Jeremy Rockliff
A pragmatic farmer from Tasmania's northwest who rose to lead the island state, focusing on regional development and mental health reform.
Born 1970 (age 56)·Australian politician·Birthday: February 5·Generation X
Biography
Jeremy Rockliff's political identity is deeply rooted in the soil of his family's farm in Tasmania's fertile northwest. Entering politics as a Liberal, he brought the practical, community-focused sensibility of a agricultural producer to the state parliament. For nearly eight years, he served as a steady and loyal deputy premier, handling significant portfolios like primary industries and mental health. His elevation to premier in 2022 was not the result of a political coup but a planned succession, reflecting his reputation as a dependable and consensus-seeking figure. As premier, Rockliff has championed the interests of regional Tasmania, pushing for infrastructure and economic diversification beyond the capital, Hobart. He has also placed a personal emphasis on reforming the state's troubled mental health system, a policy area he pursued with conviction from his earlier ministerial role.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jeremy was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jeremy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Jeremy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the 47th Premier of Tasmania in April 2022, following the resignation of Peter Gutwein.
- Served as Deputy Premier of Tasmania for eight years from 2014 to 2022, a period of significant stability in the state's government.
- As Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, he initiated a major reform agenda for Tasmania's mental health services.
- Has been the Member for Braddon, representing Tasmania's northwest, since 2002.
Did You Know?
He is a fourth-generation farmer who still helps run his family's mixed livestock and cropping property.
Rockliff is a passionate supporter of Australian Rules football and the North Melbourne Kangaroos.
Before entering politics full-time, he worked in the agricultural supply and feed industry.
He is known for a relatively low-key and consultative style of leadership compared to some of his predecessors.
“My focus is on Tasmanians, their jobs and their futures.”
