The Leader of the Opposition is an official role usually occupied by the leader of the second largest party in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. In the event that that party or coalition wins an election, the Leader of the Opposition will most likely become the Chief Minister.[1]
While the Legislative Assembly was created in 1974, there was no parliamentary opposition for the first three-year term, as every seat was held by the government, with the exception of two that were won by independents.
| # | Opposition Leader[2] | Party | Dates in Opposition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jon Isaacs | Labor | 21 September 1977 – 1 November 1981 | |
| 2 | Bob Collins | Labor | 2 November 1981 – 18 August 1986 | |
| 3 | Terry Smith | Labor | 19 August 1986 – 1 November 1990 | |
| 4 | Brian Ede | Labor | 2 November 1990 – 9 April 1996 | |
| 5 | Maggie Hickey | Labor | 16 April 1996 – 2 February 1999 | |
| 6 | Clare Martin | Labor | 3 February 1999 – 26 August 2001 | |
| 7 | Denis Burke | Country Liberal | 28 August 2001 – 14 November 2003 | |
| 8 | Terry Mills | Country Liberal | 15 November 2003 – 4 February 2005 | |
| (7) | Denis Burke | Country Liberal | 7 February 2005 – 17 June 2005 | |
| 9 | Jodeen Carney | Country Liberal | 29 June 2005 – 28 January 2008 | |
| (8) | Terry Mills | Country Liberal | 29 January 2008 – 29 August 2012 | |
| 10 | Delia Lawrie | Labor | 29 August 2012 – 20 April 2015 | |
| 11 | Michael Gunner | Labor | 20 April 2015 – 31 August 2016 | |
| 12 | Gary Higgins | Country Liberal | 2 September 2016 – 1 February 2020 | |
| 13 | Lia Finocchiaro | Country Liberal | 1 February 2020 – 18 March 2020 | |
| Disputed | 18 March 2020 – 24 March 2020 | |||
| (13) | Lia Finocchiaro | Country Liberal | 24 March 2020 – present | |