Premier facts for kids

A Premier is a very important leader in some governments. The word "Premier" means "first" or "most important." Sometimes, people use "Premier" instead of "Prime Minister" to talk about the main leader of a country. But more often, a Premier is the leader of a government in a smaller area, like a state or a province, rather than a whole independent country.

Leaders in Former British Colonies

When a country was once a colony (an area controlled by another country, like Britain), it slowly gained more power to govern itself.

From Chief Minister to Premier

At first, when a colony started to elect its own government, the main leader was called the Chief Minister. This was a step towards becoming fully independent.

Becoming Independent

As the colony became more able to rule itself, it was given more powers. At this stage, the title of the Chief Minister often changed to Premier. This showed that the local government had more control over its own affairs. When the colony finally became a completely independent country, the Premier's title usually changed to Prime Minister. At this point, the British government no longer had any power to rule the new country.

Premiers in Australia and Canada

In countries like Australia and Canada, the main leader of the entire country's government is called the Prime Minister. However, the leaders of the governments in the smaller parts of these countries have a different title.

State and Provincial Leaders

In Australia, the leaders of the governments in each Australian State are called Premiers. For example, the leader of the government in the state of Victoria is the Premier of Victoria. In Canada, the leaders of the governments in each Canadian Province are also called Premiers. This is because these states and provinces are not independent countries themselves. They are parts of a larger country, and their leaders manage the government within their specific region.

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