Former Speakers
The first elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
Sir Daniel Cooper was born in Lancashire, England. He emigrated to New South Wales with his parents as a child. He was elected Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly on 22 May 1856, when he was only thirty five years old.
The task of presiding over the Assembly was a difficult responsibility because the infant Parliament had yet to establish its own set of procedural traditions. Cooper provided much needed direction in the early years of the Assembly both in terms of business brought before the House and the development of Parliamentary conventions.
The first female Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
The Hon Shelley Hancock was elected as a Member for the South Coast in 2003. On the 3rd of May 2011, she was appointed to be the first female Speaker and Presiding Officer of the 55th Parliament in the Legislative Assembly.
Former Speakers, 1995-2023
The Hon John Henry Murray (1995-2003)
Date first elected as Speaker: 2 May 1995
Date of expiration of office: 28 April 2003 (Parliament expired 28 February 2003)
View more information about the Hon John Murray.
The Hon John Joseph Aquilina, BA, DipEd, DipMu (HC), FACE (2003-2007)
Date first elected as Speaker: 29 April 2003
Date of expiration of office: 7 May 2007
View more information about the Hon John Aquilina.
The Hon George Richard Torbay (2007-2011)
Date first elected as Speaker: 8 May 2007
Date of expiration of office: 2 May 2011
View more information about the Hon Richard Torbay.
The Hon Shelley Elizabeth Hancock BA, DipEd (2011-2019)
Date first elected as Speaker: 3 May 2011
Date of expiration of office: 2 April 2019
View more information about the Hon Shelly Hancock.
The Hon Jonathan Richard O'Dea, BA, LLM, MBA (2019-2023)
Date first elected as Speaker: 7 May 2019
Date of expiration of office: 9 May 2023
View more information about the Hon Jonathan O'Dea.
Former Speakers, 1930-1995
The Hon Francis Michael Burke (1930-1932)
Date first elected as Speaker: 25 November 1930
Date of expiration of office: 23 June 1932 (Parliament dissolved 18 May 1932)
View more information about the Hon Francis Burke.
The Hon Sir Daniel Levy, Kt, BA, LLB (1932-1937)
Date first elected as Speaker: 24 June 1932
Date of expiration of office: 20 May 1937 (deceased)
View more information about Hon Sir Daniel Levy.
William Whaley Hedges (1936)
Acting Speaker during Sir Daniel Levy's absence from State, 25 March to 29 October 1936.
(See Constitution Act 1902, section 31A)
View more information about William Hedges.
The Hon Reginald Walter Darcy Weaver (1937-1941)
Date first elected as Speaker: 4 August 1937
Date of expiration of office: 27 May 1941 (Parliament dissolved 18 April 1941)
View more information about the Hon Reginald Weaver.
The Hon Daniel Clyne (1941-1947)
Date first elected as Speaker: 28 May 1941
Date of expiration of office: 27 May 1947 (Parliament dissolved 29 March 1947)
View more information about the Hon Daniel Clyne.
The Hon William Henry Lamb (1947-1959)
Date first elected as Speaker: 28 May 1947
Date of expiration of office: 20 April 1959 (Parliament dissolved 16 February 1959)
View more information about the Hon William Lamb.
George Booth (1955, 1956)
Acting Speaker during the Hon William Henry Lamb's absence from State:
● 16 – 29 June 1955
● 30 November – 6 December 1956
(see Constitution Act 1902, section 31A)
View more information about George Booth.
The Hon Ray Septimus Maher, BA (1959-1965)
Date first elected as Speaker: 21 April 1959
Date of expiration of office: 29 January 1965 (resigned)
View more information about the Hon Ray Maher.
Howard Thomas Fowles (1962)
Acting Speaker during the Hon Ray Septimus Maher's absence from State, 29 May to 29 August 1962
(see Constitution Act 1902, section 31A)
View more information about Howard Fowles.
The Hon Sir Kevin Ellis, LLB, BEc (1965-1973)
Later the Hon Sir Kevin Ellis, K.B.E., LL.B., B.Ec.
Date first elected as Speaker: 26 May 1965
Date of expiration of office: 3 December 1973 (Parliament dissolved 19 October 1973)
View more information about the Hon Sir Jevin Ellis.
The Hon Geoffrey Robertson Crawford, DCM (1965, 1968)
Acting Speaker during the Hon Kevin Ellis's absence from State:
● 27 July – 3 August 1965
● 22 January – 25 January 1968
(see Constitution Act 1902, section 31A)
View more information about the Hon Geoffrey Crawford.
The Hon Leon Ashton Punch (1969, 1972)
Acting Speaker during the Hon Kevin Ellis's absence from State:
● 8 – 10 April 1969
● 12 May – 5 July 1972
(see Constitution Act 1902, section 31A)
View more information about the Hon Leon Punch.
The Hon James Alexander Cameron, LLM (1973-1976)
Date first elected as Speaker: 4 December 1973
Date of expiration of office: 24 May 1976 (Parliament dissolved 2 April 1976)
View more information about the Hon James Cameron.
James Hill Brown (1975)
Acting Speaker during the Hon James Alexander Cameron's absence from State, 27 February to 24 April 1975.
(see Constitution Act 1902, section 31A)
View more information about James Brown.
The Hon Lawrence Borthwick Kelly (1976-1988)
Date first elected as Speaker: 25 May 1976
Date of expiration of office: 26 April 1988 (Parliament dissolved 22 February 1988)
View more information about the Hon Lawrence Kelly.
The Hon Kevin Richard Rozzoli (1988-1995)
Date first elected as Speaker: 27 April 1988
Date of expiration of office: 1 May 1995 (Parliament dissolved 3 March 1995)
View more information about the Hon Kevin Rozzoli.
Former Speakers, 1910-1930
The Hon John Henry Cann (1910-1911)
Date first elected as Speaker: 15 November 1910
Date of expiration of office: 31 July 1911 (resigned)
View more information about the Hon John Cann.
The Hon Henry Willis (1911-1913)
Date first elected as Speaker: 24 August 1911
Date of expiration of office: 22 July 1913 (resigned)
View more information about the Hon Henry Willis.
The Hon Henry Douglas Morton (1913)
Date first elected as Speaker: 22 July 1913
Date of expiration of office: 22 December 1913 (Parliament dissolved 6 November 1913)
View more information about the Hon Henry Morton.
The Hon Richard Denis Meagher (1913-1917)
Date first elected as Speaker: 23 December 1913
Date of expiration of office: 16 April 1917 (Parliament dissolved 21 February 1917)
View more information about the Hon Richard Meagher.
The Hon John Jacob Cohen (1917-1919)
Date first elected as Speaker: 17 April 1917
Date of expiration of office: 30 January 1919 (resigned)
View more information about the Hon John Cohen.
The Hon Sir Daniel Levy, BA, LLB (1919-1921)
Date first elected as Speaker: 19 August 1919
Date of expiration of office: 12 December 1921 (resigned)
View more information about Hon Sir Daniel Levy.
The Hon Simon Hickey (1921)
Date first elected as Speaker: 13 December 1921
Date of expiration of office: 20 December 1921 (resigned)
View more information about the Hon Simon Hickey.
The Hon Sir Daniel Levy, BA, LLB (1921-1925)
Date first elected as Speaker: 20 December 1921
Date of expiration of office: 23 June 1925 (Parliament expired 18 April 1925)
View more information about Hon Sir Daniel Levy.
The Hon James Thomas Dooley (1925-1927)
Date first elected as Speaker: 24 June 1925
Date of expiration of office: 2 November 1927 (Parliament dissolved 7 September 1927)
View more information about the Hon James Dooley.
The Hon Sir Daniel Levy, Kt, BA, LLB (1927-1930)
Date first elected as Speaker: 3 November 1927
Date of expiration of office: 24 November 1930 (Parliament dissolved 18 September 1930)
View more information about Hon Sir Daniel Levy.
Former Speakers, 1856-1910
The Hon Sir Daniel Cooper, Bt (1856-1860)
Date first elected as Speaker: 22 May 1856
Date of expiration of office: 31 January 1860 (resigned)
View more information about the Hon Sir Richard Cooper.
The Hon Sir Terence Aubrey Murray (1860-1862)
Date first elected as Speaker: 31 January 1860
Date of expiration of office: 13 October 1862 (appointed President of the Legislative Council)
View more information about the Hon Terence Murray.
The Hon Sir John Hay (1862-1865)
Date first elected as Speaker: 14 October 1862
Date of expiration of office: 31 October 1865 (resigned)
View more information about the Hon Sir John Hay.
The Hon William Munnings Arnold (1865-1875)
Date first elected as Speaker: 1 November 1865
Date of expiration of office: 1 March 1875 (deceased)
View more information about the Hon William Arnold.
The Hon Sir George Wigram Allen, Kt (1875-1882)
Date first elected as Speaker: 23 March 1875
Date of expiration of office: 23 November 1882 (Parliament dissolved)
View more information about the Hon Sir George Allen.
The Hon Sir Edmund Barton (1883-1887)
Date first elected as Speaker: 3 January 1883
Date of expiration of office: 31 January 1887 (Parliament dissolved on 26 January 1887)
View more information about the Hon Sir Edmund Barton.
The Hon James Henry Young (1887-1890)
Date first elected as Speaker: 8 March 1887
Date of expiration of office: 21 October 1890 (resigned)
View more information about the Hon James Young.
The Hon Sir Joseph Palmer Abbott, KCMG (1890-1900)
Date first elected as Speaker: 22 October 1890
Date of expiration of office: 12 June 1900 (resigned)
View more information about the Hon Sir Joseph Abbott.
The Hon William McCourt (1900-1910)
Date first elected as Speaker: 13 June 1900
Date of expiration of office: 14 November 1910 (Parliament dissolved 14 September 1910)
View more information about the Hon William McCourt.