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. They act 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.

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. Uniquely in Australia, the Leader of the Opposition in the Tasmanian House of Assembly is entitled to the prefix “Honourable” whilst holding that office, as recognition that the person leads the alternative government of the day.

The current leader of the opposition is Josh Willie of the Labor Party. Willie was elected into the role on 20 August 2025 to replace then Labor leader Dean Winter following the party's defeat at the 2025 state election.

List of leaders of the opposition in Tasmania

No. Name PortraitTerm of Office Party Constituency Elections Premier 1 Thomas Gregson 1 November 1856 26 February 1857 Independent Richmond 1856 William Champ1856–1857 2 William Champ 26 February 1857 25 April 1857 Independent Launceston – Thomas Gregson1857 (1) Thomas Gregson 25 April 1857 July 1862 Independent Richmond – William Weston1857 – Francis Smith1857–1860 – William Weston1860–1861 1861 Thomas Chapman1861–1863 3 Charles Meredith July 1862 20 January 1863 Independent Glamorgan 1862 4 Thomas Chapman February 1863 June 1864 Independent Campbell Town – James Whyte1863–1866 5 William Dobson June 1864 24 November 1866 Independent Campbell Town 1866 (3) Charles Meredith 24 November 1866 4 November 1872 Independent KingboroughWest Devon – Sir Richard Dry1866–1869 1871 James Wilson1869–1872 6 William Giblin 4 November 1872 4 August 1873 Independent Central Hobart 1872 Frederick Innes1872–1873 7 Frederick Innes 4 August 1873 March 1875 Independent North Launceston – Alfred Kennerley1873–1876 8 Thomas Reibey August 1875 20 July 1876 Independent Westbury – (6) William Giblin 20 July 1876 June 1877 Independent Central Hobart – Thomas Reibey1876–1877 9 Philip Fysh July 1877 9 August 1877 Independent East Hobart 1877 (8) Thomas Reibey September 1877 20 December 1878 Independent Westbury – Philip Fysh1877–1878 – William Giblin1878 (6) William Giblin January 1879 30 October 1879 Independent Wellington – William Crowther1878–1879 9 Alfred Dobson October 1882 July 1885 Independent Glenorchy 1882 William Giblin1879–1884 – Adye Douglas1884–1886 (8) Thomas Reibey July 1885 August 1886 Independent Westbury 1886 – James Agnew1886–1887 10 Edward Braddon August 1886 29 March 1887 Independent West Devon – 11 Nicholas Brown July 1887 July 1889 Independent Cumberland – Philip Fysh1887–1892 12 William Burgess July 1889 August 1891 Independent West Hobart 1891 13 Henry Dobson September 1891 17 August 1892 Independent Brighton – 14 Stafford Bird 17 August 1892 February 1894 Independent Franklin 1893 Henry Dobson1892–1894 (10) Sir Edward Braddon February 1894 14 April 1894 Independent West Devon – 15 Elliott Lewis May 1894 November 1897 Independent Richmond 1897 Sir Edward Braddon1894–1899 16 Andrew Clark November 1897 May 1898 Independent Hobart – (14) Stafford Bird June 1898 12 October 1899 Independent Franklin – (10) Sir Edward Braddon 12 October 1899 29 March 1901 Free Trade West Devon 1900 Sir Elliott Lewis1899–1903 (8) Thomas Reibey May 1901 October 1901 Protectionist Westbury – 17 William Propsting October 1901 9 April 1903 Protectionist North Hobart 1903 18 Robert Patterson May 1903 March 1904 Anti-Socialist South Hobart – William Propsting1903–1904 19 John Evans March 1904 12 July 1904 Anti-Socialist Kingborough – (17) William Propsting 12 July 1904 December 1905 Protectionist North Hobart – John Evans1904–1909 20 Herbert Nicholls January 1906 January 1909 Protectionist Central Hobart 1906 21 John Earle April 1909 20 October 1909 Labor WaratahFranklin 1909 – Sir Elliott Lewis1909 (15) Sir Elliott Lewis 20 October 1909 27 October 1909 Liberal League Denison – John Earle1909 (21) John Earle 27 October 1909 6 April 1914 Labor Franklin 1912 Sir Elliott Lewis1909–1912 1913 Albert Solomon1912–1914 22 Albert Solomon 6 April 1914 5 October 1914 Liberal League Bass – John Earle1914–1916 23 Norman Ewing 5 October 1914 23 September 1915 Liberal League Franklin – 24 Sir Walter Lee 23 September 1915 15 April 1916 Liberal League Wilmot 1916 (21) John Earle 15 April 1916 2 November 1916 Labor Franklin – Sir Walter Lee1916–1922 25 Joseph Lyons 2 November 1916 25 October 1923 Labor Wilmot 1919 1922 – John Hayes1922–1923 – Sir Walter Lee1923 26 Edward Hobbs 25 October 1923 November 1923 Country Darwin – Joseph Lyons1923–1928 27 James Newton November 1923 October 1924 Nationalist Bass – (26) Edward Hobbs October 1924 29 July 1925 Country Darwin 1925 28 John McPhee 29 July 1925 15 June 1928 Nationalist Denison 1928 (25) Joseph Lyons 15 June 1928 13 September 1929 Labor Wilmot – John McPhee1928–1934 29 Benjamin Watkins 13 September 1929 15 October 1929 Labor Franklin – 30 Albert Ogilvie 15 October 1929 22 June 1934 Labor Franklin 1931 1934 Sir Walter Lee1934 (24) Sir Walter Lee 22 July 1934 July 1936 Nationalist Wilmot – Albert Ogilvie1934–1939 31 Henry Baker July 1936 22 February 1945 Nationalist Franklin 1937 – Edmund Dwyer-Gray1939 1941 Robert Cosgrove1939–1947 32 Neil Campbell 22 February 1945 6 February 1950 Liberal Wilmot 1946 – Edward Brooker1947–1948 1948 Robert Cosgrove1948–1958 33 Reginald Townley 6 February 1950 26 June 1956 Liberal Denison 1950 1955 34 Tim Jackson 26 June 1956 19 March 1960 Liberal Franklin 1956 1959 Eric Reece1958–1969 35 Angus Bethune 19 March 1960 27 May 1969 Liberal Wilmot 1964 1969 36 Eric Reece 27 May 1969 4 May 1972 Labor Braddon 1972 Angus Bethune1969–1972 37 Max Bingham 4 May 1972 7 August 1979 Liberal Denison – Eric Reece1972–1975 1976 Bill Neilson1975–1977 1979 Doug Lowe1977–1981 38 Geoff Pearsall 7 August 1979 10 November 1981 Liberal Franklin – 39 Robin Gray 10 November 1981 27 May 1982 Liberal Wilmot 1982 Harry Holgate1981–1982 40 Ken Wriedt 27 May 1982 19 February 1986 Labor Franklin 1986 Robin Gray1982–1989 41 Neil Batt 19 February 1986 14 December 1988 Labor Denison – 42 Michael Field 14 December 1988 29 June 1989 Labor Braddon 1989 (39) Robin Gray 29 June 1989 17 December 1991 Liberal Lyons – Michael Field1989–1992 43 Ray Groom 17 December 1991 17 February 1992 Liberal Denison 1992 (42) Michael Field 17 February 1992 14 April 1997 Labor Braddon 1996 Ray Groom1992–1996 – Tony Rundle1996–1998 44 Jim Bacon 14 April 1997 14 September 1998 Labor Denison 1998 45 Tony Rundle 14 September 1998 2 July 1999 Liberal Braddon – Jim Bacon1998–2004 46 Sue Napier 2 July 1999 20 August 2001 Liberal Bass – 47 Bob Cheek 20 August 2001 6 August 2002 Liberal Denison 2002 48 Rene Hidding 6 August 2002 30 March 2006 Liberal Lyons – 2006 Paul Lennon2004–2008 49 Will Hodgman 30 March 2006 31 March 2014 Liberal Franklin – 2010 David Bartlett2008–2011 2014 Lara Giddings2011–2014 50 Bryan Green 31 March 2014 17 March 2017 Labor Braddon – Will Hodgman2014–2020 51 Rebecca White 17 March 2017 17 May 2021 Labor Lyons 2018 2021 Peter Gutwein2020–2022 52 David O'Byrne 15 June 2021 7 July 2021 Labor Franklin – (51) Rebecca White 7 July 2021 10 April 2024 Labor Lyons – 2024 Jeremy Rockliff2022– 53 Dean Winter 10 April 2024 20 August 2025 Labor Franklin 2025 54 Josh Willie 20 August 2025 Incumbent Labor Clark –

References

External links Leaders of the Opposition (Parliament of Tasmania)