* Will Hodgman (Liberal) 2014-2020: led the conservatives to power after 16 years in opposition. Resigned mid term citing family reasons.

* Lara Giddings (Labor) 2011-2014: the state's first female premier oversaw a Labor-Greens minority government which turned sour in its closing phases.

* David Bartlett (Labor) 2008-2011: came to power after the shock resignation of his predecessor. Resigned mid term citing family reasons.

* Paul Lennon (Labor) 2004-2008: took a dive in approval ratings on the back of a controversial pulp mill proposal and resigned mid term.

* Jim Bacon (Labor) 1998-2004: a cancer diagnosis in March 2004 prompted his resignation in March. He died in June the same year aged 54.

* Tony Rundle (Liberal) 1996-1998: was in power during the Port Arthur massacre and oversaw Tasmania's widely-lauded gun law reform. Failed to win enough seats in a reduced-size parliament and became opposition leader.

Australian Associated Press