Who can be appointed as a state premier?

A state premier in Australia is appointed by the state Governor on the basis of holding the confidence of the state's lower house. There is no formal qualification beyond being a member of the state parliament (or being eligible to become a member within a short period) and being the leader of the majority party or coalition.

The convention parallels the federal Prime Minister appointment process. After each state election, the Governor invites the leader of the party or coalition with the support of a majority in the lower house to form a government. The Premier selects ministers from members of both houses of the state parliament (or just the single house in Queensland, which is unicameral). The Premier and ministers are commissioned by the Governor. The government continues only as long as it retains the confidence of the lower house.

Premiers can change between elections through party room challenges. Major recent examples include the replacement of Daniel Andrews by Jacinta Allan as Victorian Labor Premier in September 2023, the replacement of Dominic Perrottet by Chris Minns as NSW Premier through the 2023 NSW election, the replacement of Annastacia Palaszczuk by Steven Miles as Queensland Labor Premier in December 2023 (before the Coalition's October 2024 election win that brought David Crisafulli to office), and the various leadership changes in Tasmania and Western Australia.

Premier salaries are set by state-based remuneration tribunals and are typically between 400,000 and 500,000 dollars a year, depending on the state. Premiers have extensive staff support through the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (or Department of Premier and Cabinet in some states), the Cabinet Secretariat, and personal ministerial offices. The Premier chairs the state Cabinet, leads the state's representation in the National Cabinet that brings together the Prime Minister and all state and territory leaders, represents the state at major events, and serves as the primary political face of the state government. Premiers also have ongoing relationships with the federal government on matters including health and education funding, infrastructure investment, and disaster response.