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. There is also a leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council. The leader 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.
Leaders of the opposition in New South Wales since 1887
Political parties
Legislative Assembly No. Name Portrait Party Constituency Term of office Tenure Elections Premier Wentworth – Parkes1887–1889 George Dibbs Murrumbidgee – Sir Henry Parkes St Leonards 1889 Dibbs1889 George Dibbs Murrumbidgee – Parkes1889–1891 George Reid St Leonards 18911894 Dibbs1891–1894 Sir George Dibbs Murrumbidgee 1895 Reid1894–1899 William Lyne Hume 1898 Edmund Barton Hastings and Macleay – William Lyne Hume – George Reid Sydney-King – Lyne1899–1901 1 Tenterfield 1901 See1901–1904 2 St George – 1904 Waddell1904 3 Redfern 1907 Carruthers1904–1907 1910 Wade1907–1910 4 Gordon – McGowen1910–1913 1913 Holman1913–1920 5 Bathurst – 6 Balmain 1917 1920 7 Wollondilly – Storey1920–1921 1922 Dooley1921–1922 8 Bathurst – Fuller1922–1925 9 Sydney – 10 Wammerawa – 11 Auburn 1925 (7) Wollondilly – Lang1925–1927 12 Ryde 1927 (11) Auburn 1930 Bavin1927–1930 (12) Gordon – Lang1930–1932 – – 13 Croydon 1932 (11) Auburn 1935 Stevens1932–1939 1938 – Mair1939–1941 14 Redfern 1941 15 Albury – McKell1941–1947 – 16 Neutral Bay 1944 – (15) Albury – 17 Woollahra – 1947 McGirr1947–1952 1950 1953 Cahill1952–1959 18 Vaucluse – 19 Mosman 1956 1959 20 Collaroy – 1962 Heffron1959–1964 1965 Renshaw1964–1965 21 Castlereagh 1968 Askin1965–1975 22 Phillip 1971 1973 23 Bass Hill – – Lewis1975–1976 1976 Willis1976 24 Earlwood – Wran1976–1986 25 Fuller 1978 26 Dubbo – 27 Kirribilli 1981 28 Lane Cove – 29 Ku-ring-gai 1984 1988 Unsworth1986–1988 30 Maroubra 1991 Greiner1988–1992 1995 Fahey1992–1995 31 Willoughby – Carr1995–2005 32 Lane Cove 1999 33 Pittwater 2003 – Iemma2005–2008 34 Vaucluse 2007 35 Ku-ring-gai – – Rees2008–2009 2011 Keneally2009–2011 36 Blacktown – O'Farrell2011–2014 – Baird2014–2017 37 Legislative CouncilAuburn 2015 – Berejiklian2017–2021 38 Maroubra 2019 39 Strathfield – 40 Kogarah28 March 20232023 Perrottet2021–2023 41 Cronulla 20 November 2025 – Minns2023–present 42Vaucluse21 November 2025Incumbent– Source: Parliament of New South Wales
Timeline
Legislative Council
No. Name Portrait Party Term of office Tenure 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
28 March 2023
19
incumbent Source: Parliament of New South Wales.
Deputy leaders of the opposition Legislative Assembly The deputy leader of the opposition is a position in the New South Wales Parliament held by a second-largest political party or coalition member. The deputy leader of the opposition assists the leader of the opposition in their duties and may act as the leader of the opposition if the position becomes vacant. The position was established in New South Wales in 1986, with Peter Collins becoming the first person to hold it in its formalised capacity. Before this, the deputy leader of the opposition was largely informal, with no clear mandate or responsibilities. No. Name Portrait Party Constituency Term of office Tenure 1
WilloughbyMiddle Harbour
2
Marrickville
3
Miranda
4
Ku-ring-gai
5
Gosford
(4)
Ku-ring-gai
6
North Shore
7
Canterbury
8
Maroubra
9
Swansea
10
Londonderry
11
Hawkesbury
21 November 2025
12
Albury
Incumbent
Legislative Council The deputy leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council plays an important role in assisting the leader of the opposition in managing and leading the opposition party's activities in the upper house of the Parliament of New South Wales. The position of deputy leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council dates back to at least 1966, when James Maloney was formally recognized as the first deputy leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council according to the Alphabetical Roll of Members from the Parliament of New South Wales.Alphabetical Roll of Members of the Legislative Council of New South Wales from its reconstitution in 1934 until its reconstitution in 197. Sydney: Government Printer, [n.d.]. Accessed 23 April 2021. Maloney served in the position from 31st March 1966 to 26th April 1971. Several individuals have filled the position since then. The deputy leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council is specifically focused on supporting the opposition party's efforts, in contrast to the deputy leader of the government in the Legislative Council, who assists the leader of the government in the upper house. Despite not having a formally established date, the position of deputy leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council remains an important figure in NSW politics and an essential part of the opposition party's leadership team. No. Name Portrait Party Term of office Tenure 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Incumbent
Notes
References
See also Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party Leader of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales Opposition (Australia)