Attorney-General of Western Australia

The Attorney-General of Western Australia is the member of the Government of Western Australia responsible for maintenance and improvement of Western Australia's system of law and justice. Before the advent of representative government in 1870, the title was Advocate-General of Western Australia. The Attorney-General must be a qualified legal practitioner. When there are none in the cabinet, a lay person is sometimes appointed to the office of Minister for Justice.[1]

Attorney-General of
Western Australia
Incumbent
John Quigley
since 17 March 2017
Department of Justice
StyleThe Honourable
Member of
Reports toPremier of Western Australia
SeatDumas House, Perth
NominatorPremier of Western Australia
AppointerGovernor of Western Australia
on the advice of the premier
Term lengthAt the Governor's pleasure
Formation1831
First holderWilliam Mackie
(as Advocate-General)
Websitewww.justice.wa.gov.au

The current Attorney-General of Western Australia, since 17 March 2017, is John Quigley who administers the portfolio through the Department of Justice and a range of other agencies.

One of Quigley's predecessors Christian Porter went on to become Federal Attorney General.[2][3]

List of attorneys

This is a list of Attorneys-General of Western Australia, or any precedent titles.[4] The office of Attorney-General was not always filled: the Australian Parliamentary Library notes that where there was no lawyer among the ministers elected, there would be a Minister for Justice instead of an Attorney-General.[5][6]

Order Minister Party Premier Title Term start Term end Time in office
1William MackienoneAdvocate-General183118342–3 years
2George Fletcher Moore1834184611–12 years
3Richard West NashActing Advocate-General184618470–1 years
(2)George Fletcher MooreAdvocate-General184718524–5 years
4B. W. VigorsActing Advocate-General185218541–2 years
5George Frederick StoneAdvocate-General185418572–3 years
6Richard Burnie185718591–2 years
(5)George Frederick Stone186018709–10 years
7Robert John Walcott[7][8]Attorney-General4 November 1870December 18722 years, 27 days
8Sir Henry Hicks Hocking[9]December 187230 June 1874 (1874-06-30)1 year, 211 days
9Sir George Walpole Leake QC30 June 187416 January 1875200 days
(8)Henry Hicks Hocking16 January 187525 February 18794 years, 40 days
9Sir George Walpole Leake QC1 March 187924 November 1879268 days
10Edward Albert Stone24 November 187921 March 1880118 days
(9)Sir George Walpole Leake QC21 March 188021 March 18811 year, 0 days
11Alexander Onslow21 March 18819 April 18832 years, 19 days
(9)Sir George Walpole Leake QC9 April 188310 July 188392 days
12Alfred Hensman10 July 188318 June 18862 years, 343 days
13Septimus Burt19 June 18863 December 1886167 days
14Charles Warton9 December 1886December 18904 years, 20 days
(13)Septimus BurtnoneForrest29 December 189027 October 18976 years, 302 days
15Richard Pennefather27 October 189720 March 19013 years, 144 days
16William SayerThrossell25 March 190127 May 190168 days
17George Leake KCLeake27 May 190121 November 1901178 days
18Frederick MoorheadMorgans21 November 190123 December 190132 days
(17)George Leake KCLeake23 December 190124 June 1902183 days
19Walter JamesJames1 July 190210 August 19042 years, 40 days
20Norbert KeenanMinisterialistMooreAttorney-General14 May 190614 May 19093 years, 0 days
21John NansonMinisterialistWilsonAttorney-General16 September 19107 October 19111 year, 21 days
22Thomas Walker LaborScadden7 October 191127 July 19164 years, 294 days
23Robert Robinson LiberalWilson27 July 191628 June 1917 (1917-06-28)2 years, 294 days
 NationalistLefroy28 June 1917 (1917-06-28)17 April 1919 (1919-04-17)
 Colebatch17 April 1919 (1919-04-17)17 May 1919 (1919-05-17)
24Thomas Draper Mitchell17 May 191912 March 19211 year, 299 days
25Thomas Davy NationalistMitchellAttorney-General24 April 193018 February 19332 years, 300 days
26Hubert Parker LaborCollier22 February 19338 April 193345 days
27Robert Ross McDonald LiberalMcLartyAttorney-General1 April 19475 January 1948279 days
28Arthur Abbott 5 January 194823 February 19535 years, 49 days
29Arthur Watts LiberalBrandAttorney-General2 April 195931 January 19622 years, 304 days
30Ron Bertram LaborTonkinAttorney-General3 March 197130 September 1971211 days
31Tom Evans 12 October 19718 April 19742 years, 178 days
32Ian Medcalf LiberalCourtAttorney-General22 December 197525 January 19827 years, 65 days
 O'Connor25 January 198225 February 1983
33Joe Berinson LaborBurke25 February 198325 February 1988 (1988-02-25)9 years, 357 days
 Dowding25 February 1988 (1988-02-25)12 February 1990 (1990-02-12)
 Lawrence12 February 1990 (1990-02-12)16 February 1993 (1993-02-16)3 years, 4 days
34Cheryl Edwardes LiberalCourt16 February 199321 December 19952 years, 308 days
35Peter Foss 21 December 199516 February 20015 years, 57 days
36Jim McGinty LaborGallop16 February 200125 January 2006 (2006-01-25)7 years, 220 days
 Carpenter25 January 2006 (2006-01-25)23 September 2008 (2008-09-23)
37Christian Porter LiberalBarnett23 September 200812 June 20123 years, 279 days
38Michael Mischin 28 June 201217 March 20174 years, 262 days
39John Quigley LaborMcGowan17 March 2017 (2017-03-17)incumbent3 years, 329 days

References
  1. "Justice Ministers of Western Australia" (pdf). Parliamentary Library. Perth, WA: Parliament of Western Australia. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  2. https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/barnett-tried-to-keep-porter-in-wa-20120612-206h5.html
  3. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-10/malcom-turnbull-christian-porter-denials-q+a-four-corners/12864992
  4. "Membership of the Legislative Council, 1832-70" (PDF). Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  5. "List of Australian Attorneys-General". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  6. E. M. Russell, ‘Early Lawyers of Western Australia’, Journal and Proceedings (Western Australian Historical Society), vol 4, part 3, 1951, pp 32-53
  7. "Events of the Month". The Herald. Fremantle, WA. 8 December 1870. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  8. "Summary for the Mails". The Herald. Fremantle, WA. 12 October 1872. p. 3. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  9. "Arrival of the English and Colonial Mails". The Herald. Fremantle, WA. 15 February 1873. p. 3. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
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