Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania)

The Leader of the Opposition in Tasmania is the title of the leader of the largest minority party in the state lower house, the Tasmanian House of Assembly. He or she acts as the public face of the opposition, leads the opposition on the floor of parliament. They thus 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. Should the opposition win an election, the Leader of the Opposition will usually be nominated to become the Premier of Tasmania.

Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent
Rebecca White
since 17 March 2017
Term lengthWhile leader of the largest political party not in government
Inaugural holderThomas Gregson
FormationNovember 1856
DeputyMichelle O'Byrne

The position of Leader of the Opposition was essentially informal throughout the nineteenth century, with formal recognition only being granted in the early twentieth century. As there was no party system until 1909, the loose ideological blocs in parliament tended to change regularly, and few people lasted in the position for more than one or two years at a time. The development of a party system gave the role greater significance, and it was subsequently given greater formal recognition, with an additional salary payment being accommodated for in 1927 and formal recognition in the parliamentary standing orders in 1937.

The current Leader of the Opposition is Rebecca White of the Labor Party. She has been in the role since 17 March 2017, having been elected unopposed after the resignation of Bryan Green.

List of Leaders of the Opposition in Tasmania
No. Name Portrait Term of office Party
1 Thomas Gregson November 1856 February 1857
2 William Champ February 1857 April 1857
(1) Thomas Gregson April 1857 July 1862
3 Charles Meredith July 1862 January 1863
4 Thomas Chapman February 1863 June 1864
5 Sir William Dobson June 1864 November 1866
(3) Charles Meredith November 1866 November 1872
6 William Giblin November 1872 August 1873
7 Frederick Innes August 1873 March 1875
8 Thomas Reibey August 1875 July 1876
(6) William Giblin July 1876 June 1877
9 Philip Fysh July 1877 August 1877
(8) Thomas Reibey September 1877 December 1878
(6) William Giblin January 1879 October 1879
9 Alfred Dobson October 1882 July 1885
(8) Thomas Reibey July 1885 August 1886
10 Sir Edward Braddon August 1886 March 1887
11 Nicholas Brown July 1887 July 1889
12 William Burgess July 1889 August 1891
13 Henry Dobson September 1891 August 1892
14 Stafford Bird August 1892 February 1894
(10) Sir Edward Braddon February 1894 April 1894
15 Sir Elliott Lewis May 1894 November 1897
16 Andrew Clark November 1897 May 1898
(14) Stafford Bird June 1898 October 1899
(10) Sir Edward Braddon October 1899 March 1901 Free Trade
(8) Sir Thomas Reibey May 1901 October 1901 Protectionist
17 William Propsting October 1901 April 1903 Protectionist
18 Robert Patterson May 1903 March 1904 Anti-Socialist
19 Sir John Evans March 1904 July 1904 Anti-Socialist
(17) William Propsting July 1904 December 1905 Protectionist
20 Herbert Nicholls May 1906 January 1909 Protectionist
21 John Earle June 1909 October 1909 Labor
(15) Sir Elliot Lewis October 1909 October 1909 Anti-Socialist
(21) John Earle October 1909 April 1914 Labor
22 Albert Solomon April 1914 October 1914 Liberal
23 Norman Ewing October 1914 September 1915 Liberal
24 Sir Walter Lee September 1915 April 1916 Liberal
(21) John Earle April 1916 November 1916 Labor
25 Joseph Lyons November 1916 October 1923 Labor
26 Edward Hobbs October 1923 November 1923 Country
27 James Newton November 1923 October 1924 Nationalist
(26) Edward Hobbs October 1924 July 1925 Country
28 Sir John McPhee July 1925 June 1928 Nationalist
(25) Joseph Lyons July 1928 September 1929 Labor
29 Benjamin Watkins September 1929 October 1929 Labor
30 Albert Ogilvie October 1929 June 1934 Labor
(24) Sir Walter Lee July 1934 July 1936 Nationalist
31 Henry Baker July 1936 February 1945 Nationalist
32 Neil Campbell February 1945 February 1950 Liberal
33 Reginald Townley 6 February 1950 26 June 1956 Liberal
34 Tim Jackson 26 June 1956 March 1960 Liberal
35 Sir Angus Bethune 19 March 1960 27 May 1969 Liberal
36 Eric Reece 27 May 1969 4 May 1972 Labor
37 Max Bingham 4 May 1972 7 August 1979 Liberal
38 Geoff Pearsall 7 August 1979 11 November 1981 Liberal
39 Robin Gray 11 November 1981 27 May 1982 Liberal
40 Ken Wriedt 27 May 1982 19 February 1986 Liberal
41 Neil Batt 19 February 1986 14 December 1988 Liberal
42 Michael Field 14 December 1988 29 June 1989 Labor
43 Robin Gray 29 June 1989 17 December 1991 Liberal
44 Ray Groom 17 December 1991 17 February 1992 Liberal
45 Michael Field 17 February 1992 14 April 1997 Labor
46 Jim Bacon 14 April 1997 14 September 1998 Labor
47 Tony Rundle 14 September 1998 2 July 1999 Liberal
48 Sue Napier 2 July 1999 20 August 2001 Liberal
49 Bob Cheek 20 August 2001 6 August 2002 Liberal
50 Rene Hidding 6 August 2002 30 March 2006 Liberal
51 Will Hodgman 30 March 2006 31 March 2014 Liberal
52 Bryan Green 31 March 2014 17 March 2017 Labor
53 Rebecca White 17 March 2017 Incumbent Labor
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