Colin Barnett

The Honourable Colin Barnett AC
29th Premier of Western Australia
In office 23 September 2008 – 17 March 2017
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Ken Michael Malcolm McCusker Kerry Sanderson
Deputy	Kim Hames Liza Harvey
Preceded by	Alan Carpenter
Succeeded by	Mark McGowan
Treasurer of Western Australia
In office 27 April 2010 – 14 December 2010
Preceded by	Troy Buswell
Succeeded by	Christian Porter
In office 12 June 2012 – 7 July 2012
Preceded by	Christian Porter
Succeeded by	Troy Buswell
In office 10 March 2014 – 17 March 2014
Preceded by	Troy Buswell
Succeeded by	Mike Nahan
27th Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia Elections: 2005
In office 26 February 2001 – 9 March 2005
Deputy	Dan Sullivan
Preceded by	Richard Court
Succeeded by	Matt Birney
In office 6 August 2008 – 23 September 2008
Deputy	Kim Hames
Preceded by	Troy Buswell
Succeeded by	Eric Ripper
In office 17 March 2017 – 21 March 2017
Deputy	Liza Harvey
Preceded by	Mark McGowan
Succeeded by	Mike Nahan
Member of the Western Australian Parliament for Cottesloe
In office 11 August 1990 – 5 February 2018
Preceded by	Bill Hassell
Succeeded by	David Honey
Personal details
Born	Colin James Barnett (1950-07-15) 15 July 1950 (age 74) Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
Political party	Liberal Party
Alma mater	University of Western Australia
Profession	Economist

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.