The Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, known before 1 July 1966 as Representative of the Government in the Legislative Council, is an office held in New South Wales by the most senior minister in the New South Wales Legislative Council, elected to lead the governing party (or parties) in the council. Though the leader in the Council does not have the power of the office of Premier, there are some parallels between the latter's status in the Legislative Assembly and the former's in the Council. This means that the leader has responsibility for all policy areas, acts as the government's principal spokesperson in the upper house and has priority in gaining recognition from the President of the Council to speak in debate.
Traditionally, but not always, the office has been held with the sinecure office of Vice-President of the Executive Council. The current leader is Penny Sharpe since 28 March 2023. The leader is assisted by a Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, John Graham.
List of leaders Leaders Title Leader Party Term start Term end Time in office Notes Representative of the Government None 6 June 1856 25 August 1856
12 September 1856 2 October 1856
3 October 1856 7 September 1857
19 November 1857 21 February 1859
23 February 1859 28 April 1859
30 August 1859 28 September 1859
12 October 1859 26 October 1859
27 October 1859 8 March 1860
9 March 1860 15 October 1863
16 October 1863 2 February 1865
3 February 1865 21 January 1866
22 January 1866 26 October 1868
27 October 1868 1 August 1870
11 August 1870 15 December 1870
16 December 1870 13 May 1872
14 May 1872 13 September 1873
13 September 1873 8 February 1875
9 February 1875 21 March 1877
22 March 1877 16 August 1877
17 August 1877 17 December 1877
18 December 1877 20 December 1878
21 December 1878 10 November 1881
14 November 1881 4 January 1883
5 January 1883 6 October 1885
7 October 1885 9 October 1885
13 November 1885 21 December 1885
22 December 1885 25 February 1886
26 February 1886 23 December 1886
21 January 1887 27 January 1887
7 March 1887 16 January 1889
17 January 1889 7 March 1889
8 March 1889 22 October 1891
23 October 1891 26 January 1893
5 April 1893 2 August 1894
3 August 1894 15 March 1895
19 March 1895 18 November 1898
22 November 1898 13 September 1899
14 September 1899 24 April 1900
12 June 1900 9 April 1901
28 March 1901 23 May 1903 6 June 1903 29 August 1904
29 August 1904 20 October 1910
21 October 1910 27 April 1915
27 April 1915 15 November 1916
15 November 1916 12 June 1918 12 June 1918 12 April 1920
12 April 1920 20 December 1921
20 December 1921 20 December 1921 7 hours
20 December 1921 13 April 1922
13 April 1922 17 June 1925
17 June 1925 18 October 1927
18 October 1927 3 November 1930
4 November 1930 2 April 1931
3 April 1931 15 October 1931
15 October 1931 13 May 1932
16 May 1932 17 June 1932
18 June 1932 16 May 1941
16 May 1941 13 May 1965
13 May 1965 30 June 1966 Leader of the Government 1 July 1966 22 May 1968
10 July 1968 14 May 1976
14 May 1976 5 April 1984
5 April 1984 4 July 1986
4 July 1986 25 March 1988
25 March 1988 22 October 1992
22 October 1992 4 April 1995
4 April 1995 21 January 2005
3 August 2005 13 June 2008
17 June 2008 8 September 2008
8 September 2008 1 September 2009
1 September 2009 22 September 2009
22 September 2009 28 March 2011
3 April 2011 2 May 2014
6 May 2014 30 January 2017
30 January 2017 15 April 2020
15 April 2020 3 July 2020
3 July 2020 21 December 2021
21 December 2021 17 February 2023
28 March 2023 incumbent
Deputy Leaders Deputy Leader Party Term start Term end Time in office Notes
1 July 1966 10 July 1968
3 September 1968 14 May 1976
14 May 1976 17 October 1978
18 October 1978 4 July 1986
4 July 1986 25 March 1988
25 March 1988 11 June 1991
12 June 1991 4 April 1995
4 April 1995 28 February 2003
28 February 2003 3 August 2005
1 February 2005 5 September 2008
7 September 2008 28 March 2011
3 May 2011 6 May 2014
6 May 2014 30 January 2017
30 January 2017 2 April 2019
2 April 2019 28 March 2023
28 March 2023 incumbent
References