Deputy Premier of Victoria

Deputy Premier of Victoria
Victorian Coat of arms
Flag of Victoria
Incumbent James Merlino since 4 December 2014
Department of Premier and Cabinet
Style	The Honourable
Member of	Parliament Cabinet Executive Council
Reports to	Premier of Victoria
Seat	1 Treasury Place, Melbourne
Nominator	Premier of Victoria
Appointer	Governor of Victoria on the advice of the premier
Term length	At the Governor's pleasure contingent on serving as deputy leader of party or coalition commanding a majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly
Formation	19 May 1932
First holder	Robert Menzies

The deputy premier of Victoria is the second-most senior officer in the Government of Victoria. The deputy premier position was created in May 1932, with Robert Menzies being the first person to hold the position. The deputy premier is appointed by the Governor on the advice of the premier. The deputy premier is usually also a minister in the government.

When the Labor Party forms government, the deputy leader of the Labor parliamentary party typically becomes the deputy premier. The same was the case when the Liberal Party formed government on its own. When the Liberal-National coalition is in government, the deputy premier is usually the leader of the junior coalition partner, the Nationals (or its predecessor, the Country Party). The current deputy premier is James Merlino of the Labor Party, who has held the position since 4 December 2014.

Duties[]

The duties of the deputy premier are to act on behalf of the premier in his or her absence overseas or on leave. The deputy premier has always been a member of the Cabinet, and has always held at least one substantive portfolio (It would be technically possible for a minister to hold only the portfolio of Deputy Premier, but this has never happened).

If the premier were to die, become incapacitated or resign, the Governor would normally appoint the deputy premier as acting Premier. If the governing or majority party had not yet elected a new leader, that appointment would be on an interim basis. Should a different leader emerge, that person would then be appointed Premier.

List of deputy premiers of Victoria[]

No.		Name	Portrait	Term of office		Affiliation
	1	Robert Menzies		19 May 1932	31 July 1934	Nationalist
	2	Ian Macfarlan		31 July 1934	12 March 1935	Nationalist
	3	Albert Dunstan		15 March 1935	20 March 1935	Country
	4	Wilfrid Kent Hughes		20 March 1935	2 April 1935	Nationalist
	5	Murray Bourchier		2 April 1935	24 June 1936	Country
	6	Francis Old		30 June 1936	14 October 1937	Country
	7	Albert Lind		14 October 1937	14 September 1943	Country
	8	Bert Cremean		14 September 1943	18 September 1943	Labor
	9	Thomas Hollway		18 September 1943	2 October 1945	United Australia/Liberal
	10	Thomas Maltby		2 October 1945	21 November 1945	Liberal
	11	Frank Field		21 November 1945	20 November 1947	Labor
	12	John McDonald		20 November 1947	3 December 1948	Country
	(4)	Wilfrid Kent Hughes		3 December 1948	28 October 1949	Liberal/Liberal and Country
	13	Trevor Oldham		8 November 1949	27 June 1950	Liberal and Country
	14	Keith Dodgshun		27 June 1950	28 October 1952	Country
	15	Alexander Dennett		28 October 1952	31 October 1952	Electoral Reform
	(14)	Keith Dodgshun		31 October 1952	17 December 1952	Country
	16	Bill Galvin		17 December 1952	7 June 1955	Labor
	17	Sir Arthur Rylah		7 June 1955	5 March 1971	Liberal
	18	Rupert Hamer		21 April 1971	23 August 1972	Liberal
	19	Lindsay Thompson		23 August 1972	5 June 1981	Liberal
	20	Bill Borthwick		5 June 1981	8 April 1982	Liberal
	21	Robert Fordham		8 April 1982	31 January 1989	Labor
	22	Joan Kirner		7 February 1989	10 August 1990	Labor
	23	Jim Kennan		10 August 1990	6 October 1992	Labor
	24	Pat McNamara		6 October 1992	21 October 1999	National
	25	John Thwaites		21 October 1999	30 July 2007	Labor
	26	Rob Hulls		30 July 2007	2 December 2010	Labor
	27	Peter Ryan		2 December 2010	4 December 2014	National
	28	James Merlino		4 December 2014	Incumbent	Labor

Living former deputy premiers[]

As of January 2016, there are five living former deputy premiers. The most recent deputy premier to die was Joan Kirner on 1 June 2015.

Notable careers[]

Among the most notable former deputy premiers of Victoria have been Robert Menzies (1932–1934) who went on to become the longest serving Prime Minister of Australia. One of Menzies' federal ministers was Wilfrid Kent Hughes who like Menzies had served as Deputy Premier of Victoria prior to switching to federal politics. Others include Albert Dunstan (1935) who subsequently became Premier for a then record of ten years, Rupert Hamer (1971–1972) who later became a long serving premier, Thomas Hollway (1943–1945) who was Premier on three occasions and Joan Kirner became the first female deputy premier in 1989 before becoming the first female premier in 1990.

See also[]

• Premier of Victoria
• Government of Victoria

References[]