List of premiers of Queensland by age

This is a list of Premiers of Queensland by age, including when they were born, what age they were when they were appointed premier, what age were they when they left the office and the age at which they died, or their current age as of 31 January 2021 if they are still alive. The table can be sorted by each different category.

Living as of 31 January 2021
Premier Date of birth Premier
Russell Cooper (1941-02-04) 4 February 1941 1989
Mike Ahern (1942-06-02) 2 June 1942 1987–1989
Peter Beattie (1952-11-18) 18 November 1952 1998–2007
Rob Borbidge (1954-08-12) 12 August 1954 1996–1998
Anna Bligh (1960-07-14) 14 July 1960 2007–2012
Campbell Newman (1963-08-12) 12 August 1963 2012–2015
Annastacia Palaszczuk (1969-07-25) 25 July 1969 2015–

The date of appointment as premier is the date on which they were sworn in by the Governor for their first term. The day on which they departed office is the final day of their final term. This is either the day a new premier was appointed or their date of death if they died whilst in office.

Overview

The median age of a Premier on the first day of their first term is roughly 48 years, and 240 days which falls between Russell Cooper and John Douglas. The youngest person to assume the office was Robert Herbert at 28 years and 181 days. The oldest person to assume office was Frank Cooper at 70 years and 62 days.

The oldest living former Premier is Russell Cooper, born 4 February 1941 (age 79 years, 362 days). The youngest living former Premier is Campbell Newman, born 12 August 1963, (age 57 years, 172 days). The youngest living Premier is the incumbent Annastacia Palaszczuk, born 25 July 1969, (age 51 years, 190 days).

The longest-lived Premier was Joh Bjelke-Petersen who died on 23 April 2005 at the age of 94 years and 100 days. Arthur Edward Moore was the second longest-lived Premier, aged 86 years and 332 days, 7 years and 232 days short of Bjelke-Petersen. Bjelke-Petersen surpassed Moore's lifespan on 11 December 1997. The oldest living Premier, Russell Cooper, will tie Moore if he lives to 2 January 2028, and tie Bjelke-Petersen if he lives to 15 May 2035. The shortest-lived Premier was Thomas Joseph Byrnes who died in office at the age of 37 years and 320 days on 27 September 1898.

The Premier with the longest retirement is Robert Herbert. He left office on 7 August 1866, and died 38 years and 272 days later on 6 May 1905. The Premier with the shortest retirement is James Robert Dickson, who died on 10 January 1901, 1 year and 40 days after leaving office on 1 December 1899.

# Premier Born Took office Age Left office Age Died Length of retirement Lifespan
1 Robert Herbert 12 June 1831 10 December 1859 28 years, 181 days 7 August 1866 35 years, 56 days 6 May 1905 38 years, 272 days 73 years, 328 days
2 Arthur Macalister 18 January 1818 1 February 1866 48 years, 14 days 5 June 1876 58 years, 139 days 23 March 1883 6 years, 291 days 65 years, 64 days
3 Robert Mackenzie 21 July 1811 15 August 1867 56 years, 25 days 25 November 1868 57 years, 127 days 19 September 1873 4 years, 298 days 62 years, 60 days
4 Charles Lilley 27 August 1827 25 November 1868 41 years, 90 days 2 May 1870 42 years, 248 days 20 August 1897 27 years, 110 days 69 years, 358 days
5 Arthur Hunter Palmer 28 December 1819 3 May 1870 50 years, 126 days 7 January 1874 54 years, 10 days 20 March 1898 24 years, 72 days 78 years, 82 days
6 George Thorn 12 October 1838 5 June 1876 37 years, 237 days 8 March 1877 38 years, 147 days 15 January 1905 27 years, 313 days 66 years, 95 days
7 John Douglas 6 March 1828 8 March 1877 49 years, 2 days 21 January 1879 50 years, 321 days 23 July 1904 25 years, 184 days 76 years, 139 days
8 Thomas McIlwraith 17 May 1835 21 January 1879 43 years, 249 days 20 December 1878 58 years, 163 days 17 July 1900 6 years, 263 days 65 years, 61 days
9 Samuel Griffith 21 June 1845 13 November 1883 38 years, 145 days 6 October 1885 47 years, 279 days 9 August 1920 27 years, 135 days 75 years, 49 days
10 Boyd Dunlop Morehead 24 August 1843 30 November 1888 45 years, 98 days 2 August 1894 46 years, 353 days 30 October 1905 15 years, 79 days 62 years, 67 days
11 Hugh Nelson 31 December 1833 27 October 1893 59 years, 300 days 13 April 1898 64 years, 103 days 1 January 1906 7 years, 263 days 72 years, 1 day
12 Thomas Joseph Byrnes 11 November 1860 13 April 1898 37 years, 153 days 27 September 1898[1] 37 years, 320 days 27 September 1898 N/A 37 years, 320 days
13 James Robert Dickson 30 November 1832 1 October 1898 65 years, 305 days 1 December 1899 67 years, 1 day 10 January 1901 1 year, 40 days 68 years, 41 days
14 Anderson Dawson 16 July 1863 1 December 1899 36 years, 138 days 7 December 1899 36 years, 144 days 20 July 1910 10 years, 225 days 47 years, 4 days
15 Robert Philp 28 December 1851 17 December 1899 47 years, 354 days 18 February 1908 56 years, 52 days 17 July 1922 14 years, 149 days 70 years, 201 days
16 Arthur Morgan 19 September 1856 17 September 1903 46 years, 363 days 19 January 1906 51 years, 12 days 20 December 1916 10 years, 336 days 60 years, 92 days
17 William Kidston 17 August 1849 19 January 1906 56 years, 155 days 7 February 1911 61 years, 174 days 25 October 1919 8 years, 260 days 70 years, 69 days
18 Digby Denham 25 January 1859 7 February 1911 52 years, 13 days 1 June 1915 56 years, 127 days 10 May 1944 28 years, 344 days 85 years, 106 days
19 T. J. Ryan 1 July 1876 1 June 1915 38 years, 335 days 12 April 1920 43 years, 113 days 1 August 1921 1 year, 283 days 45 years, 31 days
20 Ted Theodore 29 December 1884 22 October 1919 34 years, 297 days 26 February 1925 40 years, 59 days 9 February 1950 24 years, 348 days 65 years, 42 days
21 William Gillies 27 October 1868 26 February 1925 56 years, 122 days 22 October 1925 56 years, 360 days 9 February 1928 2 years, 110 days 59 years, 105 days
22 William McCormack 27 April 1879 22 October 1925 46 years, 178 days 21 May 1929 50 years, 24 days 21 November 1947 18 years, 184 days 68 years, 208 days
23 Arthur Edward Moore 9 February 1876 21 May 1929 53 years, 101 days 17 June 1932 56 years, 129 days 7 January 1963 30 years, 204 days 86 years, 332 days
24 William Forgan Smith 15 April 1887 17 June 1932 45 years, 63 days 16 September 1942 55 years, 154 days 25 September 1953 11 years, 9 days 66 years, 163 days
25 Frank Cooper 16 July 1872 16 September 1942 70 years, 62 days 7 March 1946 73 years, 234 days 30 November 1949 3 years, 268 days 77 years, 137 days
26 Ned Hanlon 1 October 1887 7 March 1946 58 years, 157 days 15 January 1952[1] 64 years, 106 days 15 January 1952 N/A 64 years, 106 days
27 Vince Gair 25 February 1901 17 January 1952 50 years, 326 days 12 August 1957 56 years, 168 days 11 November 1980 23 years, 91 days 79 years, 260 days
28 Frank Nicklin 6 August 1895 12 August 1957 62 years, 6 days 17 January 1968 72 years, 164 days 29 January 1978 10 years, 12 days 82 years, 176 days
29 Jack Pizzey 2 February 1911 17 January 1968 56 years, 349 days 21 July 1968[1] 57 years, 151 days 21 July 1968 N/A 57 years, 170 days
30 Gordon Chalk 16 May 1913 1 August 1968 55 years, 77 days 8 August 1968 55 years, 84 days 26 April 1991 22 years, 268 days 77 years, 345 days
31 Joh Bjelke-Petersen 13 January 1911 13 January 1911 57 years, 208 days 1 December 1987 76 years, 322 days 23 April 2005 17 years, 143 days 94 years, 100 days
32 Mike Ahern 2 June 1942 1 December 1987 45 years, 182 days 25 September 1989 47 years, 115 days 31 years, 128 days 78 years, 243 days
33 Russell Cooper 4 February 1941 25 September 1989 48 years, 233 days 7 December 1989 48 years, 306 days 31 years, 55 days 79 years, 362 days
34 Wayne Goss 26 February 1951 7 December 1989 38 years, 284 days 19 February 1996 44 years, 358 days 10 November 2014 18 years, 264 days 63 years, 257 days
35 Rob Borbidge 12 August 1954 19 February 1996 41 years, 191 days 20 June 1998 43 years, 312 days 22 years, 225 days 66 years, 172 days
36 Peter Beattie 18 November 1952 20 June 1998 45 years, 214 days 13 September 2007 54 years, 299 days 13 years, 140 days 68 years, 74 days
37 Anna Bligh 14 July 1960 13 September 2007 47 years, 61 days 26 March 2012 51 years, 256 days 8 years, 311 days 60 years, 201 days
38 Campbell Newman 12 August 1963 26 March 2012 48 years, 227 days 14 February 2015 51 years, 186 days 5 years, 352 days 57 years, 172 days
39 Annastacia Palaszczuk 25 July 1969 14 February 2015 45 years, 204 days Incumbent Incumbent Incumbent 51 years, 190 days

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Oldest living premiers of Queensland

Not all premiers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 32 deceased premiers, 14 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 18 did not (including all 3 premiers who died in office, and 15 others). Joh Bjelke-Petersen became the oldest living premier when Vince Gair died in 1980 and remained so until his death in 2005, for a record 24 years and 163 days. Hugh Nelson became the oldest living premier after the death of Robert Herbert, but he survived Herbert by only 240 days.

On two occasions the oldest living premier lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the appointment of a premier who was older. Robert Herbert lost this distinction when Arthur Macalister was appointed, but when John Douglas died in 1904 Herbert regained it again until his own death in 1905 for a total period of 6 years and 340 days. Arthur Macalister lost this distinction when Robert Mackenzie was appointed, but regained it again when Mackenzie died in 1875, Consequently, Macalister too was the oldest living premier twice: first from 1866 to 1867 (from first appointment), and a second time from Mackenzie's death in 1873 until his own death in 1883 for a total period of 10 years and 15 days.

Vince Gair was the oldest to acquire this distinction at the age of 76 years, and 338 days. Gordon Chalk, who was aged 77 years, and 345 days when he died, on 26 April 1991 was the oldest premier to die without ever acquiring this distinction. Wayne Goss who was aged 63 years and 257 days when he died on 10 November 2014 is the most recent premier to die without ever acquiring this distinction.

Premier Period when oldest living premier Age Duration
Start dateEnd dateat startat end
Robert Herbert 10 December 1859 1 February 1866 28 years, 181 days 34 years, 234 days 6 years, 53 days
Arthur Macalister 1 February 1866 15 August 1867 48 years, 14 days 49 years, 209 days 1 year, 195 days
Robert Mackenzie 15 August 1867 19 September 1873 56 years, 25 days 62 years, 60 days 6 years, 35 days
Arthur Macalister 19 September 1873 23 March 1883 55 years, 244 days 65 years, 64 days 9 years, 185 days
Arthur Hunter Palmer 23 March 1883 20 March 1898 63 years, 85 days 78 years, 82 days 14 years, 362 days
John Douglas 20 March 1898 23 July 1904 70 years, 14 days 76 years, 139 days 6 years, 125 days
Robert Herbert 23 July 1904 6 May 1905 73 years, 41 days 73 years, 328 days 287 days
Hugh Nelson 6 May 1905 1 January 1906 71 years, 126 days 72 years, 1 day 240 days
Samuel Griffith 1 January 1906 9 August 1920 60 years, 194 days 75 years, 49 days 14 years, 221 days
Robert Philp 9 August 1920 17 July 1922 68 years, 225 days 70 years, 201 days 1 year, 342 days
Digby Denham 17 July 1922 10 May 1944 63 years, 173 days 85 years, 106 days 21 years, 298 days
Frank Cooper 10 May 1944 30 November 1949 71 years, 299 days 77 years, 137 days 5 years, 204 days
Arthur Edward Moore 30 November 1949 7 January 1963 73 years, 294 days 86 years, 332 days 13 years, 38 days
Frank Nicklin 7 January 1963 29 January 1978 67 years, 154 days 82 years, 176 days 15 years, 22 days
Vince Gair 29 January 1978 11 November 1980 76 years, 338 days 79 years, 260 days 2 years, 287 days
Joh Bjelke-Petersen 11 November 1980 23 April 2005 69 years, 303 days 94 years, 100 days 24 years, 163 days
Russell Cooper 23 April 2005 Current oldest living premier 64 years, 78 days Current oldest living premier 15 years, 283 days
PremierStart dateEnd dateAge at startAge at endDuration

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See also

References
  1. Died in office on this date.
  2. Updated daily according to UTC.
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