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 the 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.
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.
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.
List of premiers of New South Wales
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" |
! rowspan="2" |Portrait
! rowspan="2" |Name<br><small>Electoral district<br>(Birth–death)</small>
! rowspan="2" |Election
! colspan="3" |Term of office
! rowspan="2" |Political party
! rowspan="2" |Ministry
! rowspan="2" |Monarch
|-
! width=90px|Term start
! width=90px|Term end
! width=50px|Time in office
|-
! style="background:;" | 1
|123x123px
|Stuart Donaldson<br><small>MLA for Sydney Hamlets</small><br><small>(1812–1867)</small>
|1856
|6 June<br>1856
|25 August<br>1856
|
| width="75px" |Independent
| Donaldson
| rowspan="37" style="vertical-align: top;"|Victoria<br><small>(1837–1901)</small><br><small>Governor:</small><br>
|-
! style="background:;" | 2
|134x134px
|Charles Cowper<br><small>MLA for Sydney City</small><br><small>(1807–1875)</small>
|—
|26 August<br>1856
|2 October<br>1856
|
|width=75px|Independent
|Cowper I
|-
! style="background:;" | 3
|120x120px
|Henry Parker<br><small>MLA for Parramatta</small><br><small>(1808–1881)</small>
|—
|3 October<br>1856
|7 September<br>1857
|
|Independent
|Parker
|-
! rowspan="3" style="background:;" | (2)
| rowspan="3" |134x134px
| rowspan="3" |Charles Cowper<br><small>MLA for Sydney City<br>(until 1859)<br>MLA for East Sydney<br>(from 1859)</small><br><small>(1807–1875)</small>
|—
| rowspan="3" |7 September<br>1857
| rowspan="3" |26 October<br>1859
| rowspan="3" |
| rowspan="3" |Independent
| rowspan="3" |Cowper II
|-
|1858
|-
|1859
|-
! style="background:;" | 4
|128x128px
|William Forster<br><small>MLA for Queanbeyan</small><br><small>(1818–1882)</small>
|—
|27 October<br>1859
|9 March<br>1860
|
|Independent
|Forster
|-
! style="background:;" | 5
|143x143px
|John Robertson<br><small>MLA for Upper Hunter</small><br><small>(1816–1891)</small>
|—
|9 March<br>1860
|9 January<br>1861
|
|Independent
|Robertson I
|-
! style="background:;" | (2)
|134x134px
|Charles Cowper<br><small>MLA for East Sydney</small><br><small>(1807–1875)</small>
|1860
|10 January<br>1861
|15 October<br>1863
|
|Independent
|Cowper III
|-
! style="background:;" | 6
|137x137px
|James Martin<br><small>MLA for Tumut<br>(until 1864)<br>MLA for Monara<br>(1864)<br>MLA for Lachlan<br>(from 1864)</small><br><small>(1820–1886)</small>
|—
|16 October<br>1863
|2 February<br>1865
|
|Independent
|Martin I
|-
! style="background:;" | (2)
|134x134px
|Charles Cowper<br><small>MLA for East Sydney</small><br><small>(1807–1875)</small>
|1864–65
|3 February<br>1865
|21 January<br>1866
|
|Independent
|Cowper IV
|-
! style="background:;" | (6)
|137x137px
|James Martin<br><small>MLA for Lachlan</small><br><small>(1820–1886)</small>
|—
|22 January<br>1866
|26 October<br>1868
|
|Independent
|Martin II
|-
! style="background:;" | (5)
|143x143px
|John Robertson<br><small>MLA for Clarence</small><br><small>(1816–1891)</small>
|—
|27 October<br>1868
|12 January<br>1870
|
|Independent
|Robertson II
|-
! style="background:;" | (2)
|134x134px
|Charles Cowper<br><small>MLA for Liverpool Plains</small><br><small>(1807–1875)</small>
|1869–70
|13 January<br>1870
|15 December<br>1870
|
|Independent
|Cowper V
|-
! style="background:;" | (6)
|137x137px
|James Martin<br><small>MLA for East Sydney<br>(until 1872)<br>MLA for East Macquarie<br>(from 1872)</small><br><small>(1820–1886)</small>
|—
|16 December<br>1870
|13 May<br>1872
|
|Independent
|Martin III
|-
! style="background:;" | 7
|131x131px
|Henry Parkes<br><small>MLA for East Sydney</small><br><small>(1815–1896)</small>
|1872
|14 May<br>1872
|8 February<br>1875
|
|Independent
|Parkes I
|-
! style="background:;" | (5)
|143x143px
|John Robertson<br><small>MLA for West Sydney</small><br><small>(1816–1891)</small>
|1874–75
|9 February<br>1875
|21 March<br>1877
|
|Independent
|Robertson III
|-
! style="background:;" | (7)
|131x131px
|Henry Parkes<br><small>MLA for East Sydney</small><br><small>(1815–1896)</small>
|—
|22 March<br>1877
|16 August<br>1877
|
|Independent
|Parkes II
|-
! style="background:;" | (5)
|143x143px
|Sir John Robertson<br><small>MLA for West Sydney<br>(until November 1877)<br>MLA for East Macquarie<br>(from November 1877)<br>MLA for Lachlan<br>(from November 1877)</small><br><small>(1816–1891)</small>
|—
|17 August<br>1877
|17 December<br>1877
|
|Independent
|Robertson IV
|-
! style="background:;" | 8
|119x119px
|James Farnell<br><small>MLA for St Leonards</small><br><small>(1825–1888)</small>
|1877
|18 December<br>1877
|20 December<br>1878
|
|Independent
|Farnell
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:;" | (7)
| rowspan="2" |131x131px
| rowspan="2" |Sir Henry Parkes<br><small>MLA for Canterbury<br>(until 1880)<br>MLA for East Sydney<br>(1880–1882)<br>MLA for Tenterfield<br>(from 1882)</small><br><small>(1815–1896)</small>
|—
| rowspan="2" |21 December<br>1878
| rowspan="2" |4 January<br>1883
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Independent
| rowspan="2" |Parkes III
|-
|1880
|-
! style="background:;" | 9
|121x121px
|Alexander Stuart<br><small>MLA for Illawarra</small><br><small>(1824–1886)</small>
|1882
|5 January<br>1883
|6 October<br>1885
|
|Independent
|Stuart
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:;" | 10
| rowspan="2" |120x120px
| rowspan="2" |George Dibbs<br><small>MLA for St Leonards<br>(until October 1885)<br>MLA for Murrumbidgee<br>(from October 1885)</small><br><small>(1834–1904)</small>
|—
| rowspan="2" |7 October<br>1885
| rowspan="2" |21 December<br>1885
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Independent
| rowspan="2" |Dibbs I
|-
|1885
|-
! style="background:;" | (5)
|143x143px
|Sir John Robertson<br><small>MLA for Mudgee</small><br><small>(1816–1891)</small>
|—
|22 December<br>1885
|22 February<br>1886
|
|Independent
|Robertson V
|-
! style="background:;" | 11
|122x122px
|Sir Patrick Jennings<br><small>MLA for The Bogan</small><br><small>(1831–1897)</small>
|—
|26 February<br>1886
|19 January<br>1887
|
|Independent
|Jennings
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:;" | (7)
| rowspan="2" |131x131px
| rowspan="2" |Sir Henry Parkes<br><small>MLA for St Leonards</small><br><small>(1815–1896)</small>
|—
| rowspan="2" |25 January<br>1887
| rowspan="2" |16 January<br>1889
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Free Trade
| rowspan="2" |Parkes IV
|-
|1887
|-
! style="background:; " | 10
|120x120px
|George Dibbs<small><br>MLA for Murrumbidgee</small><br><small>(1834–1904)</small>
|—
|17 January<br>1889
|7 March<br>1889
|
|Protectionist
|Dibbs II
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:;" | (7)
| rowspan="2" |131x131px
| rowspan="2" |Sir Henry Parkes<br><small>MLA for St Leonards</small><br><small>(1815–1896)</small>
|1889
| rowspan="2" |8 March<br>1889
| rowspan="2" |23 October<br>1891
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Free Trade
| rowspan="2" |Parkes V
|-
|1891
|-
! style="background:; " | (10)
|120x120px
|George Dibbs<small><br>MLA for Murrumbidgee</small><br><small>(1834–1904)</small>
|—
|23 October<br>1891
|2 August<br>1894
|
|Protectionist
|Dibbs III
|-
! rowspan="3" style="background:;" | 12
| rowspan="3" |143x143px
| rowspan="3" |George Reid<small><br>MLA for Sydney-King</small><br><small>(1845–1918)</small>
|1894
| rowspan="3" |3 August<br>1894
| rowspan="3" |13 September<br>1899
| rowspan="3" |
| rowspan="3" |Free Trade
| rowspan="3" |Reid
|-
|1895
|-
|1898
|-style="height:61px"
! rowspan="2" style="background:; " | 13
| rowspan="2" |123x123px
| rowspan="2" |Sir William Lyne<small><br>MLA for Hume</small><br><small>(1844–1913)</small>
| rowspan="2" |—
| rowspan="2" |14 September<br>1899
| rowspan="2" |27 March<br>1901
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Protectionist
| rowspan="2" |Lyne
|-
| rowspan="6" style="vertical-align: top;"|Edward VII<br><small>(1901–1910)</small><br><small>Governor:</small><br>
|-
! style="background:#9966CC; " | 14
|138x138px
|Sir John See<small><br>MLA for Grafton</small><br><small>(1844–1907)</small>
|1901
|28 March<br>1901
|14 June<br>1904
|
|Progressive
|See
|-
! style="background:#9966CC; " | 15
|115x115px
|Thomas Waddell<small><br>MLA for Cowra</small><br><small>(1854–1940)</small>
|—
|15 June<br>1904
|29 August<br>1904
|
|Progressive
|Waddell
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:#00CED1;" | 16
| rowspan="2" |129x129px
| rowspan="2" |Sir Joseph Carruthers<small><br>MLA for St George</small><br><small>(1857–1932)</small>
|1904
| rowspan="2" |29 August<br>1904
| rowspan="2" |1 October<br>1907
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Liberal Reform
| rowspan="2" |Carruthers
|-
|1907
|-style="height:60px"
! rowspan="2" style="background:#00CED1;" | 17
| rowspan="2" |120x120px
| rowspan="2" |Charles Wade<small><br>MLA for Gordon</small><br><small>(1863–1922)</small>
| rowspan="2" |—
| rowspan="2" |2 October<br>1907
| rowspan="2" |1 October<br>1910
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Liberal Reform
| rowspan="2" |Wade
|-
| rowspan="19" style="vertical-align: top;"|George V<br><small>(1910–1936)</small><br><small>Governor:</small><br>
|-
! style="background:; " | 18
|142x142px
|James McGowen<small><br>MLA for Redfern</small><br><small>(1855–1922)</small>
|1910
|21 October<br>1910
|29 June<br>1913
|
|Labor
|McGowen
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:; " | 19
| rowspan="4" |140x140px
| rowspan="4" |William Holman<small><br>MLA for Cootamundra</small><br><small>(1871–1934)</small>
|—
| rowspan="4" |30 June<br>1913
| rowspan="4" |12 April<br>1920
| rowspan="4" |
| rowspan="2" |Labor
| rowspan="2" |Holman I
|-
|1913
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:; color:white;" |
|—
| rowspan="2" |Nationalist
| rowspan="2" |Holman II
|-
|1917
|-
! style="background:; " | 20
|145x145px
|John Storey<small><br>MLA for Balmain</small><br><small>(1869–1921)</small>
|1920
|13 April<br>1920
|5 October<br>1921
|
|Labor
|Storey
|-
! style="background:; " | 21
|125x125px
|James Dooley<small><br>MLA for Bathurst</small><br><small>(1877–1950)</small>
|—
|5 October<br>1921
|20 December<br>1921
|
|Labor
|Dooley I
|-
! style="background:; | 22
|140x140px
|Sir George Fuller<small><br>MLA for Wollondilly</small><br><small>(1861–1940)</small>
|—
|20 December<br>1921
|20 December<br>1921
|7 hours
|Nationalist
|Fuller I
|-
! style="background:; " | (21)
|125x125px
|James Dooley<small><br>MLA for Bathurst</small><br><small>(1877–1950)</small>
|—
|20 December<br>1921
|13 April<br>1922
|
|Labor
|Dooley II
|-
! style="background:;" | (22)
|140x140px
|Sir George Fuller<small><br>MLA for Wollondilly</small><br><small>(1861–1940)</small>
|1922
|13 April<br>1922
|17 June<br>1925
|
|Nationalist
|Fuller II
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:;" | 23
| rowspan="2" |140x140px
| rowspan="2" |Jack Lang<small><br>MLA for Parramatta</small><br><small>(1876–1975)</small>
|1925
| rowspan="2" |17 June<br>1925
| rowspan="2" |18 October<br>1927
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Labor
|Lang I
|-
|—
|Lang II
|-
! style="background:;" | 24
|141x141px
|Thomas Bavin<small><br>MLA for Gordon</small><br><small>(1874–1941)</small>
|1927
|18 October<br>1927
|4 November<br>1930
|
|Nationalist
|Bavin
|-
! style="background:; " | (23)
| rowspan="2" |140x140px
| rowspan="2" |Jack Lang<small><br>MLA for Auburn</small><br><small>(1876–1975)</small>
|1930
| rowspan="2" |4 November<br>1930
| rowspan="2" |16 May<br>1932
| rowspan="2" |
|Labor<small><br>(until 1931)</small>
| rowspan="2" |Lang III
|-
! style="background:; |
|—
|Lang Labor
|-
! rowspan="6" style="background:#00008B; color:white;" | 25
| rowspan="6" |140x140px
| rowspan="6" |Bertram Stevens<small><br>MLA for Croydon</small><br><small>(1889–1973)</small>
|—
| rowspan="6" |16 May<br>1932
| rowspan="6" |5 August<br>1939
| rowspan="6" |
| rowspan="6" |United Australia
| rowspan="2" |Stevens I
|-
|1932
|-style="height:25px"
| rowspan="3" |1935
| rowspan="3" |Stevens II
|-
|style="vertical-align: top;"|Edward VIII<br><small>(1936)</small><br><small>Governor:</small><br>
|-style="height:25px"
| rowspan="8" style="vertical-align: top;"|George VI<br><small>(1936–1952)</small><br><small>Governor:</small><br>
|-
|1938
|Stevens III
|-
! style="background:#00008B; color:white;" | 26
|140x140px
|Alexander Mair<small><br>MLA for Albury</small><br><small>(1889–1969)</small>
|—
|5 August<br>1939
|16 May<br>1941
|
|United Australia
|Mair
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:; " | 27
| rowspan="2" |140x140px
| rowspan="2" |William McKell<small><br>MLA for Redfern</small><br><small>(1891–1985)</small>
|1941
| rowspan="2" |16 May<br>1941
| rowspan="2" |6 February<br>1947
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Labor
|McKell I
|-
|1944
|McKell II
|-
! rowspan="4" style="background:; " | 28
| rowspan="4" |140x140px
| rowspan="4" |Jim McGirr<small><br></small><small>MLA for Bankstown<br>(until 1950)<br>MLA for Liverpool<br>(from 1950)</small><br><small>(1890–1957)</small>
|—
| rowspan="4" |6 February<br>1947
| rowspan="4" |2 April<br>1952
| rowspan="4" |
| rowspan="4" |Labor
|McGirr I
|-
|1947
|McGirr II
|-style="height:25px"
| rowspan="2" |1950
| rowspan="2" |McGirr III
|-
| rowspan="46" style="vertical-align: top;" |Elizabeth II<br><small>(1952–2022)</small><br><small>Governor:</small><br>
|-
! rowspan="4" style="background:; " | 29
| rowspan="4" |126x126px
| rowspan="4" |Joseph Cahill<small><br>MLA for Cook's River</small><br><small>(1891–1959)</small>
|—
| rowspan="4" |2 April<br>1952
| rowspan="4" |22 October<br>1959
| rowspan="4" |
| rowspan="4" |Labor
|Cahill I
|-
|1953
|Cahill II
|-
|1956
|Cahill III
|-
|1959
|Cahill IV
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:; " | 30
| rowspan="2" |132x132px
| rowspan="2" |Bob Heffron<small><br>MLA for Maroubra</small><br><small>(1890–1978)</small>
|—
| rowspan="2" |23 October<br>1959
| rowspan="2" |30 April<br>1964
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Labor
|Heffron I
|-
|1962
|Heffron II
|-
! style="background:; " | 31
|133x133px
|Jack Renshaw<small><br>MLA for Castlereagh</small><br><small>(1909–1987)</small>
|—
|30 April<br>1964
|13 May<br>1965
|
|Labor
|Renshaw
|-
! rowspan="6" style="background:; color:white;" | 32
| rowspan="6" |133x133px
| rowspan="6" |Sir Robert Askin<small><br></small><small>MLA for Collaroy<br>(until 1973)<br>MLA for Pittwater<br>(from 1973)</small><br><small>(1907–1981)</small>
|1965
| rowspan="6" |13 May<br>1965
| rowspan="6" |3 January<br>1975
| rowspan="6" |
| rowspan="6" |Liberal
|Askin I
|-
|1968
|Askin II
|-
|—
|Askin III
|-
|1971
|Askin IV
|-
|—
|Askin V
|-
|1973
|Askin VI
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:; color:white;" | 33
| rowspan="2" |140x140px
| rowspan="2" |Tom Lewis<small><br>MLA for Wollondilly</small><br><small>(1922–2016)</small>
|—
| rowspan="2" |3 January<br>1975
| rowspan="2" |23 January<br>1976
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Liberal
|Lewis I
|-
|—
|Lewis II
|-
! style="background:; color:white;" | 34
|108x108px
|Sir Eric Willis<small><br>MLA for Earlwood</small><br><small>(1922–1999)</small>
|—
|23 January<br>1976
|14 May<br>1976
|
|Liberal
|Willis
|-
! rowspan="8" style="background:; " | 35
| rowspan="8" |175x175px
| rowspan="8" |Neville Wran<small><br>MLA for Bass Hill</small><br><small>(1926–2014)</small>
|1976
| rowspan="8" |14 May<br>1976
| rowspan="8" |4 July<br>1986
| rowspan="8" |
| rowspan="8" |Labor
|Wran I
|-
|1978
|Wran II
|-
|—
|Wran III
|-
|1981
|Wran IV
|-
|—
|Wran V
|-
|—
|Wran VI
|-
|1984
|Wran VII
|-
|—
|Wran VIII
|-
! style="background:;" | 36
|125x125px
|Barrie Unsworth<small><br>MLA for Rockdale</small><br><small>(born 1934)</small>
|—
|4 July<br>1986
|25 March<br>1988
|
|Labor
|Unsworth
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:; color:white;" | 37
| rowspan="2" |142x142px
| rowspan="2" |Nick Greiner<small><br>MP for Ku-ring-gai</small><br><small>(born 1947)</small>
|1988
| rowspan="2" |25 March<br>1988
| rowspan="2" |24 June<br>1992
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Liberal
|Greiner I
|-
|1991
|Greiner II
|-
! rowspan="3" style="background:; color:white;" | 38
| rowspan="3" |
| rowspan="3" |John Fahey<small><br>MP for Southern Highlands</small><br><small>(1945–2020)</small>
| rowspan="3" |—
| rowspan="3" |24 June<br>1992
| rowspan="3" |4 April<br>1995
| rowspan="3" |
| rowspan="3" |Liberal
|Fahey I
|-
|Fahey II
|-
|Fahey III
|-
! rowspan="4" style="background:; " |39
| rowspan="4" |137x137px
| rowspan="4" |Bob Carr<small><br>MP for Maroubra</small><br><small>(born 1947)</small>
|1995
| rowspan="4" |4 April<br>1995
| rowspan="4" |3 August<br>2005
| rowspan="4" |
| rowspan="4" |Labor
|Carr I
|-
|—
|Carr II
|-
|1999
|Carr III
|-
|2003
|Carr IV
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:; " | 40
| rowspan="2" |151x151px
| rowspan="2" |Morris Iemma<small><br>MP for Lakemba</small><br><small>(born 1961)</small>
|—
| rowspan="2" |3 August<br>2005
| rowspan="2" |5 September<br>2008
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Labor
|Iemma I
|-
|2007
|Iemma II
|-
! style="background:; " | 41
|120x120px
|Nathan Rees<small><br>MP for Toongabbie</small><br><small>(born 1968)</small>
|—
|5 September<br>2008
|4 December<br>2009
|
|Labor
|Rees
|-
! style="background:; " | 42
|121x121px
|Kristina Keneally<small><br>MP for Heffron</small><br><small>(born 1968)</small>
|—
|4 December<br>2009
|28 March<br>2011
|
|Labor
|Keneally
|-
! style="background:; color:white;" | 43
|139x139px
|Barry O'Farrell<small><br>MP for Ku-ring-gai</small><br><small>(born 1959)</small>
|2011
|28 March<br>2011
|17 April<br>2014
|
|Liberal
|O'Farrell
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:; color:white;" | 44
| rowspan="2" |130x130px
| rowspan="2" |Mike Baird<small><br>MP for Manly</small><br><small>(born 1968)</small>
|—
| rowspan="2" |17 April<br>2014
| rowspan="2" |23 January<br>2017
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Liberal
|Baird I
|-
|2015
|Baird II
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:; color:white;" | 45
| rowspan="2" |148x148px
| rowspan="2" |Gladys Berejiklian<small><br>MP for Willoughby</small><br><small>(born 1970)</small>
|—
| rowspan="2" |23 January<br>2017
| rowspan="2" |5 October<br>2021
| rowspan="2" |
| rowspan="2" |Liberal
|Berejiklian I
|-
|2019
|Berejiklian II
|-
! rowspan="3" style="background:; color:white;" | 46
| rowspan="3" |114x114px
| rowspan="3" |Dominic Perrottet<small><br>MP for Epping</small><br><small>(born 1982)</small>
| rowspan="3" |—
| rowspan="3" |5 October<br>2021
| rowspan="3" |28 March<br>2023
| rowspan="3" |
| rowspan="3" |Liberal
|Perrottet I
|-style="height:25px"
| rowspan="2" |Perrottet II
|-
| rowspan="2" style="vertical-align: top;" |Charles III<br><small>(2022–present)</small><br><small>Governor:</small><br>
|-
! style="background:; " | 47
|120x120px
|Chris Minns<small><br>MP for Kogarah</small><br><small>(born 1979)</small>
|2023
|28 March<br>2023
|Incumbent
|
|Labor
|Minns
|}
Timeline
See also
- List of premiers of New South Wales by time in office
- Deputy Premier of New South Wales
- List of New South Wales government agencies