Premier of New South Wales

The premier of New South Wales is the head of government in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Government of New South Wales follows the Westminster Parliamentary System, with a Parliament of New South Wales acting as the legislature. The premier is appointed by the Governor of New South Wales, and by modern convention holds office by their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the lower house of Parliament, the Legislative Assembly.

Premier of New South Wales
Coat of arms of New South Wales
Flag of New South Wales
Incumbent Chris Minns since 28 March 2023
Premier's Department Cabinet Office
Style	The Honourable (formal) Premier (informal)
Status	Head of government
Member of	New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Reports to	Parliament
Appointer	Governor of New South Wales by convention, based on appointee's ability to command confidence in the Legislative Assembly
Term length	At the governor's pleasure contingent on the premier's ability to command confidence in the lower house of Parliament
Constituting instrument	None (constitutional convention)
Formation	6 June 1856
First holder	Stuart Donaldson
Deputy	Deputy Premier of New South Wales
Salary	$416,440[1]

Before Federation in 1901, the term "prime minister of New South Wales" was also used. "Premier" has been used more or less exclusively from 1901, to avoid confusion with the federal prime minister of Australia.^[2][3]

The current premier is Chris Minns, the leader of the New South Wales Labor Party, who assumed office on 28 March 2023. Minns defeated Dominic Perrottet at the election held on 25 March 2023, after twelve years of Liberal/National Coalition rule.^[4]

List of premiers of New South Wales

No.	Portrait	Name Electoral district (Birth–death)	Election	Term of office			Political party	Ministry	Monarch
				Term start	Term end	Time in office
1		Stuart Donaldson MLA for Sydney Hamlets (1812–1867)	1856	6 June 1856	25 August 1856	80 days	Independent	Donaldson	Victoria (1837–1901) Governor: Sir William Denison (1855–1861) Sir John Young (1861–1867) The Earl Belmore (1868–1872) Sir Hercules Robinson (1872–1879) Lord Augustus Loftus (1879–1885) The Lord Carrington (1885–1890) The Earl of Jersey (1891–1893) Sir Robert Duff (1893–1895) The Viscount Hampden (1895–1899) The Earl Beauchamp (from 1899)
2		Charles Cowper MLA for Sydney City (1807–1875)	—	26 August 1856	2 October 1856	37 days	Independent	Cowper I
3		Henry Parker MLA for Parramatta (1808–1881)	—	3 October 1856	7 September 1857	339 days	Independent	Parker
(2)		Charles Cowper MLA for Sydney City (until 1859) MLA for East Sydney (from 1859) (1807–1875)	—	7 September 1857	26 October 1859	2 years, 49 days	Independent	Cowper II
			1858
			1859
4		William Forster MLA for Queanbeyan (1818–1882)	—	27 October 1859	9 March 1860	1 year, 165 days	Independent	Forster
5		John Robertson MLA for Upper Hunter (1816–1891)	—	9 March 1860	9 January 1861	306 days	Independent	Robertson I
(2)		Charles Cowper MLA for East Sydney (1807–1875)	1860	10 January 1861	15 October 1863	2 years, 278 days	Independent	Cowper III
6		James Martin MLA for Tumut (until 1864) MLA for Monara (1864) MLA for Lachlan (from 1864) (1820–1886)	—	16 October 1863	2 February 1865	1 year, 109 days	Independent	Martin I
(2)		Charles Cowper MLA for East Sydney (1807–1875)	1864–65	3 February 1865	21 January 1866	352 days	Independent	Cowper IV
(6)		James Martin MLA for Lachlan (1820–1886)	—	22 January 1866	26 October 1868	2 years, 278 days	Independent	Martin II
(5)		John Robertson MLA for Clarence (1816–1891)	—	27 October 1868	12 January 1870	1 year, 77 days	Independent	Robertson II
(2)		Charles Cowper MLA for Liverpool Plains (1807–1875)	1869–70	13 January 1870	15 December 1870	336 days	Independent	Cowper V
(6)		James Martin MLA for East Sydney (until 1872) MLA for East Macquarie (from 1872) (1820–1886)	—	16 December 1870	13 May 1872	1 year, 149 days	Independent	Martin III
7		Henry Parkes MLA for East Sydney (1815–1896)	1872	14 May 1872	8 February 1875	2 years, 270 days	Independent	Parkes I
(5)		John Robertson MLA for West Sydney (1816–1891)	1874–75	9 February 1875	21 March 1877	2 years, 40 days	Independent	Robertson III
(7)		Henry Parkes MLA for East Sydney (1815–1896)	—	22 March 1877	16 August 1877	175 days	Independent	Parkes II
(5)		Sir John Robertson MLA for West Sydney (until November 1877) MLA for East Macquarie (from November 1877) MLA for Lachlan (from November 1877) (1816–1891)	—	17 August 1877	17 December 1877	122 days	Independent	Robertson IV
8		James Farnell MLA for St Leonards (1825–1888)	1877	18 December 1877	20 December 1878	1 year, 2 days	Independent	Farnell
(7)		Sir Henry Parkes MLA for Canterbury (until 1880) MLA for East Sydney (1880–1882) MLA for Tenterfield (from 1882) (1815–1896)	—	21 December 1878	4 January 1883	4 years, 14 days	Independent	Parkes III
			1880
9		Alexander Stuart MLA for Illawarra (1824–1886)	1882	5 January 1883	6 October 1885	2 years, 274 days	Independent	Stuart
10		George Dibbs MLA for St Leonards (until October 1885) MLA for Murrumbidgee (from October 1885) (1834–1904)	—	7 October 1885	21 December 1885	75 days	Independent	Dibbs I
			1885
(5)		Sir John Robertson MLA for Mudgee (1816–1891)	—	22 December 1885	22 February 1886	62 days	Independent	Robertson V
11		Sir Patrick Jennings MLA for The Bogan (1831–1897)	—	26 February 1886	19 January 1887	327 days	Independent	Jennings
(7)		Sir Henry Parkes MLA for St Leonards (1815–1896)	—	25 January 1887	16 January 1889	1 year, 357 days	Free Trade	Parkes IV
			1887
10		George Dibbs MLA for Murrumbidgee (1834–1904)	—	17 January 1889	7 March 1889	49 days	Protectionist	Dibbs II
(7)		Sir Henry Parkes MLA for St Leonards (1815–1896)	1889	8 March 1889	23 October 1891	2 years, 229 days	Free Trade	Parkes V
			1891
(10)		George Dibbs MLA for Murrumbidgee (1834–1904)	—	23 October 1891	2 August 1894	2 years, 283 days	Protectionist	Dibbs III
12		George Reid MLA for Sydney-King (1845–1918)	1894	3 August 1894	13 September 1899	5 years, 41 days	Free Trade	Reid
			1895
			1898
13		Sir William Lyne MLA for Hume (1844–1913)	—	14 September 1899	27 March 1901	1 year, 194 days	Protectionist	Lyne
									Edward VII (1901–1910) Governor: The Earl Beauchamp (until 1901) Sir Harry Rawson (1902–1909) The Viscount Chelmsford (from 1909)
14		Sir John See MLA for Grafton (1844–1907)	1901	28 March 1901	14 June 1904	3 years, 78 days	Progressive	See
15		Thomas Waddell MLA for Cowra (1854–1940)	—	15 June 1904	29 August 1904	75 days	Progressive	Waddell
16		Sir Joseph Carruthers MLA for St George (1857–1932)	1904	29 August 1904	1 October 1907	3 years, 33 days	Liberal Reform	Carruthers
			1907
17		Charles Wade MLA for Gordon (1863–1922)	—	2 October 1907	1 October 1910	2 years, 364 days	Liberal Reform	Wade
									George V (1910–1936) Governor: The Viscount Chelmsford (until 1913) Sir Gerald Strickland (1913–1917) Sir Walter Davidson (1918–1923) Sir Dudley de Chair (1924–1930) Sir Philip Game (1930–1935) The Lord Gowrie (from 1935)
18		James McGowen MLA for Redfern (1855–1922)	1910	21 October 1910	29 June 1913	2 years, 251 days	Labor	McGowen
19		William Holman MLA for Cootamundra (1871–1934)	—	30 June 1913	12 April 1920	6 years, 287 days	Labor	Holman I
			1913
			—				Nationalist	Holman II
			1917
20		John Storey MLA for Balmain (1869–1921)	1920	13 April 1920	5 October 1921	1 year, 175 days	Labor	Storey
21		James Dooley MLA for Bathurst (1877–1950)	—	5 October 1921	20 December 1921	76 days	Labor	Dooley I
22		Sir George Fuller MLA for Wollondilly (1861–1940)	—	20 December 1921	20 December 1921	7 hours	Nationalist	Fuller I
(21)		James Dooley MLA for Bathurst (1877–1950)	—	20 December 1921	13 April 1922	114 days	Labor	Dooley II
(22)		Sir George Fuller MLA for Wollondilly (1861–1940)	1922	13 April 1922	17 June 1925	3 years, 55 days	Nationalist	Fuller II
23		Jack Lang MLA for Parramatta (1876–1975)	1925	17 June 1925	18 October 1927	2 years, 123 days	Labor	Lang I
			—					Lang II
24		Thomas Bavin MLA for Gordon (1874–1941)	1927	18 October 1927	4 November 1930	3 years, 17 days	Nationalist	Bavin
(23)		Jack Lang MLA for Auburn (1876–1975)	1930	4 November 1930	16 May 1932	1 year, 194 days	Labor (until 1931)	Lang III
			—				Lang Labor
25		Bertram Stevens MLA for Croydon (1889–1973)	—	16 May 1932	5 August 1939	7 years, 81 days	United Australia	Stevens I
			1932
			1935					Stevens II
									Edward VIII (1936) Governor: The Lord Gowrie (until 1936) Sir David Murray Anderson (1936)
									George VI (1936–1952) Governor: The Lord Wakehurst (1937–1946) Sir John Northcott (from 1946)
			1938					Stevens III
26		Alexander Mair MLA for Albury (1889–1969)	—	5 August 1939	16 May 1941	1 year, 284 days	United Australia	Mair
27		William McKell MLA for Redfern (1891–1985)	1941	16 May 1941	6 February 1947	5 years, 266 days	Labor	McKell I
			1944					McKell II
28		Jim McGirr MLA for Bankstown (until 1950) MLA for Liverpool (from 1950) (1890–1957)	—	6 February 1947	2 April 1952	5 years, 56 days	Labor	McGirr I
			1947					McGirr II
			1950					McGirr III
									Elizabeth II (1952–2022) Governor: Sir John Northcott (until 1957) Sir Eric Woodward (1957–1965) Sir Roden Cutler (1966–1981) Sir James Rowland (1981–1989) Sir David Martin (1989–1990) Peter Sinclair (1990–1996) Gordon Samuels (1996–2001) Dame Marie Bashir (2001–2014) David Hurley (2014–2019) Margaret Beazley (from 2019)
29		Joseph Cahill MLA for Cook's River (1891–1959)	—	2 April 1952	22 October 1959	7 years, 203 days	Labor	Cahill I
			1953					Cahill II
			1956					Cahill III
			1959					Cahill IV
30		Bob Heffron MLA for Maroubra (1890–1978)	—	23 October 1959	30 April 1964	4 years, 190 days	Labor	Heffron I
			1962					Heffron II
31		Jack Renshaw MLA for Castlereagh (1909–1987)	—	30 April 1964	13 May 1965	1 year, 13 days	Labor	Renshaw
32		Sir Robert Askin MLA for Collaroy (until 1973) MLA for Pittwater (from 1973) (1907–1981)	1965	13 May 1965	3 January 1975	9 years, 235 days	Liberal	Askin I
			1968					Askin II
			—					Askin III
			1971					Askin IV
			—					Askin V
			1973					Askin VI
33		Tom Lewis MLA for Wollondilly (1922–2016)	—	3 January 1975	23 January 1976	1 year, 20 days	Liberal	Lewis I
			—					Lewis II
34		Sir Eric Willis MLA for Earlwood (1922–1999)	—	23 January 1976	14 May 1976	112 days	Liberal	Willis
35		Neville Wran MLA for Bass Hill (1926–2014)	1976	14 May 1976	4 July 1986	10 years, 21 days	Labor	Wran I
			1978					Wran II
			—					Wran III
			1981					Wran IV
			—					Wran V
			—					Wran VI
			1984					Wran VII
			—					Wran VIII
36		Barrie Unsworth MLA for Rockdale (born 1934)	—	4 July 1986	25 March 1988	1 year, 295 days	Labor	Unsworth
37		Nick Greiner MP for Ku-ring-gai (born 1947)	1988	25 March 1988	24 June 1992	4 years, 91 days	Liberal	Greiner I
			1991					Greiner II
38		John Fahey MP for Southern Highlands (1945–2020)	—	24 June 1992	4 April 1995	2 years, 284 days	Liberal	Fahey I
								Fahey II
								Fahey III
39		Bob Carr MP for Maroubra (born 1947)	1995	4 April 1995	3 August 2005	10 years, 121 days	Labor	Carr I
			—					Carr II
			1999					Carr III
			2003					Carr IV
40		Morris Iemma MP for Lakemba (born 1961)	—	3 August 2005	5 September 2008	3 years, 36 days	Labor	Iemma I
			2007					Iemma II
41		Nathan Rees MP for Toongabbie (born 1968)	—	5 September 2008	4 December 2009	1 year, 90 days	Labor	Rees
42		Kristina Keneally MP for Heffron (born 1968)	—	4 December 2009	28 March 2011	1 year, 114 days	Labor	Keneally
43		Barry O'Farrell MP for Ku-ring-gai (born 1959)	2011	28 March 2011	17 April 2014	3 years, 20 days	Liberal	O'Farrell
44		Mike Baird MP for Manly (born 1968)	—	17 April 2014	23 January 2017	2 years, 281 days	Liberal	Baird I
			2015					Baird II
45		Gladys Berejiklian MP for Willoughby (born 1970)	—	23 January 2017	5 October 2021	4 years, 255 days	Liberal	Berejiklian I
			2019					Berejiklian II
46		Dominic Perrottet MP for Epping (born 1982)	—	5 October 2021	28 March 2023	1 year, 174 days	Liberal	Perrottet I
								Perrottet II
									Charles III (2022–present) Governor: Margaret Beazley
47		Chris Minns MP for Kogarah (born 1979)	2023	28 March 2023	Incumbent	2 years, 54 days	Labor	Minns

Timeline

See also

• New South Wales portal
• Politics portal

• List of premiers of New South Wales by time in office
• Deputy Premier of New South Wales
• List of New South Wales government agencies