Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales)

The Leader of the Opposition is a title held by the leader of the second-largest party in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, the lower house of the Parliament of New South Wales.[1] There is also a Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council.[2] He or she acts as the public face of the opposition, leading the opposition on the floor of parliament. They 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.

Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent
Jodi McKay
since 29 June 2019
Term lengthWhile leader of the largest political party not in government
Inaugural holderCharles Lee
DeputyYasmin Catley

The current leader of the opposition is Jodi McKay, who was elected leader on 29 June 2019.[3] Adam Searle serves as leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council.[4]

List of Leaders of the Opposition in New South Wales since 1901
Political parties

   Australian Labor Party    Liberal Party of Australia    Nationalist Party of Australia
   United Australia Party    Liberal Reform Party    Democratic Party    Country Party

Leaders of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly
No. Name Portrait Party Term of Office Tenure
  1 Charles Lee Liberal Reform 23 March 1901 18 September 1902 1 year, 179 days
  2 Joseph Carruthers Liberal Reform 18 September 1902 30 August 1904 1 year, 347 days
  3 James McGowen Labor 20 September 1904 21 October 1910 6 years, 31 days
  4 Charles Wade Liberal Reform 21 October 1910 15 November 1916 6 years, 25 days
  5 Ernest Durack Labor 22 November 1916 19 February 1917 89 days
  6 John Storey Labor 22 February 1917 13 April 1920 3 years, 51 days
  7 George Fuller Nationalist 14 April 1920 13 April 1922 1 year, 364 days
  8 James Dooley Labor 20 April 1922 9 March 1923 323 days
  9 Greg McGirr Labor 9 March 1923 16 April 1923 38 days
  10 Bill Dunn Labor 16 April 1923 31 July 1923 106 days
  11 Jack Lang Labor 31 July 1923 17 June 1925 1 year, 321 days
  (7) George Fuller Nationalist 23 June 1925 24 September 1925 93 days
  12 Thomas Bavin Nationalist 24 September 1925 18 October 1927 2 years, 24 days
  (11) Jack Lang Labor 18 October 1927 4 November 1930 3 years, 17 days
  (12) Thomas Bavin Nationalist 24 September 1925 18 October 1927 2 years, 24 days
  United Australia
  13 Bertram Stevens United Australia 5 April 1932 13 May 1932 38 days
  (11) Jack Lang Labor 22 June 1932 5 September 1939 7 years, 75 days
  14 William McKell Labor 5 September 1939 16 May 1941 1 year, 253 days
  15 Alexander Mair United Australia 19 May 1941 10 February 1944 2 years, 267 days
  Democratic
  16 Reginald Weaver Democratic 10 February 1944 12 November 1945 1 year, 275 days
  Liberal
  (15) Alexander Mair Liberal 13 November 1945 20 March 1946 127 days
  17 Vernon Treatt Liberal 20 March 1946 10 August 1954 8 years, 143 days
  18 Murray Robson Liberal 17 August 1954 20 September 1955 1 year, 34 days
  19 Pat Morton Liberal 20 September 1955 17 July 1959 3 years, 300 days
  20 Robert Askin Liberal 17 July 1959 13 May 1965 5 years, 300 days
  21 Jack Renshaw Labor 14 May 1965 23 July 1968 3 years, 70 days
  22 Pat Hills Labor 30 July 1968 3 December 1973 5 years, 126 days
  23 Neville Wran Labor 3 December 1973 14 May 1976 2 years, 163 days
  24 Eric Willis Liberal 15 May 1976 16 December 1977 1 year, 215 days
  25 Peter Coleman Liberal 16 December 1977 7 October 1978 295 days
  26 John Mason Liberal 24 October 1978 29 May 1981 2 years, 217 days
  27 Bruce McDonald Liberal 1 June 1981 12 October 1981 133 days
  28 John Dowd Liberal 27 October 1981 15 March 1983 1 year, 139 days
  29 Nick Greiner Liberal 15 March 1983 25 March 1988 5 years, 10 days
  30 Bob Carr Labor 6 April 1988 4 April 1995 6 years, 363 days
  31 Peter Collins Liberal 4 April 1995 7 December 1998 3 years, 247 days
  32 Kerry Chikarovski Liberal 7 December 1998 28 March 2002 3 years, 111 days
  33 John Brogden Liberal 28 March 2002 1 September 2005 3 years, 157 days
  34 Peter Debnam Liberal 1 September 2005 4 April 2007 1 year, 215 days
  35 Barry O'Farrell Liberal 4 April 2007 28 March 2011 3 years, 358 days
  36 John Robertson Labor 31 March 2011 23 December 2014 3 years, 267 days
  37 Luke Foley Labor 5 January 2015 8 November 2018 3 years, 307 days
  38 Michael Daley Labor 10 November 2018 25 March 2019 135 days
  39 Jodi McKay Labor 29 June 2019 Incumbent 1 year, 211 days
Source:Parliament of New South Wales.[1]

Leaders of the Opposition in the Legislative Council
No. Name Portrait Party Term of Office Tenure
  1 Sir Henry Manning[lower-alpha 1] United Australia 16 May 1941 (1941-05-16) 22 April 1958 (1958-04-22) 16 years, 341 days
  Democratic
  Liberal
  2 Hector Clayton Liberal 12 April 1960 30 October 1962 2 years, 201 days
  3 Arthur Bridges Liberal 30 October 1962 13 May 1965 2 years, 195 days
  4 Reg Downing Labor 13 May 1965 4 February 1972 6 years, 267 days
  5 Neville Wran Labor 22 February 1972 19 October 1973 1 year, 239 days
  6 Leroy Serisier Labor 3 December 1973 13 May 1976 2 years, 162 days
  7 Sir John Fuller Country 14 May 1976 1 August 1978 2 years, 79 days
  8 Max Willis Liberal 1 August 1978 20 October 1981 3 years, 80 days
  9 Lloyd Lange Liberal 20 October 1981 3 April 1984 2 years, 166 days
  10 Ted Pickering Liberal 3 April 1984 24 March 1988 3 years, 356 days
  11 Jack Hallam Labor 6 April 1988 2 May 1991 3 years, 26 days
  12 Michael Egan Labor 2 July 1991 4 April 1995 3 years, 276 days
  13 John Hannaford Liberal 11 April 1995 31 March 1999 3 years, 354 days
  14 Mike Gallacher Liberal 31 March 1999 4 March 2011 11 years, 338 days
  15 Tony Kelly Labor 8 April 2011 6 June 2011 59 days
  16 Luke Foley Labor 14 June 2011 8 April 2015 3 years, 298 days
  17 Adam Searle Labor 8 April 2015 Incumbent 5 years, 293 days
Source:Parliament of New South Wales.[2]

Notes
  1. Manning refused the role of 'official' Leader of the Opposition, when offered to him, owing to his beliefs in a non-partisan Legislative Council. Nevertheless he was considered by his colleagues as the de facto leader of the opposition members.[5]

References
  1. "Leaders of the Opposition in the NSW Legislative Assembly, 1901 - present". Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  2. "Leaders of the Opposition in the NSW Legislative Council". Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  3. Martin, Lisa (29 June 2019). "Jodi McKay elected New South Wales Labor leader after tense meeting". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  4. "The Hon Adam Searle, MLC". Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  5. Ward, John M. "Manning, Sir Henry Edward (1877–1963)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 28 June 2020 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.

See also
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