Colin Barnett

Colin Barnett
29th Premier of Western Australia
In office
23 September 2008 – 17 March 2017
MonarchElizabeth II
GovernorKen Michael
Malcolm McCusker
Kerry Sanderson
DeputyKim Hames
Liza Harvey
Preceded byAlan Carpenter
Succeeded byMark McGowan
Treasurer of Western Australia
In office
27 April 2010 – 14 December 2010
Preceded byTroy Buswell
Succeeded byChristian Porter
In office
12 June 2012 – 7 July 2012
Preceded byChristian Porter
Succeeded byTroy Buswell
In office
10 March 2014 – 17 March 2014
Preceded byTroy Buswell
Succeeded byMike Nahan
27th Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia
Elections: 2005
In office
26 February 2001 – 9 March 2005
DeputyDan Sullivan
Preceded byRichard Court
Succeeded byMatt Birney
In office
6 August 2008 – 23 September 2008
DeputyKim Hames
Preceded byTroy Buswell
Succeeded byEric Ripper
In office
17 March 2017 – 21 March 2017
DeputyLiza Harvey
Preceded byMark McGowan
Succeeded byMike Nahan
Member of the Western Australian Parliament
for Cottesloe
In office
11 August 1990 – 5 February 2018
Preceded byBill Hassell
Succeeded byDavid Honey
Personal details
Born
Colin James Barnett

(1950-07-15) 15 July 1950 (age 74)
Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
Political partyLiberal Party
Alma materUniversity of Western Australia
ProfessionEconomist

Colin James Barnett AC (born 15 July 1950) is an Australian former politician who was the 29th Premier of Western Australia. He concurrently served as the state's Treasurer at several points during his tenure and had previously held various other portfolios in Western Australia's Court–Cowan Ministry.

Barnett was born in Nedlands, Perth. He graduated from the University of Western Australia with an economics degree. Having lectured in economics at the Western Australian Institute of Technology and served as an executive director of the Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for the seat of Cottesloe at a by-election in 1990. Barnett served as a minister in the Court–Cowan Ministry from 1993 until its defeat at the 2001 election, after which he was made leader of the Liberal Party, replacing the outgoing premier, Richard Court. He resigned as leader after the unsuccessful 2005 election, but regained the position prior to the 2008 election, where he was elected premier. Barnett was sworn into office on 23 September 2008 by Ken Michael, the Governor of Western Australia at the time. At the 2013 election Barnett and his government were re-elected to a second term.

The Liberals were defeated at the 2017 election, and WA Labor's Mark McGowan succeeded Barnett as Premier. On 15 December 2017, Barnett announced his intention to resign from politics, which he did on 5 February 2018.