Introduction: Premiers and politics, 1856-2006
Paul Strangio and Brian Costar
Haines, O’Shanassy, Nicholson and Heales: The old guard, 1855-1863
John Waugh
“The inevitable McCulloch” and his rivals, 1863-1877
John Waugh
Broken heads and flaming houses: Graham Berry, the wild colonial
Paul Strangio
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde? Service and Gillies: The grand coalition premiers 1883-1890
John Lack
David Syme and the three stooges? The bust premiers: James Munro, William Shiels and JB Patterson, 1890-1894
John Lack
The quiet little man in a brown suit: George Turner and the politics of consensus
John Rickard
“Iceberg” Irvine and the politics of anti-Labor
John Rickard
Tommy Bent, ‘a man’
Weston Bate
John Murray and William Watt: The odd couple
David Dunstan
Alexander Peacock: The laughing pragmatist
John Chesterman
Harry Lawson, sure and steady
Margaret Fitzherbert
Elmslie, Prendergast and Hogan: Labouring against the tide
Peter Love
John Allan: The first agrarian
Brian Costar
William McPherson, ‘threepenny’ premier and philanthropist
Richard Allsop
Stanley Argyle: The incidental premier
Geoff Browne
Albert Dunstan: The jumping jack premier
Brian Costar
Tom Hollway: The bohemian
Brian Costar
John McDonald: A remorseful premier
Brian Costar
John Cain snr: The star-crossed premier
Paul Strangio
Henry Bolte: The lucky developer
David Dunstan
Rupert ‘Dick’ Hamer: The urbane liberal
Paul Rodan
Lindsay Thompson: The team player
Vicki Peel
John Cain jnr: The burden of history
Paul Strangio
Joan Kirner: The first feminist
Jennifer Curtin
Jeff Kennett: The larrikin metropolitan
Nick Economou
Steve Bracks: The quiet achiever
David Hayward
Index