal
(2010–2013)
Denis Napthine
Liberal
(2013–2014)
28 James Merlino
MP for Monbulk
(born 1972)
4 December
2014
27 June
2022
Labor Daniel Andrews
Labor
(2014–2023)
29 Jacinta Allan
MP for Bendigo East
(born 1973)
27 June
2022
27 September
2023
Labor
30 Ben Carroll
MP for Niddrie
(born 1975)
2 October
2023
Incumbent Labor Jacinta Allan
Labor
(since 2023)

Notable careers

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Among the most notable former deputy premiers of Victoria have been Robert Menzies (1932–1934) who went on to become the longest serving prime minister of Australia. One of Menzies' federal ministers was Wilfrid Kent Hughes who like Menzies had served as deputy premier of Victoria prior to switching to federal politics. Others include Albert Dunstan (1935) who subsequently became Premier for a then record of ten years, Rupert Hamer (1971–1972) who later became a long serving premier, Thomas Hollway (1943–1945) who was Premier on three occasions and Joan Kirner became the first female deputy premier in 1989 before becoming the first female premier in 1990.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ilanbey, Sumeyya. "Pay rise cements Andrews' position as highest-paid state leader". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 26 June 2022.