Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent
John Pesutto
since 8 December 2022
Term lengthWhile leader of the largest political party not in government
Inaugural holderGeorge Prendergast
Formation1904
DeputyPeter Walsh

The Leader of His Majesty's Opposition in Victoria is the leader of the largest political party in parliament but not in government. They are always a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Prior to 1904, opposition to the government of the day was less organised. Thus, the Victorian Parliamentary Record does not designate Leaders of the Opposition before then. 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.

The office is currently held by John Pesutto after his election to the position of leader of the Liberal Party in December 2022.

List of leaders of the opposition in Victoria

This is an list of leaders of the opposition in Victoria.[1]

No. Name Portrait Party Constituency Term of office Tenure Elections Premier
  1 George Prendergast Labor North Melbourne 7 June 1904 17 September 1913 9 years, 102 days 1904   Bent
1904–1909
1907
1908
1911   Murray
1909–1912
  Watt
1912–1913
2 George Elmslie[2] Labor Albert Park 17 September 1913 9 December 1913 83 days
3 William Watt Commonwealth Liberal Essendon 9 December 1913 22 December 1913 13 days Elmslie
1913
(2) George Elmslie[2] Labor Albert Park 22 December 1913 11 May 1918 4 years, 140 days   Watt
1913–1914
1914   Peacock
1914–1917
1917   Bowser
1917–1918
  Lawson
1918–1924
(1) George Prendergast[3] Labor North Melbourne 18 June 1918 18 July 1924 6 years, 30 days 1920
1921
1924   Peacock
1924
4 Alexander Peacock Nationalist Allandale 18 July 1924 18 November 1924 123 days Prendergast
1924
(1) George Prendergast Labor North Melbourne 18 November 1924 14 April 1926 1 year, 147 days Allan
1924–1927
5 Edmond Hogan[4] Labor Warrenheip 14 April 1926 20 May 1927 1 year, 36 days 1927
6 William McPherson Nationalist Hawthorn 20 May 1927 22 November 1928 1 year, 186 days Hogan
1927–1928
(5) Edmond Hogan Labor Warrenheip and Grenville 22 November 1928 12 December 1929 1 year, 20 days 1929 McPherson
1928–1929
(6) William McPherson Nationalist Hawthorn 12 December 1929 3 September 1930 265 days Hogan
1929–1932
7 Stanley Argyle Nationalist Toorak 3 September 1930 19 May 1932 1 year, 259 days
United Australia 1932
8 Tom Tunnecliffe Labor Collingwood 13 July 1932 2 April 1935 2 years, 263 days 1935 Argyle
1932–1935
(7) Stanley Argyle United Australia Toorak 2 April 1935 23 November 1940 5 years, 235 days 1937 Dunstan
1935–1943
1940
9 Thomas Hollway United Australia Ballarat 23 November 1940 14 September 1943 2 years, 295 days 1943
10 Albert Dunstan United Country Korong and Eaglehawk 14 September 1943 18 September 1943 4 days Cain
1943
11 John Cain Labor Northcote 18 September 1943 21 November 1945 2 years, 64 days Dunstan
1943–1945
1945 Macfarlan
1945
12 John McDonald United Country Shepparton 21 November 1945 20 November 1947 1 year, 364 days 1947 Cain
1945–1947
(11) John Cain Labor Northcote 20 November 1947 7 December 1948 1 year, 17 days Hollway
1947–1950
(12) John McDonald Country Shepparton 7 December 1948 27 June 1950 1 year, 202 days 1950
(9) Thomas Hollway Liberal and Country Ballarat 27 June 1950 5 December 1951 1 year, 161 days McDonald
1950–1952
13 Les Norman Liberal and Country Glen Iris 5 December 1951 23 July 1952 231 days
(11) John Cain Labor Northcote 23 July 1952 17 December 1952 147 days
Hollway
1952
1952 McDonald
1952
14 Trevor Oldham Liberal and Country Malvern 17 December 1952 2 May 1953 136 days Cain
1952–1955
15 Henry Bolte Liberal and Country Hampden 3 June 1953 7 June 1955 2 years, 4 days 1955
(11) John Cain Labor Northcote 8 June 1955 4 August 1957 2 years, 57 days Bolte
1955–1972
16 Ernie Shepherd Labor Ascot Vale
Footscray
20 August 1957 12 September 1958[5] 1 year, 23 days 1958
17 Clive Stoneham Labor Midlands 7 October 1958 15 May 1967[6] 8 years, 220 days 1961
1964
1967
18 Clyde Holding Labor Richmond 15 May 1967 29 June 1977 10 years, 45 days 1970
1973 Hamer
1972–1981
1976
19 Frank Wilkes Labor Northcote 29 June 1977 9 September 1981[6] 4 years, 72 days 1979
Thompson
1981–1982
20 John Cain Labor Bundoora 9 September 1981 8 April 1982 211 days 1982
21 Lindsay Thompson Liberal Malvern 8 April 1982 5 November 1982 211 days Cain
1982–1990
22 Jeff Kennett Liberal Burwood 5 November 1982 23 May 1989 6 years, 199 days 1985
1988
23 Alan Brown Liberal Gippsland West 23 May 1989 23 April 1991 1 year, 335 days
Kirner
1990–1992
(22) Jeff Kennett Liberal Burwood 23 April 1991 6 October 1992 1 year, 166 days 1992
24 Joan Kirner Labor Williamstown 6 October 1992 22 March 1993 167 days Kennett
1992–1999
25 Jim Kennan Labor Broadmeadows 22 March 1993 29 June 1993 99 days
26 John Brumby Labor Broadmeadows 14 July 1993 22 March 1999 5 years, 251 days 1996
27 Steve Bracks Labor Williamstown 22 March 1999 20 October 1999 212 days 1999
(22) Jeff Kennett Liberal Burwood 20 October 1999 26 October 1999 6 days Bracks
1999–2007
28 Denis Napthine Liberal Portland 26 October 1999 20 August 2002 2 years, 298 days
29 Robert Doyle Liberal Malvern 20 August 2002 8 May 2006 3 years, 261 days 2002
30 Ted Baillieu Liberal Hawthorn 8 May 2006 2 December 2010 4 years, 208 days 2006
2010 Brumby
2007–2010
31 Daniel Andrews Labor Mulgrave 3 December 2010 4 December 2014 4 years, 1 day Baillieu
2010–2013
2014 Napthine
2013–2014
32 Matthew Guy Liberal Bulleen 4 December 2014 6 December 2018 4 years, 2 days 2018   Andrews
2014–2023
33 Michael O'Brien Liberal Malvern 6 December 2018 7 September 2021 2 years, 275 days
(32) Matthew Guy Liberal Bulleen 7 September 2021 8 December 2022 1 year, 92 days 2022
34 John Pesutto Liberal Hawthorn 8 December 2022 Incumbent 1 year, 38 days
  Allan
2023–

References

  1. Victorian Parliament Chronology, Government of Victoria (Australia).
  2. 1 2 "VICTORIAN POLITICS". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 18 September 1913. p. 15. Retrieved 5 July 2011 via National Library of Australia.
  3. "VICTORIA'S NEW LABOUR LEADER". The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times. TAS. 19 June 1918. p. 3. Retrieved 5 July 2011 via National Library of Australia.
  4. "VICTORIAN LABOR PARTY". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 15 April 1926. p. 16. Retrieved 5 July 2011 via National Library of Australia.
  5. "New Leader For Victorian Labour". The Canberra Times. 21 August 1957. p. 11. Retrieved 16 November 2014 via National Library of Australia.
  6. 1 2 "The Sydney Morning Herald - Google News Archive Search".
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