State Government of Tasmania beginning 1 November 1856 - period in office of Premier Champ, William Thomas Napier ending on 26 February 1857
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAS 8 September 1856 | William Thomas Napier Champ | Support from parliamentary factions and independents |
Next period in this series for TAS
Notes
First ministry: Champ was the first Premier to take office as head of government under the system of parliamentary self-government granted to Tasmania by Britain. On the choice of Champ as Premier, see Reynolds, p. 115 (see 'References', below).
Resignation of premier: Champ 'resigned after a vital amendment to his finance bill was carried [the reduction of the Governor's salary]', Reynolds, p. 116, (see 'References', below).
References: For a description of the style of parliamentary government in this period, see John Reynolds, 'Premiers and Political Leaders', in F C Green (editor), Tasmania: A Century of Responsible Government 1856-1956, pp 115-192, (Hobart: L G Shea, Government Printer, [1956]), and note Terry Newman, Tasmanian Premiers 1856-1988: A Biographical Handbook, (Hobart: Tasmanian Parliamentary Library, [1988]).
For a survey of Champ's career, see John V Barry, 'Champ, William Thomas Napier (1808-1892)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 3, pp 379-380, (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1969); on line at: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A030357b.htm.
Sources
'Ministries: Names of the Members of Successive Ministries which have held Office in Tasmania since the inauguration of Responsible Government, together with the Dates of Appointment and Retirement', Journal of House of Assembly, Second Session of the Forty-Fifth Parliament of Tasmania, Anno LIII and LV Eliz II; Session 2 of the 45th Parliament, Volume 251, 2004-2006, (Hobart: Government Printer, Tasmania).