President of the Legislative Council
Incumbent
Shaun Leane (Labor)
since 20 December 2022
StyleThe Honourable
AppointerElected by the Victorian Legislative Council
Inaugural holderSir James Frederick Palmer
Formation21 November 1856
Websitehttp://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/president

The President of the Victorian Legislative Council, also known as the presiding officer of the council, is the presiding officer of the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house of the Parliament of Victoria and equivalent to the President of the Australian Senate. When there is a vacancy in the office of president, a new president is elected by the members of the council from among its number. The president ceases to hold that office if they cease to be a member of the council, and can be removed at any time by a vote of the members. The current president is Shaun Leane.[1]

The role of the president

The president is always a member of the Victorian Legislative Council, and is the ceremonial head of that council. The president performs ceremonial duties, and represents the council to other organisations. In conjunction with the Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, the president is responsible for the administration of the Victorian Parliament. When the council is sitting, the president enforces procedures and assists the smooth running of council meetings. The president is assisted in their duties by a deputy president.[2]

Choosing the president

The president of the Legislative Council is an elected position. When a new president is required, any member of the Legislative Council may propose, during a council sitting, any other present member for the position of president. If more than one member is proposed and seconded, all members must agree to one particular candidate. After election, the president presents his or herself as the choice of the council to be their president.[2]

List of presidents of the Legislative Council

Note: where no political party is listed, this means that either the party is unknown, or that the President in question was not affiliated with any particular party. Multiple parties are listed in cases where the President represented more than one party over his career as a Member of the Legislative Council.
OrdinalPresidentParty (if applicable)Term startTerm endTime in officeNotes
1Sir James Frederick Palmerno party alignment21 November 18561 August 187013 years, 253 days[3]
2Sir William Mitchell27 October 187024 November 188414 years, 28 days
3Sir James MacBain27 November 18848 November 18927 years, 347 days
4Sir William Zeal10 November 189231 May 19018 years, 202 days
5Sir Henry John Wrixon18 June 190128 June 19109 years, 10 days
6Sir John Mark Davies6 July 191030 June 19198 years, 359 days
7Sir Walter ManifoldNationalist8 July 191928 August 19234 years, 51 days
8Sir Frank Clarke29 August 192330 June 194319 years, 305 days
9Sir Clifden Eager
29 June 194330 June 195815 years, 1 day
10Sir Gordon McArthur
  • Liberal & Country
  • Liberal
8 July 195810 August 19657 years, 33 days
11Sir Ronald MackLiberal14 September 196512 February 19682 years, 151 days
12Sir Raymond Garrett20 February 196830 June 19768 years, 131 days
13William Fry29 June 19761 July 19793 years, 2 days
14Fred Grimwade18 July 197915 July 19855 years, 362 days
15Rod MackenzieLabor16 July 198524 October 19883 years, 100 days
16Alan HuntLiberal25 October 198826 October 19924 years, 1 day
17Bruce Chamberlain27 October 199224 February 200310 years, 120 days
18Monica GouldLabor25 February 200318 December 20063 years, 296 days
19Bob Smith19 December 200620 December 20104 years, 1 day
20Bruce AtkinsonLiberal21 December 201019 December 20187 years, 363 days
21Shaun LeaneLabor19 December 201818 June 20201 year, 182 days
22Nazih Elasmar18 June 202020 December 20223 years, 204 days
(21)Shaun Leane20 December 2022 Incumbent 1 year, 19 days

References

  1. ↑ "Legislative Council - The President". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Legislative Council - Role of the President". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  3. ↑ "Former Presidents of the Legislative Council". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
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