The Honourable Jay Weatherill MHA
45th Premier of South Australia
Incumbent
Assumed office 21 October 2011
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Kevin Scarce
Deputy	John Rau
Preceded by	Mike Rann
Member of the South Australian Parliament for Cheltenham
Incumbent
Assumed office 9 February 2002
Preceded by	Murray De Laine
Personal details
Born	Jay Wilson Weatherill Adelaide, South Australia
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Melissa
Relations	George Weatherill (father)
Profession	Lawyer

Jay Wilson Weatherill (born 1964) is an Australian politician and the current Premier of South Australia. He has represented the electoral district of Cheltenham in the South Australian House of Assembly as a member of the Australian Labor Party since the 2002 election.

Early life[link]

Born in the western suburbs of Adelaide, he is the son of former South Australian politician George Weatherill.^[1] His parents met on a ship bound for Australia in 1960. His mother Joy was returning home after a Vespa holiday through Europe while his father George was leaving home in northern England for a new life in Australia. George worked three jobs to save for a family home.^[2]

Weatherill attended Henley High School and matriculated in 1981 as dux of the school. He later studied at the University of Adelaide, graduating with degrees in law and economics. During his university days he had a relationship with current federal minister Penny Wong.^[3][4]

With fellow Adelaide lawyer Stephen Lieschke, he established industrial law firm Lieschke Weatherill in 1995 where he practiced law until his election to Parliament.^[3]

Political career[link]

Prior to the 2002 state election he won Labor preselection for the electorate of Cheltenham, defeating incumbent Labor MP Murray De Laine.^[5] Weatherill, from the Labor Left faction,^[6] has held positions in the Labor government ministry since his election in 2002. Since 2001, he has been a regular patron at the Alberton Hotel in his north-western suburbs electorate.^[7]

Premier[link]

Following the 2010 state election Weatherill, environment minister under Mike Rann, unsuccessfully challenged Kevin Foley for the deputy Premiership.^[8] Weatherill said the election day backlash against Labor made it evident that a fresh approach was needed. Weatherill lost along factional lines.^[9]

In late July 2011, senior figures within Labor had indicated to Mike Rann that the left and right factions had formally decided to replace Rann with Weatherill as party leader. A day later, on 31 July 2011, Rann confirmed he would stand down and undergo a party leadership transition to Weatherill, with the handover occurring in October 2011.^[10][11][12] Weatherill was sworn in as the 45th Premier of South Australia on 21 October 2011.^[13]

The Weatherill Labor government enjoyed a resurgence in the polls, with the vote back to 2010 election levels, and the Premier overtaking the Opposition leader in approval ratings.^[14] Labor retained both seats at the 2012 Port Adelaide and Ramsay by-elections.

See also[link]

• South Australian state election, 2014

References[link]

External links[link]

• Parliament Profile
• Inaugural speech to South Australian Parliament – Parliament of South Australia, Hansard, pp. 233–6. 16 May 2002.

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