Most important Australian premiers in history

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Here's a question: which Australian premiers were the most historically relevant? That could be due to their huge effects on society etc. The two most obvious for me would be Joh Bjelke-Peterson and Jack Lang. I guess Reid and Lyons also count, but they are chiefly notable for being PM rather than as state bosses.

[(no subject)]

Neville Wran and John Cain the younger I’d nominate. Cain’s government ended badly but he carried out many positive reforms after 27 years of Coalition rule of Victoria. This was despite being hobbled by an undemocratically elected LNP controlled upper house.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Playford in South Australia was pretty influential and long-served.

[AustralianSwingVoter]

Without a doubt Sir Henry Parkes. But if you’re only looking post-federation then in addition to Joh and Lang I’d add Thomas Playford, Don Dunstan, and Jeff Kennett.

I know Kennett is quite left-field, my argument is simply that the last 40 years of Victorian politics have revolved around Kennett, his personality and his government.

[AustralianSwingVoter]

Another person to add is Vince Gair who in spite of being a short lived and subpar premier would directly help to bring down two governments without even realising it.

[CumbrianLefty]

Playford in South Australia was pretty influential and long-served.

In power from 1938 to 1965!!

Appeared to be well regarded by many of his opponents, too.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Anderson Dawson is not important in himself, but he is interesting in the context of global socialist politics, given he was the first parliamentary socialist leader.