State Government of Victoria beginning 6 March 2013 - period in office of Premier Napthine, Denis Vincent ending on 3 December 2014
Period in office of premier (see Glossary entry for 'period in office' and related terms)
Parliamentary support during period
Coalition partner 1
Number of ministers at beginning of period (this may vary during the period)
Assembly elections contested as premier or after which became premier (see Glossary entry for 'after election')
| Election | Premier at election | Premier's party | Premier after election | Premier's party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIC 29 November 2014 | Denis Vincent Napthine | Liberal Party | Daniel Andrews | Australian Labor Party |
Previous period in this series for VIC | Next period in this series for VIC
Notes
Change of party leader (Baillieu): Beginning of Napthine's period in office; The sudden resignation of Premier Baillieu as Leader of the Liberal Party on 6 March 2013 was linked to the defection of Geoffrey Shaw from the parliamentary Liberal Party to sit as an Independent, with the effect of depriving the Baillieu government of its working majority in parliament. The Speaker was a member of the Liberal Party and could only vote if the numbers were tied so that he could use his casting vote; if Shaw voted with the Labor Party the result would be 43 for the governing coalition and 44 for the Labor Party. (This problem arises when lower houses of parliament are composed of an even number of members).
Shaw had threatened to cross the floor and vote down the Liberal Party and National Party coalition government unless Baillieu resigned as Premier. After a series of negotiations, Napthine was chosen as leader of the Liberal Party and commissioned on 6 March 2013 as Premier of a Liberal Party and National Party coalition minority government, to be supported by Shaw as an Independent. For analysis of this transition and its context, see Nick Economou, 'Victoria', Australian Journal of Politics and History, Political Chronicle, 59 (4) December 2013: 630-636.
Loss of general election (Napthine): At the general election for the Victorian Legislative Assembly on 24 November 2014, the Naphthine Liberal Party and National Party coalition government lost 3 percent of the first preference vote and 7 seats (5 Liberals and 2 from the National Party), giving the Australian Labor Party 47 of the Assembly's 88 seats. Napthine resigned as leader of the Liberal Party with effect from 4 December 2014.
References: The Australian Journal of Politics and History has given brief summaries of Victorian politics and government since 1956 in the 'Political Chronicle' section of the journal in issues of each annual volume. This publication can be viewed online through Wiley-Blackwell Journals at subscribing libraries.