Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
The chief minister is the head of government in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The leader is usually the head of the party with the most seats in the ACT Legislative Assembly, which is unicameral. Unlike in states, the chief minister is elected by the Assembly, not appointed by a governor. The role is similar to a state premier, and the chief minister has been part of the National Cabinet since 2020. In the past, the chief minister represented ACT on the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). Because there are no local governments in the ACT, the chief minister’s job is also similar to that of a mayor. The chief minister sits on the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors.
The current chief minister is Andrew Barr of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He was first elected by the Assembly on 11 December 2014 after the resignation of Katy Gallagher and is the longest-serving ACT chief minister.
Office history: The position was created on 11 May 1989; the first holder was Rosemary Follett. The salary is A$404,406.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 19:55 (CET).