Deputy Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory

Ministry
Territorial
Incumbent Andrew Barr
Style	The Honourable
Appointed by	Katy Gallagher as Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
First	Paul Whalan
Formation	16 May 1989

The Deputy Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory is the second-most senior officer in the Government of the Australian Capital Territory. The Deputy Chief Ministership has been a ministerial portfolio since its establishment in 1989. Unlike in other states and territories, the Deputy Chief Minister of the ACT is not nominally appointed by an Administrator or Vice-Regal, but by the Chief Minister.

The current Deputy Chief Minister is the Australian Labor Party's Andrew Barr, who took over from former Labor Deputy leader Katy Gallagher on 16 May 2011, following Gallagher's appointment as Chief Minister.

History and duties

The office of Deputy Chief Minister was created in May 1989, for Paul Whalan, the Deputy Leader of the Labor Party, following the formation of the first government of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. The duties of the Deputy Chief Minister are to act on behalf of the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory in his or her absence overseas or on leave. The Deputy Chief Minister 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 Chief Minister, but this has never happened).

If the Chief Minister were to die, become incapacitated or resign, the Assembly would normally elect the Deputy Chief Minister as Chief Minister. 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 Chief Minister.

For a short period, between 29 May 1991 and 18 June 1991, there was no Deputy Chief Minister as the Chief Minister, Trevor Kaine, has assumed all ministerial responsibilities.

Gary Humphries and Katy Gallagher are the only Deputy Chief Ministers who have gone on to become Chief Minister. Trevor Kaine is the only Chief Minister who has taken a 'backward' step to become Deputy Chief Minister.

List of Deputy Chief Ministers of the Australian Capital Territory

#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Timespan	Party	Notes
1	Paul Whalan	16 May 1989	13 December 1989	&100000000000000000000000 years, &10000000000000211000000211 days	Labor	1
2	Bernard Collaery	13 December 1989	29 May 1991	&100000000000000010000001 year, &10000000000000167000000167 days	Residents Rally	2
3	Wayne Berry	18 June 1991	13 April 1994	&100000000000000020000002 years, &10000000000000299000000299 days	Labor
4	David Lamont	13 April 1994	15 March 1995	&100000000000000000000000 years, &10000000000000336000000336 days	Labor
5	Tony De Domenico	15 March 1995	9 January 1997	&100000000000000010000001 year, &10000000000000300000000300 days	Liberal
6	Gary Humphries	9 January 1997	31 January 1997	&100000000000000000000000 years, &1000000000000002200000022 days	Liberal
7	Trevor Kaine	31 January 1997	17 February 1997	&100000000000000000000000 years, &1000000000000001700000017 days	Liberal
(6)	Gary Humphries	17 February 1997	9 October 2000	&100000000000000030000003 years, &10000000000000235000000235 days	Liberal
8	Brendan Smyth	9 October 2000	13 November 2000	&100000000000000000000000 years, &1000000000000003500000035 days	Liberal
9	Ted Quinlan	13 November 2000	20 April 2006	&100000000000000050000005 years, &10000000000000158000000158 days	Labor
10	Katy Gallagher	20 April 2006	16 May 2011	&100000000000000050000005 years, &1000000000000002600000026 days	Labor
11	Andrew Barr	16 May 2011	Present	&100000000000000000000000 years, &10000000000000185000000185 days	Labor

¹ Despite Labor Chief Minister, Follett, losing a no confidence vote in the Assembly on 5 December 1989, Labor's Whalan remained Deputy Chief Minister for eight days under Liberal Chief Minister, Trevor Kaine, until Kaine announced his Alliance ministry with Residents Rally on 13 December 1989.^[1]
2 Bernard Collaery resigned all Ministerial responsibilities on 29 May 1991, losing confidence in Kaine led Alliance government with Residents Rally, due to unpopular decisions to close schools, close the Royal Canberra Hospital and amend planning laws.^[2][3]

See also

• Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
• Australian Capital Territory ministries

References

1. ^ "Assembly Debate - 5/12/1989". ACT Hansard. ACT Legislative Assembly. 5 December 1989. p. 3047. http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/1989/pdfs/19891205.pdf. Retrieved 21 August 2010. 
2. ^ "Assembly Debate - 06/06/1991". ACT Hansard. ACT Legislative Assembly. 6 June 1991. pp. 2167–236. http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/1991/pdfs/19910606.pdf. Retrieved 14 August 2010. 
3. ^ "Assembly Debate - 29/05/1991". ACT Hansard. ACT Legislative Assembly. 29 May 1991. pp. 2125, 2134–7. http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/1991/pdfs/19910529.pdf. Retrieved 14 August 2010.