Premier of South Australia

Premier of South Australia
Premier of South Australia
	South Australian Coat of Arms
	Flag of South Australia
	Incumbent; Peter Malinauskas; since 21 March 2022
	Department of the Premier and Cabinet; Government of South Australia
Style	The Honourable (formal); Premier (informal);
Status	Head of Government
Member of	Parliament; National Cabinet; Cabinet; Executive Council;
Reports to	Parliament
Seat	State Administration Centre; 200 Victoria Square, Adelaide
Appointer	Governor of South Australia; by convention, based on appointee's ability to command confidence in the House of Assembly
Term length	At the Governor's pleasure; contingent on the premier's ability to command confidence in the House of Assembly
Constituting instrument	None (constitutional convention)
Formation	24 October 1856
First holder	Boyle Finniss
Deputy	Deputy Premier of South Australia
Salary	A$418,000
Website	www.premier.sa.gov.au

The premier of South Australia is the head of government in the state of South Australia, Australia. The Government of South Australia follows the Westminster system, with a Parliament of South Australia acting as the legislature. The premier is appointed by the Governor of South Australia, and by modern convention holds office by virtue of his or her ability to command the support of a majority of members of the lower house of Parliament, the House of Assembly.

Peter Malinauskas is the current premier, having served since 21 March 2022.

History

The office of premier of South Australia was established upon the commencement of responsible government with the passage of the Constitution Act 1856. The role was based upon that of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, with the premier requiring the support of a majority of the members of the lower house to remain head of government.

No parties or solid groupings would be formed until after the 1890 election, which resulted in frequent changes of the premier of South Australia. If for any reason the incumbent premier lost sufficient support through a successful motion of no confidence at any time on the floor of the house, he would tender his resignation to the Governor of South Australia, which would result in another member deemed to have the support of the House of Assembly being sworn in by the Governor as the next premier.

Informal groupings began and increased government stability occurred from the 1887 election. The United Labor Party would be formed in 1891, while the National Defence League would be formed later in the same year.

Before the 1890s when there was no formal party system in South Australia, MPs tended to have historical liberal or conservative beliefs. The liberals dominated government from the 1893 election to 1905 election with the support of the South Australian United Labor Party, with the conservatives mostly in opposition. Labor took government with the support of eight dissident liberals in 1905 when Labor won the most seats for the first time. The rise of Labor saw non-Labor politics start to merge into various party incarnations.

The two independent conservative parties, the Australasian National League (formerly National Defence League) and the Farmers and Producers Political Union merged with the Liberal and Democratic Union to become the Liberal Union in 1910. Labor formed South Australia's first majority government after winning the 1910 state election, triggering the merger. The 1910 election came two weeks after federal Labor formed Australia's first elected majority government at the 1910 federal election.

No "Country" or rural conservative parties emerged as serious long-term forces in South Australian state politics, often folding into the main non-Labor party.

List of premiers of South Australia

The first six Governors of South Australia oversaw governance from proclamation in 1836 until self-government and an elected Parliament of South Australia was enacted in the year prior to the inaugural 1857 election.

Colour key (for political parties)
Independent Liberalism Conservatism Liberal Federation/Union Liberal & Country Liberal Labor

No.	Portrait	Name Constituency (Birth–Death)	Election (Parliament)	Term of office			Political party	Ministry
No.	Portrait	Name Constituency (Birth–Death)	Election (Parliament)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party	Ministry
Colonial Government (1856–1901)
1		Boyle Finniss (1807–1893) MHA for Adelaide	1857 (1st)	24 October 1856	21 August 1857	301 days	Independent	Finniss
2		John Baker (1813–1872) Councillor	— (1st)	21 August 1857	1 September 1857	11 days	Independent	Baker
3		Robert Richard Torrens (1814–1884) MHA for Adelaide	— (1st)	1 September 1857	30 September 1857	29 days	Independent	Torrens
4		Richard Hanson (1805–1876) MHA for Adelaide	— (1st)	30 September 1857	9 May 1860	2 years, 222 days	Independent	Hanson
5		Thomas Reynolds (1818–1875) MHA for Adelaide	1860 (2nd)	9 May 1860	8 October 1861	1 year, 152 days	Independent	Reynolds (1st) Reynolds (2nd)
6		George Waterhouse (1824–1906) Councillor	— (2nd) 1862 (3rd)	8 October 1861	4 July 1863	1 year, 269 days	Independent	Waterhouse (1st) Waterhouse (2nd)
7		Francis Dutton (1818–1877) MHA for Light	— (3rd)	4 July 1863	15 July 1863	11 days	Independent	Dutton (1st)
8		Henry Ayers (1821–1897) Councillor	— (3rd)	15 July 1863	4 August 1864	1 year, 20 days	Independent	Ayers (1st) Ayers (2nd)
9		Arthur Blyth (1823–1891) MHA for Gumeracha	— (3rd)	4 August 1864	22 March 1865	230 days	Independent	Blyth (1st)
(7)		Francis Dutton	1865 (4th)	22 March 1865	20 September 1865	182 days	Independent	Dutton (2nd)
(8)		Henry Ayers	— (4th)	20 September 1865	23 October 1865	33 days	Independent	Ayers (3rd)
10	File:John Hart 2.jpeg	John Hart (1809–1873) MHA for Port Adelaide	— (4th)	23 October 1865	28 March 1866	156 days	Independent	Hart (1st)
11		James Boucaut (1831–1916) MHA for Encounter Bay	— (4th)	28 March 1866	3 May 1867	1 year, 36 days	Independent	Boucaut (1st)
(8)		Henry Ayers	— (4th) 1868 (5th)	3 May 1867	24 September 1868	1 year, 144 days	Independent	Ayers (4th)
(10)	File:John Hart 2.jpeg	John Hart MHA for Light	— (5th)	24 September 1868	13 October 1868	19 days	Independent	Hart (2nd)
(8)		Henry Ayers	— (5th)	13 October 1868	3 November 1868	21 days	Independent	Ayers (5th)
12		Henry Strangways (1832–1920) MHA for West Torrens	— (5th) 1870 (6th)	3 November 1868	30 May 1870	1 year, 208 days	Independent	Strangways (1st) Strangways (2nd)
(10)	File:John Hart 2.jpeg	John Hart MHA for The Burra	— (6th)	30 May 1870	10 November 1871	1 year, 164 days	Independent	Hart (3rd)
(9)		Arthur Blyth	— (6th) 1871 (7th)	10 November 1871	22 January 1872	73 days	Independent	Blyth (2nd)
(8)		Henry Ayers	— (7th)	22 January 1872	22 July 1873	1 year, 151 days	Independent	Ayers (6th) Ayers (7th)
(9)		Arthur Blyth	— (7th) 1875 (8th)	22 July 1873	3 June 1875	1 year, 316 days	Independent	Blyth (3rd)
(11)		James Boucaut	— (8th)	3 June 1875	6 June 1876	1 year, 3 days	Independent	Boucaut (2nd) Boucaut (3rd)
13		John Colton (1823–1902) MHA for Noarlunga	— (8th)	6 June 1876	26 October 1877	1 year, 142 days	Independent	Colton (1st)
(11)		James Boucaut	— (8th) 1878 (9th)	26 October 1877	27 September 1878	336 days	Independent	Boucaut (4th)
14		William Morgan (1828–1883) Councillor	— (9th) 1881 (10th)	27 September 1878	24 June 1881	2 years, 270 days	Independent	Morgan
15		John Bray (1842–1894) MHA for East Adelaide	— (10th) 1884 (11th)	24 June 1881	16 June 1884	2 years, 358 days	Independent	Bray
(13)		John Colton	— (11th)	16 June 1884	16 June 1885	1 year, 0 days	Independent	Colton (2nd)
16		John Downer (1843–1915) MHA for Barossa	— (11th) 1887 (12th)	16 June 1885	11 June 1887	1 year, 360 days	Independent	Downer (1st)
17		Thomas Playford (II) (1837–1915) MHA for Newcastle	— (12th)	11 June 1887	27 June 1889	2 years, 16 days	Independent	Playford II (1st)
18		John Cockburn (1850–1929) MHA for Mount Barker	— (12th) 1890 (13th)	27 June 1889	19 August 1890	1 year, 53 days	Liberalism	Cockburn
(17)		Thomas Playford (II) MHA for East Torrens	— (13th)	19 August 1890	21 June 1892	1 year, 307 days	Conservatism	Playford II (2nd)
19		Frederick Holder (1850–1909) MHA for Burra	— (13th)	21 June 1892	15 October 1892	116 days	Liberalism	Holder (1st)
(16)		John Downer	— (13th)	15 October 1892	16 June 1893	244 days	Conservatism	Downer (2nd)
20		Charles Kingston (1850–1908) MHA for West Adelaide	1893 (14th) 1896 (15th) 1899 (16th)	16 June 1893	1 December 1899	6 years, 168 days	Liberalism	Kingston
21		Vaiben Solomon (1853–1908) MHA for Northern Territory	— (16th)	1 December 1899	8 December 1899	7 days	Conservatism	Solomon
(19)		Frederick Holder	— (16th)	8 December 1899	15 May 1901	1 year, 158 days	Liberalism	Holder (2nd)
State Government (1901–present)
22		John Jenkins (1851–1923) MHA for Torrens	— (16th) 1902 (17th)	15 May 1901	1 March 1905	3 years, 290 days	Liberalism	Jenkins
23		Richard Butler (1850–1925) MHA for Barossa	— (17th)	1 March 1905	26 July 1905	147 days	Conservatism	Butler I
24		Thomas Price (1852–1909) MHA for Torrens	1905 (18th) 1906 (19th)	26 July 1905	5 June 1909	3 years, 314 days	United Labor	Price
25		Archibald Peake (1859–1920) MHA for Victoria & Albert	— (19th)	5 June 1909	3 June 1910	363 days	Liberal & Democratic Union	Peake (1st)
26		John Verran (1856–1932) MHA for Wallaroo	1910 (20th)	3 June 1910	17 February 1912	1 year, 259 days	United Labor	Verran
(25)		Archibald Peake (1859–1920)	1912 (21st)	17 February 1912	3 April 1915	3 years, 45 days	Liberal Union	Peake (2nd)
27		Crawford Vaughan (1874–1947) MHA for Sturt	1915 (22nd)	3 April 1915	14 July 1917	2 years, 102 days	United Labor	Vaughan
(25)		Archibald Peake (1859–1920)	— (22nd) 1918 (23rd)	14 July 1917	8 April 1920	2 years, 269 days	Liberal Union	Peake (3rd)
28		Henry Barwell (1877–1959) MHA for Stanley	— (23rd) 1921 (24th)	8 April 1920	16 April 1924	4 years, 8 days	Liberal Union (until 1923) Liberal Federation (from 1923)	Barwell
29		John Gunn (1884–1959) MHA for Adelaide	1924 (25th)	16 April 1924	28 August 1926	2 years, 134 days	Labor	Gunn
30		Lionel Hill (1881–1963) MHA for Port Pirie	— (25th)	28 August 1926	8 April 1927	223 days	Labor	Hill (1st)
31		Richard L. Butler (1885–1966) MHA for Wooroora	1927 (26th)	8 April 1927	17 April 1930	3 years, 9 days	Liberal Federation	Butler II (1st)
(30)		Lionel Hill (1881–1963)	1930 (27th)	17 April 1930	13 February 1933	2 years, 302 days	Labor	Hill (2nd)
32		Robert Richards (1885–1967) MHA for Wallaroo	— (27th)	13 February 1933	18 April 1933	64 days	Labor	Richards
(31)		Richard L. Butler (1885–1966)	1933 (28th) 1938 (29th)	18 April 1933	5 November 1938	5 years, 201 days	Liberal and Country League	Butler II (2nd)
33		Thomas Playford (IV) (1896–1981) MHA for Gumeracha	— (29th) 1941 (30th) 1944 (31st) 1947 (32nd) 1950 (33rd) 1953 (34th) 1956 (35th) 1959 (36th) 1962 (37th)	5 November 1938	10 March 1965	26 years, 125 days	Liberal and Country League	Playford IV (1st) Playford IV (2nd)
34		Frank Walsh (1897–1968) MHA for Edwardstown	1965 (38th)	10 March 1965	1 June 1967	2 years, 83 days	Labor	Walsh
35		Don Dunstan (1926–1999) MHA for Norwood	— (38th)	1 June 1967	17 April 1968	321 days	Labor	Dunstan (1st)
36		Steele Hall (born 1928) MHA for Gouger	1968 (39th)	17 April 1968	2 June 1970	2 years, 46 days	Liberal and Country League	Hall
(35)		Don Dunstan	1970 (40th) 1973 (41st) 1975 (42nd) 1977 (43rd)	2 June 1970	15 February 1979	8 years, 258 days	Labor	Dunstan (2nd)
37		Des Corcoran (1928–2004) MHA for Hartley	— (43rd)	15 February 1979	18 September 1979	215 days	Labor	Corcoran
38		David Tonkin (1929–2000) MHA for Bragg	1979 (44th)	18 September 1979	10 November 1982	3 years, 53 days	Liberal	Tonkin
39		John Bannon (1943–2015) MHA for Ross Smith	1982 (45th) 1985 (46th) 1989 (47th)	10 November 1982	4 September 1992	9 years, 299 days	Labor	Bannon
40		Lynn Arnold (born 1949) MHA for Ramsay	— (47th)	4 September 1992	14 December 1993	1 year, 101 days	Labor	Arnold
41		Dean Brown (born 1943) MHA for Finniss	1993 (48th)	14 December 1993	28 November 1996	2 years, 350 days	Liberal	Brown
42		John Olsen (born 1945) MHA for Kavel	— (48th) 1997 (49th)	28 November 1996	22 October 2001	4 years, 328 days	Liberal	Olsen
43		Rob Kerin (born 1954) MHA for Frome	— (49th)	22 October 2001	5 March 2002	165 days	Liberal	Kerin
44		Mike Rann (born 1953) MHA for Ramsay	2002 (50th) 2006 (51st) 2010 (52nd)	5 March 2002	21 October 2011	9 years, 230 days	Labor	Rann
45		Jay Weatherill (born 1964) MHA for Cheltenham	— (52nd) 2014 (53rd)	21 October 2011	19 March 2018	6 years, 149 days	Labor	Weatherill
46		Steven Marshall (born 1968) MHA for Dunstan	2018 (54th)	19 March 2018	21 March 2022	4 years, 2 days	Liberal	Marshall
47		Peter Malinauskas (born 1980) MHA for Croydon	2022 (55th)	21 March 2022	—	2 years, 109 days	Labor	Malinauskas

Statistics

The median age of a premier on the first day of their first term is roughly 44 years, and 285 days which falls between Francis Dutton and Lionel Hill. The youngest person to assume the office was James Boucaut at 34 years and 150 days. The oldest person to assume office was Frank Walsh at 67 years and 247 days.

The oldest living former premier is Steele Hall, born 30 November 1928 (age 95 years, 221 days). The youngest living former premier is Steven Marshall, born 21 January 1968, (age 56 years, 169 days). The youngest living premier is the incumbent Peter Malinauskas, born 14 August 1980, (age 43 years, 329 days).

The longest-lived premier is Steele Hall who is currently aged 95 years, 221 days. Henry Strangways was the second longest-lived premier, aged 87 years and 88 days. Hall surpassed Strangways' lifespan on 26 February 2016. The second oldest living premier, Dean Brown will tie Strangways' lifespan on 2 July 2030. The shortest-lived premier was John Cox Bray who died at the age of 52 years and 13 days on 13 June 1894.

Steele Hall has the distinction of having the longest retirement of any former premier, currently at 54 years, 36 days since leaving office on 2 June 1970. He surpassed the previous record, held by Henry Strangways (49 years, 256 days) on 13 February 2020. The premier with the shortest retirement is Frank Walsh, who died on 18 May 1968, 352 days after leaving office on 1 June 1967.

#	Premier	Born	Took office	Age	Left office	Age	Died	Length of retirement	Lifespan
1	B. T. Finniss	18 August 1807	24 October 1856	48 years, 67 days	21 August 1857	49 years, 3 days	24 December 1893	36 years, 125 days	85 years, 128 days
2	John Baker	28 December 1813	21 August 1857	43 years, 236 days	1 September 1857	43 years, 247 days	19 May 1872	14 years, 261 days	58 years, 143 days
3	Robert Torrens	1 July 1814	1 September 1857	43 years, 62 days	30 September 1857	43 years, 91 days	31 August 1884	26 years, 336 days	70 years, 61 days
4	Richard Hanson	6 December 1805	30 September 1857	51 years, 298 days	9 May 1860	54 years, 155 days	4 March 1876	15 years, 300 days	70 years, 89 days
5	Thomas Reynolds	27 January 1818	9 May 1860	42 years, 103 days	8 October 1861	43 years, 254 days	25 February 1875	13 years, 140 days	57 years, 29 days
6	George Waterhouse	6 April 1824	8 October 1861	37 years, 185 days	4 July 1863	39 years, 89 days	6 August 1906	43 years, 33 days	82 years, 122 days
7	Francis Dutton	18 October 1818	4 July 1863	44 years, 259 days	20 September 1865	46 years, 337 days	25 January 1877	11 years, 127 days	58 years, 99 days
8	Henry Ayers	1 May 1821	15 July 1863	42 years, 75 days	22 July 1873	52 years, 82 days	11 June 1897	23 years, 324 days	76 years, 41 days
9	Arthur Blyth	19 March 1823	4 August 1864	41 years, 138 days	3 June 1875	52 years, 76 days	7 December 1891	16 years, 187 days	68 years, 263 days
10	John Hart	25 February 1809	23 October 1865	56 years, 240 days	10 November 1871	62 years, 258 days	28 January 1873	1 year, 79 days	63 years, 338 days
11	James Boucaut	29 October 1831	28 March 1866	34 years, 150 days	19 January 1887	46 years, 333 days	1 February 1916	37 years, 127 days	84 years, 95 days
12	Henry Strangways	14 November 1832	3 November 1868	35 years, 355 days	30 May 1870	37 years, 197 days	10 February 1920	49 years, 256 days	87 years, 88 days
13	John Colton	23 September 1823	6 June 1876	52 years, 257 days	16 June 1885	61 years, 266 days	6 February 1902	16 years, 235 days	78 years, 136 days
14	William Morgan	12 September 1828	27 September 1878	50 years, 15 days	24 June 1881	52 years, 285 days	2 November 1883	2 years, 131 days	55 years, 51 days
15	John Cox Bray	31 May 1842	24 June 1881	39 years, 24 days	16 June 1884	42 years, 16 days	13 June 1894	9 years, 362 days	52 years, 13 days
16	John Downer	6 July 1843	16 June 1885	41 years, 345 days	16 June 1893	49 years, 345 days	2 August 1915	22 years, 47 days	72 years, 27 days
17	Thomas Playford II	26 November 1837	11 June 1887	49 years, 197 days	21 June 1892	54 years, 208 days	19 April 1915	22 years, 302 days	77 years, 144 days
18	John Cockburn	23 August 1850	27 June 1889	38 years, 308 days	19 August 1890	39 years, 361 days	26 November 1929	39 years, 99 days	79 years, 95 days
19	Frederick Holder	12 May 1850	21 June 1892	42 years, 40 days	15 May 1901	51 years, 3 days	23 July 1909	8 years, 69 days	59 years, 72 days
20	Charles Kingston	22 October 1850	16 June 1893	42 years, 237 days	1 December 1899	49 years, 40 days	11 May 1908	8 years, 162 days	57 years, 202 days
21	Vaiben Louis Solomon	13 May 1853	1 December 1899	46 years, 202 days	8 December 1899	46 years, 209 days	20 October 1908	8 years, 317 days	55 years, 160 days
22	John Jenkins	8 September 1851	15 May 1901	49 years, 249 days	1 March 1905	53 years, 174 days	22 February 1923	17 years, 358 days	71 years, 167 days
23	Richard Butler	3 December 1850	1 March 1905	54 years, 88 days	26 July 1905	54 years, 235 days	28 April 1925	19 years, 276 days	74 years, 146 days
24	Thomas Price	19 January 1852	26 July 1905	53 years, 188 days	31 May 1909^[2]	57 years, 132 days	31 May 1909	N/A	57 years, 132 days
25	Archibald Peake	15 January 1859	5 June 1909	50 years, 141 days	6 April 1920^[2]	61 years, 82 days	6 April 1920	N/A	61 years, 82 days
26	John Verran	9 July 1856	3 June 1910	53 years, 329 days	17 February 1912	55 years, 223 days	7 June 1932	20 years, 111 days	75 years, 334 days
27	Crawford Vaughan	14 July 1874	3 April 1915	40 years, 263 days	14 July 1917	43 years, 0 days	15 December 1947	30 years, 154 days	73 years, 154 days
28	Henry Barwell	26 February 1877	8 April 1920	43 years, 42 days	16 April 1924	47 years, 50 days	30 September 1959	35 years, 167 days	82 years, 216 days
29	John Gunn	16 December 1884	16 April 1924	39 years, 122 days	28 August 1926	41 years, 255 days	27 June 1959	32 years, 303 days	74 years, 193 days
30	Lionel Hill	14 May 1881	28 August 1926	45 years, 106 days	13 February 1933	51 years, 275 days	19 March 1963	30 years, 34 days	81 years, 309 days
31	Richard Layton Butler	31 March 1885	8 April 1927	42 years, 8 days	5 November 1938	53 years, 219 days	21 January 1966	27 years, 77 days	80 years, 296 days
32	Robert Richards	31 May 1885	13 February 1933	47 years, 258 days	13 February 1933	47 years, 322 days	24 April 1967	34 years, 6 days	81 years, 328 days
33	Thomas Playford IV	5 July 1896	5 November 1938	42 years, 123 days	10 March 1965	68 years, 248 days	16 June 1981	16 years, 98 days	84 years, 346 days
34	Frank Walsh	6 July 1897	10 March 1965	67 years, 247 days	1 June 1967	69 years, 330 days	18 May 1968	352 days	70 years, 317 days
35	Don Dunstan	21 September 1926	1 June 1967	40 years, 253 days	15 February 1979	52 years, 147 days	6 February 1999	19 years, 356 days	72 years, 138 days
36	Steele Hall	30 November 1928	17 April 1968	39 years, 139 days	2 June 1970	41 years, 184 days		54 years, 36 days	95 years, 221 days
37	Des Corcoran	8 November 1928	15 February 1979	50 years, 99 days	15 February 1979	50 years, 314 days	3 January 2004	24 years, 107 days	75 years, 56 days
38	David Tonkin	20 July 1929	18 September 1979	53 years, 113 days	10 November 1982	53 years, 113 days	2 October 2000	17 years, 327 days	71 years, 329 days
39	John Bannon	7 May 1943	10 November 1982	39 years, 187 days	4 September 1992	49 years, 120 days	13 December 2015	23 years, 100 days	72 years, 220 days
40	Lynn Arnold	27 January 1949	4 September 1992	43 years, 221 days	14 December 1993	44 years, 321 days		30 years, 207 days	75 years, 163 days
41	Dean Brown	5 April 1943	14 December 1993	50 years, 253 days	28 November 1996	53 years, 237 days		27 years, 223 days	81 years, 94 days
42	John Olsen	7 June 1945	28 November 1996	51 years, 174 days	22 October 2001	56 years, 137 days		22 years, 260 days	79 years, 31 days
43	Rob Kerin	4 January 1954	22 October 2001	47 years, 291 days	5 March 2002	48 years, 60 days		22 years, 125 days	70 years, 186 days
44	Mike Rann	5 January 1953	5 March 2002	49 years, 59 days	21 October 2011	58 years, 289 days		12 years, 261 days	71 years, 185 days
45	Jay Weatherill	3 April 1964	21 October 2011	47 years, 201 days	19 March 2018	53 years, 350 days		6 years, 111 days	60 years, 96 days
46	Steven Marshall	21 January 1968	19 March 2018	50 years, 57 days	21 March 2022	54 years, 59 days		2 years, 109 days	56 years, 169 days
47	Peter Malinauskas	14 August 1980	21 March 2022	41 years, 219 days	Incumbent	Incumbent		Incumbent	43 years, 329 days

^[3]

Living former premiers

Former South Australian premiers (from left) Robert Richards, Richard L. Butler, Lionel Hill and Henry Barwell meet with then Premier Tom Playford in 1940

There are eight living former premiers, the oldest being Steele Hall (1968–70, born 1928). The most recent premier to die was John Bannon (premier 1982–1992) on 13 December 2015.

Name	Term as premier	Date of birth
Steele Hall	1968–1970	(1928-11-30) 30 November 1928 (age 95)
Lynn Arnold	1992–1993	(1949-01-27) 27 January 1949 (age 75)
Dean Brown	1993–1996	(1943-04-05) 5 April 1943 (age 81)
John Olsen	1996–2001	(1945-06-07) 7 June 1945 (age 79)
Rob Kerin	2001–2002	(1954-01-04) 4 January 1954 (age 70)
Mike Rann	2002–2011	(1953-01-05) 5 January 1953 (age 71)
Jay Weatherill	2011–2018	(1964-04-03) 3 April 1964 (age 60)
Steven Marshall	2018–2022	(1968-01-21) 21 January 1968 (age 56)

Oldest living premiers of South Australia

Not all premiers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 38 deceased premiers, 17 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 21 did not (including both premiers who died in office, and 19 others). Steele Hall has held this distinction since Des Corcoran's death on 3 January 2004, a record period of 20 years, 187 days so far. Hall surpassed the previous record held by B. T. Finniss on 1 October 2022. Robert Richards became the oldest living premier when Richard Layton Butler died in 1966, but he survived Butler by only 1 year and 93 days.

On one occasion the oldest living premier lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the appointment of a premier who was older. B. T. Finniss lost this distinction when Richard Hanson was appointed, but when Hanson died in 1876, Finniss regained it again until his own death in 1893 for a total period of 18 years and 271 days.

Henry Strangways was the oldest to acquire this distinction at the age of 83 years and 89 days. Thomas Playford II, who was aged 77 years and 144 days when he died, on 19 April 1915 was the oldest premier to die without ever acquiring this distinction. John Bannon who died on 13 December 2015 aged 72 years and 220 days is the most recent premier to die without ever acquiring this distinction.

Premier	Period when oldest living premier		Age		Duration
Premier	Start date	End date	at start	at end	Duration
B. T. Finniss	24 October 1856	30 September 1857	49 years, 67 days	50 years, 43 days	341 days
Richard Hanson	30 September 1857	4 March 1876	51 years, 298 days	70 years, 89 days	18 years, 156 days
B. T. Finniss	4 March 1876	24 December 1893	68 years, 199 days	86 years, 128 days	17 years, 295 days
Henry Ayers	24 December 1893	11 June 1897	72 years, 237 days	76 years, 41 days	3 years, 169 days
John Colton	11 June 1897	6 February 1902	73 years, 261 days	78 years, 136 days	4 years, 240 days
George Waterhouse	6 February 1902	6 August 1906	77 years, 306 days	82 years, 122 days	4 years, 181 days
James Boucaut	6 August 1906	1 February 1916	74 years, 281 days	84 years, 95 days	9 years, 179 days
Henry Strangways	1 February 1916	10 February 1920	83 years, 79 days	87 years, 88 days	4 years, 9 days
John Cockburn	10 February 1920	26 November 1929	69 years, 171 days	79 years, 95 days	9 years, 289 days
John Verran	26 November 1929	7 June 1932	73 years, 140 days	75 years, 334 days	2 years, 194 days
Crawford Vaughan	7 June 1932	25 December 1947	57 years, 329 days	73 years, 164 days	15 years, 201 days
Henry Barwell	25 December 1947	30 September 1959	70 years, 302 days	82 years, 216 days	11 years, 279 days
Lionel Hill	30 September 1959	19 March 1963	78 years, 139 days	81 years, 309 days	3 years, 170 days
Richard Layton Butler	19 March 1963	21 January 1966	77 years, 353 days	80 years, 296 days	2 years, 308 days
Robert Richards	21 January 1966	24 April 1967	80 years, 235 days	81 years, 328 days	1 year, 93 days
Thomas Playford IV	24 April 1967	16 June 1981	70 years, 293 days	84 years, 346 days	14 years, 53 days
Don Dunstan	16 June 1981	6 February 1999	54 years, 268 days	72 years, 138 days	17 years, 235 days
Des Corcoran	6 February 1999	3 January 2004	70 years, 90 days	75 years, 56 days	4 years, 331 days
Steele Hall	3 January 2004	Current oldest living premier	75 years, 34 days	Current oldest living premier	20 years, 187 days
Premier	Start date	End date	Age at start	Age at end	Duration

^[4]

Timeline

In the following timeline, the legend includes the Liberal and Democratic Union, the Liberal Union and the Liberal Federation represented as "Liberal (pre-1979)". The Liberal Party is represented as "Liberal (post-1979)" only. The grey area represents the duration of Playmander electoral malapportionment, beginning in 1936, in effect until the 1970 election.

References

^ Tyeson, Cam (1 June 2021). "Here's How Much Every State Premier Gets Paid If You Wanna Get Boomer-Tier Mad About Yr Taxes". Pedestrian. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
^ ^a ^b Died in office on this date.
^ Updated daily according to UTC.
^ Updated daily according to UTC.

Statistical Record of the Legislature 1836 – 2007

External links

[1] Tyeson, Cam (1 June 2021). "Here's How Much Every State Premier Gets Paid If You Wanna Get Boomer-Tier Mad About Yr Taxes". Pedestrian. Retrieved 26 June 2022.

[do-2] Died in office on this date.

[3] Updated daily according to UTC.

[4] Updated daily according to UTC.

[1]

[2]

[3]

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v t e Government of South Australia
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Premier of South Australia

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