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Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania)

Australian politician

Summary

Australian politician

FieldValue
postLeader of the Opposition
termlengthWhile leader of the largest political party not in government
inauguralThomas Gregson
formationNovember 1856
deputyJanie Finlay
incumbentJosh Willie
incumbentsince20 August 2025
imageJosh willie spirits photo headshot.jpg

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 former Labor leader Dean Winter following the party's defeat at the 2025 state election.

List of leaders of the opposition in Tasmania

No.NamePortraitTerm of OfficePartyConstituencyElectionsPremierIndependent politician}};"1Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"2Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"(1)Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"3Independent politician}};"4Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"5Independent politician}};"(3)Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"6Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"7Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"8Independent politician}};"(6)Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"9Independent politician}};"(8)Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"(6)Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"9Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"(8)Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"10Independent politician}};"11Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"12Independent politician}};"13Independent politician}};"14Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"(10)Independent politician}};"15Independent politician}};"Independent politician}};"16Independent politician}};"(14)Free Trade Party}};"(10)Independent politician}};"Protectionist Party}};"(8)Protectionist Party}};"17Free Trade Party}};"18Protectionist Party}};"Free Trade Party}};"19Protectionist Party}};"(17)Free Trade Party}};"Protectionist Party}};"20Australian Labor Party}};"21Tasmanian Liberal League}};"Tasmanian Liberal League}};"(15)Australian Labor Party}};"Australian Labor Party}};"(21)Tasmanian Liberal League}};"Tasmanian Liberal League}};"Tasmanian Liberal League}};"22Australian Labor Party}};"Tasmanian Liberal League}};"23Tasmanian Liberal League}};"24Australian Labor Party}};"(21)Tasmanian Liberal League}};"Australian Labor Party}};"25Nationalist Party of Australia}};"Nationalist Party of Australia}};"Nationalist Party of Australia}};"National Party of Australia}};"26Australian Labor Party}};"Nationalist Party of Australia}};"27National Party of Australia}};"(26)Nationalist Party of Australia}};"28Australian Labor Party}};"(25)Nationalist Party of Australia}};"Australian Labor Party}};"29Australian Labor Party}};"30Nationalist Party of Australia}};"Nationalist Party of Australia}};"(24)Australian Labor Party}};"Nationalist Party of Australia}};"31Australian Labor Party}};"Australian Labor Party}};"Liberal Party of Australia}};"32Australian Labor Party}};"Australian Labor Party}};"Liberal Party of Australia}};"33Liberal Party of Australia}};"34Australian Labor Party}};"Liberal Party of Australia}};"35Australian Labor Party}};"36Liberal Party of Australia}};"Liberal Party of Australia}};"37Australian Labor Party}};"Australian Labor Party}};"Australian Labor Party}};"Liberal Party of Australia}};"38Liberal Party of Australia}};"39Australian Labor Party}};"Australian Labor Party}};"40Liberal Party of Australia}};"Australian Labor Party}};"41Australian Labor Party}};"42Liberal Party of Australia}};"(39)Australian Labor Party}};"Liberal Party of Australia}};"43Australian Labor Party}};"(42)Liberal Party of Australia}};"Liberal Party of Australia}};"Australian Labor Party}};"44Liberal Party of Australia}};"45Australian Labor Party}};"Liberal Party of Australia}};"46Liberal Party of Australia}};"47Liberal Party of Australia}};"48Australian Labor Party}};"Liberal Party of Australia}};"49Australian Labor Party}};"Australian Labor Party}};"Australian Labor Party}};"50Liberal Party of Australia}};"Australian Labor Party}};"51Liberal Party of Australia}};"Australian Labor Party}};"52Australian Labor Party}};"(51)Liberal Party of Australia}};"Australian Labor Party}};"53Australian Labor Party}};"54
Thomas Gregson[[File:Thomas Gregson.jpg75px]]1 November 185626 February 1857IndependentRichmond1856[[File:William-Champ-1856.jpg75px]]
William Champ
1856–1857
William Champ[[File:WTN Champ.jpg75px]]26 February 185725 April 1857IndependentLaunceston–[[File:Thomas Gregson.jpg75px]]
Thomas Gregson
1857
Thomas Gregson[[File:Thomas Gregson.jpg75px]]25 April 1857July 1862IndependentRichmond–[[File:William Weston Premier.jpg75px]]
William Weston
1857
–[[File:Sir Francis Smith.jpg75px]]
Francis Smith
1857–1860
–[[File:William Weston Premier.jpg75px]]
William Weston
1860–1861
1861[[File:Thomas Chapman.jpg75px]]
Thomas Chapman
1861–1863
Charles Meredith[[File:CharlesMeredith.png75px]]July 186220 January 1863IndependentGlamorgan1862
Thomas Chapman[[File:Thomas Chapman.jpg75px]]February 1863June 1864IndependentCampbell Town–[[File:James Whyte.jpg75px]]
James Whyte
1863–1866
William Dobson[[File:William Lambert Dobson.png75px]]June 186424 November 1866IndependentCampbell Town1866
Charles Meredith[[File:CharlesMeredith.png75px]]24 November 18664 November 1872IndependentKingborough
West Devon–[[File:Sir Richard Dry.jpg75px]]
Sir Richard Dry
1866–1869
1871[[File:James Milne Wilson.jpg75px]]
James Wilson
1869–1872
William Giblin[[File:WRGiblinsmall.jpg75px]]4 November 18724 August 1873IndependentCentral Hobart1872[[File:Frederick Innes.jpg75px]]
Frederick Innes
1872–1873
Frederick Innes[[File:Frederick Innes.jpg75px]]4 August 1873March 1875IndependentNorth Launceston–[[File:Alfred Kennerley.jpg75px]]
Alfred Kennerley
1873–1876
Thomas Reibey[[File:Thomas Reiby.jpg75px]]August 187520 July 1876IndependentWestbury–
William Giblin[[File:WRGiblinsmall.jpg75px]]20 July 1876June 1877IndependentCentral Hobart–[[File:Thomas Reiby.jpg75px]]
Thomas Reibey
1876–1877
Philip Fysh[[File:Philip Fysh 1898.jpg75px]]July 18779 August 1877IndependentEast Hobart1877
Thomas Reibey[[File:Thomas Reiby.jpg75px]]September 187720 December 1878IndependentWestbury–[[File:Philip Fysh 1898.jpg75px]]
Philip Fysh
1877–1878
–[[File:WRGiblinsmall.jpg75px]]
William Giblin
1878
William Giblin[[File:WRGiblinsmall.jpg75px]]January 187930 October 1879IndependentWellington–[[File:William Crowther.jpg75px]]
William Crowther
1878–1879
Alfred Dobson[[File:No image.png75px]]October 1882July 1885IndependentGlenorchy1882[[File:WRGiblinsmall.jpg75px]]
William Giblin
1879–1884
–[[File:AdyeDouglas.jpg75px]]
Adye Douglas
1884–1886
Thomas Reibey[[File:Thomas Reiby.jpg75px]]July 1885August 1886IndependentWestbury1886
–[[File:James Agnew.jpg75px]]
James Agnew
1886–1887
Edward Braddon[[File:Edwardbraddon.jpg75px]]August 188629 March 1887IndependentWest Devon–
Nicholas Brown[[File:Nicholas J. Brown (1898).jpg75px]]July 1887July 1889IndependentCumberland–[[File:Philip Fysh 1898.jpg75px]]
Philip Fysh
1887–1892
William Burgess[[File:No image.png75px]]July 1889August 1891IndependentWest Hobart1891
Henry Dobson[[File:Henry Dobson (1898).jpg75px]]September 189117 August 1892IndependentBrighton–
Stafford Bird[[File:Stafford Bird.jpg75px]]17 August 1892February 1894IndependentFranklin1893[[File:Henry Dobson (1898).jpg75px]]
Henry Dobson
1892–1894
Sir Edward Braddon[[File:Edwardbraddon.jpg75px]]February 189414 April 1894IndependentWest Devon–
Elliott Lewis[[File:N.E. Lewis (1898).jpg75px]]May 1894November 1897IndependentRichmond1897[[File:Edwardbraddon.jpg75px]]
Sir Edward Braddon
1894–1899
Andrew Clark[[File:Aeclark.jpg75px]]November 1897May 1898IndependentHobart–
Stafford Bird[[File:Stafford Bird.jpg75px]]June 189812 October 1899IndependentFranklin–
Sir Edward Braddon[[File:Edwardbraddon.jpg75px]]12 October 189929 March 1901Free TradeWest Devon1900[[File:N.E. Lewis (1898).jpg75px]]
Sir Elliott Lewis
1899–1903
Thomas Reibey[[File:Thomas Reiby.jpg75px]]May 1901October 1901ProtectionistWestbury–
William Propsting[[File:William Propsting.jpg75px]]October 19019 April 1903ProtectionistNorth Hobart1903
Robert Patterson[[File:No image.png75px]]May 1903March 1904Anti-SocialistSouth Hobart–[[File:William Propsting.jpg75px]]
William Propsting
1903–1904
John Evans[[File:Sir John William Evans.jpg75px]]March 190412 July 1904Anti-SocialistKingborough–
William Propsting[[File:William Propsting.jpg75px]]12 July 1904December 1905ProtectionistNorth Hobart–[[File:Sir John William Evans.jpg75px]]
John Evans
1904–1909
Herbert Nicholls[[File:No image.png75px]]January 1906January 1909ProtectionistCentral Hobart1906
John Earle[[File:John Earle (Australian politician).jpg75px]]April 190920 October 1909LaborWaratah
Franklin1909
–[[File:N.E. Lewis (1898).jpg75px]]
Sir Elliott Lewis
1909
Sir Elliott Lewis[[File:N.E. Lewis (1898).jpg75px]]20 October 190927 October 1909Liberal LeagueDenison–[[File:John Earle (Australian politician).jpg75px]]
John Earle
1909
John Earle[[File:John Earle (Australian politician).jpg75px]]27 October 19096 April 1914LaborFranklin1912[[File:N.E. Lewis (1898).jpg75px]]
Sir Elliott Lewis
1909–1912
1913[[File:Albert Edgar Solomon.jpg75px]]
Albert Solomon
1912–1914
Albert Solomon[[File:Albert Edgar Solomon.jpg75px]]6 April 19145 October 1914Liberal LeagueBass–[[File:John Earle (Australian politician).jpg75px]]
John Earle
1914–1916
Norman Ewing[[File:Norman Ewing - Swiss Studios (cropped).jpg75px]]5 October 191423 September 1915Liberal LeagueFranklin–
Sir Walter Lee[[File:Sir Walter Lee.jpg75px]]23 September 191515 April 1916Liberal LeagueWilmot1916
John Earle[[File:John Earle (Australian politician).jpg75px]]15 April 19162 November 1916LaborFranklin–[[File:Sir Walter Lee.jpg75px]]
Sir Walter Lee
1916–1922
Joseph Lyons[[File:Joseph Lyons.jpg75px]]2 November 191625 October 1923LaborWilmot1919
1922
–[[File:John Blyth Hayes.jpg75px]]
John Hayes
1922–1923
–[[File:Sir Walter Lee.jpg75px]]
Sir Walter Lee
1923
Edward Hobbs[[File:Edward Hobbs.jpg75px]]25 October 1923November 1923CountryDarwin–[[File:Joseph Lyons.jpg75px]]
Joseph Lyons
1923–1928
James Newton[[File:No image.png75px]]November 1923October 1924NationalistBass–
Edward Hobbs[[File:Edward Hobbs.jpg75px]]October 192429 July 1925CountryDarwin1925
John McPhee[[File:Sir John McPhee.jpg75px]]29 July 192515 June 1928NationalistDenison1928
Joseph Lyons[[File:Joseph Lyons.jpg75px]]15 June 192813 September 1929LaborWilmot–[[File:Sir John McPhee.jpg75px]]
John McPhee
1928–1934
Benjamin Watkins[[File:No image.png75px]]13 September 192915 October 1929LaborFranklin–
Albert Ogilvie[[File:Albert Ogilvie.jpg75px]]15 October 192922 June 1934LaborFranklin1931
1934[[File:Sir Walter Lee.jpg75px]]
Sir Walter Lee
1934
Sir Walter Lee[[File:Sir Walter Lee.jpg75px]]22 July 1934July 1936NationalistWilmot–[[File:Albert Ogilvie.jpg75px]]
Albert Ogilvie
1934–1939
Henry Baker[[File:Henry Baker.jpg75px]]July 193622 February 1945NationalistFranklin1937
–[[File:Edmund Dwyer Gray TasGovPhoto.jpg75px]]
Edmund Dwyer-Gray
1939
1941[[File:Cosgrove Sir Robert HA 355.jpg75px]]
Robert Cosgrove
1939–1947
Neil Campbell[[File:Neil Campbell.jpg75px]]22 February 19456 February 1950LiberalWilmot1946
–[[File:Edward Brooker.jpg75px]]
Edward Brooker
1947–1948
1948[[File:Cosgrove Sir Robert HA 355.jpg75px]]
Robert Cosgrove
1948–1958
Reginald Townley[[File:Reginald Townley.jpg75px]]6 February 195026 June 1956LiberalDenison1950
1955
Tim Jackson[[File:William Jackson Tasmania.jpg75px]]26 June 195619 March 1960LiberalFranklin1956
1959[[File:Eric Reece.jpg75px]]
Eric Reece
1958–1969
Angus Bethune[[File:Angus Bethune.jpg75px]]19 March 196027 May 1969LiberalWilmot1964
1969
Eric Reece[[File:Eric Reece 1973 (cropped).jpg75px]]27 May 19694 May 1972LaborBraddon1972[[File:Angus Bethune.jpg75px]]
Angus Bethune
1969–1972
Max Bingham[[File:Max Bingham 1973 (cropped).jpg75px]]4 May 19727 August 1979LiberalDenison–[[File:Eric Reece 1973 (cropped).jpg75px]]
Eric Reece
1972–1975
1976[[File:Bill Neilson 1975 (cropped).jpg75px]]
Bill Neilson
1975–1977
1979[[File:Doug Lowe premier.jpg75px]]
Doug Lowe
1977–1981
Geoff Pearsall[[File:No image.png75px]]7 August 197910 November 1981LiberalFranklin–
Robin Gray[[File:No image.png75px]]10 November 198127 May 1982LiberalWilmot1982[[File:No image.png75px]]
Harry Holgate
1981–1982
Ken Wriedt[[File:Ken Wriedt 1972 (cropped).jpg75px]]27 May 198219 February 1986LaborFranklin1986[[File:No image.png75px]]
Robin Gray
1982–1989
Neil Batt[[File:No image.png75px]]19 February 198614 December 1988LaborDenison–
Michael Field[[File:No image.png75px]]14 December 198829 June 1989LaborBraddon1989
Robin Gray[[File:No image.png75px]]29 June 198917 December 1991LiberalLyons–[[File:No image.png75px]]
Michael Field
1989–1992
Ray Groom[[File:No image.png75px]]17 December 199117 February 1992LiberalDenison1992
Michael Field[[File:No image.png75px]]17 February 199214 April 1997LaborBraddon1996[[File:No image.png75px]]
Ray Groom
1992–1996
–[[File:No image.png75px]]
Tony Rundle
1996–1998
Jim Bacon[[File:No image.png75px]]14 April 199714 September 1998LaborDenison1998
Tony Rundle[[File:No image.png75px]]14 September 19982 July 1999LiberalBraddon–[[File:No image.png75px]]
Jim Bacon
1998–2004
Sue Napier[[File:No image.png75px]]2 July 199920 August 2001LiberalBass–
Bob Cheek[[File:No image.png75px]]20 August 20016 August 2002LiberalDenison2002
Rene Hidding[[File:No image.png75px]]6 August 200230 March 2006LiberalLyons–
2006[[File:No image.png75px]]
Paul Lennon
2004–2008
Will Hodgman[[File:Will Hodgman apples cropped.jpg75px]]30 March 200631 March 2014LiberalFranklin–
2010[[File:DavidBartlettW1.JPG75px]]
David Bartlett
2008–2011
2014[[File:Lara Giddings.jpg75px]]
Lara Giddings
2011–2014
Bryan Green[[File:No image.png75px]]31 March 201417 March 2017LaborBraddon–[[File:Will Hodgman apples cropped.jpg75px]]
Will Hodgman
2014–2020
Rebecca White[[File:Rebecca White in Hobart (April 2021) (cropped) 2.jpg75px]]17 March 201717 May 2021LaborLyons2018
2021[[File:Peter Gutwein.jpg75px]]
Peter Gutwein
2020–2022
David O'Byrne[[File:DAVID O'BYRNE.jpg75px]]15 June 20217 July 2021LaborFranklin–
Rebecca White[[File:Rebecca White in Hobart (April 2021) (cropped) 2.jpg75px]]7 July 202110 April 2024LaborLyons–
2024[[File:Jeremy-Rockliff.jpg75px]]
Jeremy Rockliff
2022–
Dean Winter10 April 202420 August 2025LaborFranklin2025
Josh Willie20 August 2025IncumbentLaborClark–

References

References

  1. (20 August 2025). "Dean Winter out as Josh Willie named new leader of Tasmanian Labor Party".
Wikipedia Source

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