The leader of the opposition in Victoria is the leader of the largest political party in parliament that is 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 party in opposition as a feasible alternate government.
The office is currently held by Jess Wilson after her election to the position of leader of the Liberal Party on 18 November 2025.
List of leaders of the opposition in Victoria
No. Name Portrait Party ConstituencyTerm of office Tenure Elections Premier 1 George Prendergast Labor North Melbourne 7 June 1904 17 September 1913 1904 Bent1904–1909 1907 1908 1911 Murray1909–1912 – Watt1912–1913 2 George Elmslie Labor Albert Park 17 September 1913 9 December 1913 – 3 William Watt Commonwealth Liberal Essendon 9 December 1913 22 December 1913 – Elmslie1913 (2) George Elmslie Labor Albert Park 22 December 1913 11 May 1918 – Watt1913–1914 1914 Peacock1914–1917 1917 Bowser1917–1918 – Lawson1918–1924 (1) George Prendergast Labor North Melbourne 18 June 1918 18 July 1924 1920 1921 1924 Peacock1924 4 Alexander Peacock Nationalist Allandale 18 July 1924 18 November 1924 – Prendergast1924 (1) George Prendergast Labor North Melbourne 18 November 1924 14 April 1926 – Allan1924–1927 5 Edmond Hogan Labor Warrenheip 14 April 1926 20 May 1927 1927 6 William McPherson Nationalist Hawthorn 20 May 1927 22 November 1928 – Hogan1927–1928 (5) Edmond Hogan Labor Warrenheip and Grenville 22 November 1928 12 December 1929 1929 McPherson1928–1929 (6) William McPherson Nationalist Hawthorn 12 December 1929 3 September 1930 – Hogan1929–1932 7 Stanley Argyle Nationalist Toorak 3 September 1930 19 May 1932 – United Australia 1932 8 Tom Tunnecliffe Labor Collingwood 13 July 1932 2 April 1935 1935 Argyle1932–1935 (7) Stanley Argyle United Australia Toorak 2 April 1935 23 November 1940 1937 Dunstan1935–1943 1940 9 Thomas Hollway United Australia Ballarat 23 November 1940 14 September 1943 1943 10 Albert Dunstan United Country Korong and Eaglehawk 14 September 1943 18 September 1943 – Cain1943 11 John Cain Labor Northcote 18 September 1943 21 November 1945 – Dunstan1943–1945 1945 Macfarlan1945 12 John McDonald United Country Shepparton 21 November 1945 20 November 1947 1947 Cain1945–1947 (11) John Cain Labor Northcote 20 November 1947 7 December 1948 – Hollway1947–1950 (12) John McDonald Country Shepparton 7 December 1948 27 June 1950 1950 (9) Thomas Hollway Liberal and Country Ballarat 27 June 1950 5 December 1951 – McDonald1950–1952 13 Les Norman Liberal and Country Glen Iris 5 December 1951 23 July 1952 – (11) John Cain Labor Northcote 23 July 1952 17 December 1952 – – Hollway1952 1952 McDonald1952 14 Trevor Oldham Liberal and Country Malvern 17 December 1952 2 May 1953 – Cain1952–1955 15 Henry Bolte Liberal and Country Hampden 3 June 1953 7 June 1955 1955 (11) John Cain Labor Northcote 8 June 1955 4 August 1957 – Bolte1955–1972 16 Ernie Shepherd Labor Ascot ValeFootscray 20 August 1957 12 September 1958 1958 17 Clive Stoneham Labor Midlands 7 October 1958 15 May 1967 1961 1964 1967 18 Clyde Holding Labor Richmond 15 May 1967 29 June 1977 1970 1973 Hamer1972–1981 1976 19 Frank Wilkes Labor Northcote 29 June 1977 9 September 1981 1979 – Thompson1981–1982 20 John Cain Labor Bundoora 9 September 1981 8 April 1982 1982 21 Lindsay Thompson Liberal Malvern 8 April 1982 5 November 1982 – Cain1982–1990 22 Jeff Kennett Liberal Burwood 5 November 1982 23 May 1989 1985 1988 23 Alan Brown Liberal Gippsland West 23 May 1989 23 April 1991 – – Kirner1990–1992 (22) Jeff Kennett Liberal Burwood 23 April 1991 6 October 1992 1992 24 Joan Kirner Labor Williamstown 6 October 1992 22 March 1993 – Kennett1992–1999 25 Jim Kennan Labor Broadmeadows 22 March 1993 29 June 1993 – 26 John Brumby Labor Broadmeadows 14 July 1993 22 March 1999 1996 27 Steve Bracks Labor Williamstown 22 March 1999 20 October 1999 1999 (22) Jeff Kennett Liberal Burwood 20 October 1999 26 October 1999 – Bracks1999–2007 28 Denis Napthine Liberal Portland 26 October 1999 20 August 2002 – 29 Robert Doyle Liberal Malvern 20 August 2002 8 May 2006 2002 30 Ted Baillieu Liberal Hawthorn 8 May 2006 2 December 2010 2006 2010 Brumby2007–2010 31 Daniel Andrews Labor Mulgrave 3 December 2010 4 December 2014 – Baillieu2010–2013 2014 Napthine2013–2014 32 Matthew Guy Liberal Bulleen 4 December 2014 6 December 2018 2018 Andrews2014–2023 33 Michael O'Brien Liberal Malvern 6 December 2018 7 September 2021 – (32) Matthew Guy Liberal Bulleen 7 September 2021 8 December 2022 2022 34 John Pesutto Liberal Hawthorn 8 December 2022 27 December 2024 – – Allan2023–35Brad BattinLiberalBerwick27 December 202418 November 2025 –36Jess Wilson LiberalKew18 November 2025IncumbentAllan2023–2026 Carroll2026-
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