Governor-General of Australia Some early governors-general were appointed to terms of just one year (Lord Tennyson) or two years (Lord Forster; later extended). In 1945, John Curtin nominated Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, to the post the first and only royal officeholder. A biography for the Governor-General can be found on the Governor-General's website. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Residence of Governor General Sydney Australia Unused Private Postcard H17 at the best online prices at eBay! It established a constitutional monarchy, with the British monarch, represented locally by a governor-general, the reigning sovereign of Australia. The first Australian-born Governor-General was the Right Honourable Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs, who served from 1931 to 1936. These duties include: There are 2 official residences that can be used by the Governor-General and their family: The first Governor-General was the Right Honourable John Adrian Louis Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun, who served from 1901 to 1903. The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, The Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General, Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley's biography, Receiving a congratulatory message from the Governor-General, The Governor-General's Official residences, Presiding over the Federal Executive Council, Facilitating the work of the Commonwealth Parliament and Government, Dissolving Parliament and issuing writs for a Federal election, Commissioning the Prime Minister; appointing Ministers and Assistant Ministers; and swearing-in other statutory positions. Later, the Governor-General received Ms Minoli Perera, Ambassador- designate to Zimbabwe. The Governor General is the Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force. The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd). "It will also provide an opportunity to look forwards and demonstrate the many ways the UK is working in partnership with France and Germany. Please read ourPrivacy Statement, The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, The Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General, E-mail the Governor-General or Government House, Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley's biography, Receiving a congratulatory message from the Governor-General, The Governor-General's Official residences. Through our accessible, immersive, experiential programs and resources, the PEO fosters informed, engaged and active citizens of all ages. The Prime Minister tabled a copy of the amended letters patent relating to the office of Governor-General, together with the text of a statement relating to the document, but for some unknown reason he did not read the statement to the House, nor did he seek leave to have it incorporated in Hansard. Lord Dunrossil (as William Morrison) was Speaker of the UK House of Commons. Stanley Bruce (1925) and Joseph Lyons (1935) either asked for or were given a list of suitable candidates to choose from. All times AEDT (GMT +11). These powers remain in section 59 of the Constitution of Australia, but today are regarded as dead letters. Under the Australian Constitution, the only action performed by The King is the appointment of the Governor-General (on the advice of the Australian Prime Minister). Everything you need to know about the role, function, structure and people of the Australian Parliament. Individual items of correspondence of this type will not be brought to the attention of the Governor-General and senders should not expect a reply. Recipients come from right across the country and from all walks of life. The functions of the governor-general include appointing ministers, judges, and ambassadors; giving royal assent to legislation passed by parliament; issuing writs for election; and bestowing Australian honours.[6]. Mr Albanese added he was looking forward to welcoming King Charles to Australia to mark his first trip Down Under as monarch. I have seen this at work in the people and organisations assisting our veterans, our rural communities that are under stress, asylum seekers who we have accepted into our country and our aboriginal brothers and sisters. In the constitution, the words "Governor-General-in-council" mean the governor-general acting with the advice of the Council. The couple will then travel to Berlin, Brandenburg and Hamburg in Germany, where the trip wraps up on March 31. YARRALUMLA ACT 2600, Tel: (02) 6283 3533E-mail the Governor-General or Government House. After elections, or when a government loses or wins a majority in the Australian House of Representatives , the Governor General is the person who legally decides that the prime minister has the numbers to lead a government. [62] In 1925, under Prime Minister Stanley Bruce, the same practice was followed for the appointment of Forster's successor Lord Stonehaven, with the Australian government publicly stating that his name "had been submitted, with others, to the Commonwealth ministry, who had selected him".[63]. 1935 saw the appointment of the first British high commissioner to Australia, Geoffrey Whiskard (in office 19361941). Permission should be sought from Government House for third-party or commercial uses of this image. [6][12][13] These oaths are administered by the chief justice of Australia or another senior judge. New details have emerged about the role Australia will play at the coronation of King Charles III, as the government responds to questions about a visit to Australia by the monarch. Each year the Governor-General hosts or attends hundreds ofevents around the country and meet tens of thousands of Australians. [35][36] Hasluck's successor John Kerr made state visits to eight countries, but Kerr's successor Zelman Cowen made only a single state visit to Papua New Guinea as he wished to concentrate on travelling within Australia. 87 following. There are no No. connection to land, culture and community. That role can become controversial, however, if the governor-general becomes unpopular with sections of the community. Since May 2013, the style used by a former governor-general is the Honourable; it was at the same time retrospectively granted for life to all previous holders of the office.[54]. The official cars of the governor-general fly the Flag of the Governor-General of Australia and display St. Edward's Crown instead of number plates. Defence Minister Malcolm Fraser, who opposed the call out, was responsible for informing Hasluck of the prime minister's lack of consultation. 48.7k Followers, 87 Following, 826 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Governor-General of Australia (@gg_australia) gg_australia. Sir Isaac Isaacs and Sir Zelman Cowen were Jewish; Bill Hayden was an avowed atheist[69] during his term and he made an affirmation rather than swear an oath at the beginning of his commission; the remaining Governors-General have been at least nominally Christian. [35] All subsequent governors-general have travelled widely while in office and made multiple state visits. This, among other things, led to the Statute of Westminster 1931 and to the formal separation of the Crowns of the Dominions. In our opinion it is an essential consequence of the equality of status existing among the members of the British Commonwealth of Nations that the Governor-General of a Dominion is the representative of the Crown, holding in all essential respects the same position in relation to the administration of public affairs in the Dominion as is held by His Majesty the King in Great Britain, and that he is not the representative or agent of His Majesty's Government in Great Britain or of any Department of that Government. They are appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, usually for a term of 5 years. Orsend your written letter of invitation to: To contact Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat, please use ouremail formand selectHonours and Awards. On 18 March 2020,[32] a human biosecurity emergency was declared in Australia owing to the risks to human health posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, after the National Security Committee met the previous day. To mollify Hughes, Milner offered him a choice between three candidates. The Australia Day 2023 Honours List recognises and celebrates 1,047 recipients, including 736 in the General Division of the Order of Australia and awards for meritorious, distinguished and conspicuous service. Menzies had sought a man of stature, one who had no involvement in Australian politics, and one who would represent the monarch effectively. At one time, governors-general wore the traditional court uniform, consisting of a dark navy wool double-breasted coatee with silver oak leaf and fern embroidery on the collar and cuffs trimmed with silver buttons embossed with the Royal Arms and with bullion edged epaulettes on the shoulders, dark navy trousers with a wide band of silver oak-leaf braid down the outside seam, silver sword belt with ceremonial sword, bicorne cocked hat with plume of ostrich feathers, black patent leather Wellington boots with spurs, etc., that is worn on ceremonial occasions. Each state has a governor, who is appointed by the King on the advice of the Premier (head of government) of that state. 2014-2019. Scullin recommended the Australian jurist Sir Isaac Isaacs, and he insisted that George V act on the advice of his Australian prime minister in this matter. Scullin was equally insistent that the monarch must act on the relevant prime minister's direct advice (the practice until 1926 was that Dominion prime ministers advised the monarch indirectly, through the British government, which effectively had a veto over any proposal it did not agree with). Gorton agreed to put the matter to his ministers, and a cabinet meeting agreed that troops should only be called out if requested by the territory's administrator; this did not occur. Sir William Deane (governor-general 19962001) described one of his functions as being "Chief Mourner" at prominent funerals. Menzies's fourth nomination was Richard Casey, who took office in 1965; he and all subsequent governors-general have been Australian citizens. Representative of the monarch of Australia, Sir Isaac Isaacs, the first Australian-born governor-general, 19311936, Dame Quentin Bryce, the first female governor-general, 20082014. On 16 December 2018, prime minister Scott Morrison announced that the next governor-general would be General David Hurley, then-governor of New South Wales. The chief scout is nominated by the Scouting Association's National Executive Committee and is invited by the president of the Scout Association to accept the appointment. The 30 recipients of awards in the Military Division of the Order of Australia include: The 64 recipients of Distinguished and Conspicuous awards include: An additional 77 Australians recognised for their contribution in support of Australias response to the COVID-19 pandemic have been added to the COVID-19 Honour Roll. On the day parliament opens, the governor-general makes a speech, entirely written by the government, explaining the government's proposed legislative program. "It was a great honour for me to have an audience with King Charles. In writing, on an envelope or address block of an email: --His/Her Excellency The letters released on Tuesday revealed that Kerr, who as Governor-General was the Queen's official representative in Australia, held extensive discussions with the palace over what powers he held. During Elizabeth II's 2011 visit to Australia, she and the Duke of Edinburgh were driven in a Range Rover Vogue. Later, the Governor-General and Mrs Hurley received Mr Gary Meyers, Ambassador, St Vincent's Hospital, on the completion of Mr Meyer's walk from Sydney to Canberra. Sir, "David Hurley named next governor general of Australia", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_governors-general_of_Australia&oldid=1140852633, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 02:42. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [53] There is also a tropical version made of white tropical wool cut in a typical military fashion worn with a plumed helmet. The first Australian-born Governor-General was the Right Honourable Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs, who served from 1931 to 1936. More recent governors-general in this category include Lord Casey, Sir Paul Hasluck, Sir John Kerr, Sir Ninian Stephen, Bill Hayden and Sir William Deane. This was not because of any lack of regard for Isaacs personally, but because the British government considered that the choice of Governors-General was, since the 1926 Imperial Conference, a matter for the monarch's decision alone. The Constitution sets out some specific tasks for the Governor-General, including: The Governor-General's ceremonial and constitutional roles are closely related. After consulting his cabinet he chose Henry Forster, 1st Baron Forster. By convention, the prime minister is appointed to this council and advises as to which parliamentarians shall become ministers and parliamentary secretaries. [49] The current salary is $425,000 and there is a generous pension. [40] No formal declarations of war have been made since World War II, although in 1973 the Whitlam Government advised the governor-general to proclaim the end of Australia's involvement in Vietnam, despite the lack of an initiating proclamation. Governor-General of Australia The official Instagram account of His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) www.gg.gov.au. 'What does being recognised mean to me?' [16] By convention, the longest-serving state governor holds a dormant commission, allowing an assumption of office to commence whenever a vacancy occurs. I am committed as Governor-General to support these people in their work. General David John Hurley, AC, DSC, KStJ, FTSE (born 26 August 1953) is an Australian former senior officer in the Australian Army who has served as the 27th governor-general of Australia since 1 July 2019. Follow. 26. Section 1 of the Australian Constitution says that the Parliament is made up of the King, the Senate and the House of Representatives. opening and attending national and international meetings and conferences, attending exhibitions and sporting events, attending functions as an official patron of organisations, visiting regions or areas to meet people involved in a particular group or industry. Then, the Governor-General, as Chancellor of the Order of Australia and Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, invested Air Marshal Kevin Short AO, Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force. Whenever the Governor-General makes a public statement, they avoid personal opinions and do not comment on political and other controversies. Governor-General of Australia. The constitutional crisis of 1975 raised the possibility of the prime minister and the governor-general attempting to dismiss each other at the same time. In 2003, Archbishop Peter Hollingworth voluntarily stood aside while controversial allegations against him were managed, and the letters patent of the office were amended to take account of this circumstance. I've been invited to his coronation, on the first Saturday in May, I will attend along with the Governor-General, with other guests as well who have been invited by the Palace," he said. [6] The actual powers of the governor-general as commander-in-chief are not defined in the constitution, but rather in the Defence Act 1903 and other legislation. The monarch was consulted on the decision into the 1930s. The first female Governor-General was the Honourable . Australia's national anthem is Advance Australia Fair. Write to the Governor-General or Government House at: Government House Dunrossil Drive YARRALUMLA ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6283 3533 E-mail the Governor-General or Government House Lachlan Macquarie, (born January 31, 1761, Ulva, Argyllshire, Scotlanddied July 1, 1824, London, England), early governor of New South Wales, Australia (1810-21), who expanded opportunities for Emancipists (freed convicts) and established a balance of power with the Exclusionists (large landowners and sheep farmers). The Governor-General encourages, articulates and represents the things that unite Australia as a nation. The Constitution of Australia, section 2, provides: A Governor-General appointed by the Queen shall be Her Majesty's representative in the Commonwealth, and shall have and may exercise in the Commonwealth during the Queen's pleasure, but subject to this Constitution, such powers and functions of the Queen as Her Majesty may be pleased to assign to him. The annual salary during Michael Jeffery's term was $365,000. These fall roughly into three categories: constitutional and statutory duties, formal ceremonial duties, and non-ceremonial social duties. Dunrossil Drive The constitution also provides that the salary of the governor-general cannot be "altered" during his or her term of office. In 1930, King George V and the Australian Prime Minister James Scullin discussed the appointment of a new Governor-General to replace Lord Stonehaven, whose term was coming to an end. The governor-general presides over a Federal Executive Council. [46] Bill Hayden declined the office on the grounds of his atheism, which was incompatible with the Scout Promise. Buckingham Palace on Friday announced details of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla's first overseas trip since assuming their titles after Queen Elizabeth's death. In practice, they are Australia's Head of State and have a range of constitutional and ceremonial duties. Formerly, all governors-general automatically became a knight upon being sworn in.[55]. Section 61 of the Constitution goes on to say that executive power is given to the King and is exercised by the Governor-General. The executive power of the Commonwealth, by section 61 of the Constitution, is declared to be vested in the Queen. Early governors-general were British and were appointed by the queen or king on the recommendation of the Colonial Office. The Governor-General has some of the responsibility for ensuring that Australia is governed according to the rules set out in the Constitution. The Governor-General engaging in ceremonial duties. Scullin was partially influenced by the precedent set by the Government of the Irish Free State, which always insisted upon having an Irishman as the governor-general of the Irish Free State. James Scullin (1930) became the first prime minister of Australia to exercise complete discretion in the appointment; his nomination of Sir Isaac Isaacs made Australia the first Dominion to have a native-born governor-general. Hosting visiting Heads of State and other prominent visitors to Australia, Receivingthe credentials of newly appointed Ambassadors and High Commissioners to Australia, Through Federal Executive Council, appointing the Chief of Defence Force and Service Chiefs, Commissioning officers in the Navy, Army and Air Force, Presenting Colours, Banners and other Honours to military units and personnel, Visiting military units to acknowledge the service of service personnel. They had the right to "reserve" legislation passed by the Parliament of Australia: in effect, to ask the Colonial Office in London for an opinion before giving the royal assent. Australia will be represented at the coronation of King Charles III by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Governor-General David Hurley, it has been confirmed. These duties are essential to Australia's modern democracy, however perhaps the most important role of the Governor-General is their work in the Australian community. It is encouraging to see an increase in diversity in the Order of Australia. Governor-general's role. That position, though now generally well recognised, undoubtedly represents a development from an earlier stage when the Governor-General was appointed solely on the advice of His Majesty's Ministers in London and acted also as their representative. [3][4] The governor-general is appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of government ministers. By convention, this may only be upon advice from the prime minister, who retains responsibility for selecting an immediate replacement or letting the vacancy provisions take effect. [66], In 1965 the Menzies conservative government appointed an Australian, Lord Casey, and thereafter only Australians have held the position. Despite these precedents, George V remained reluctant to accept Scullin's recommendation of Isaacs and asked him to consider Field Marshal Sir William Birdwood. Powers exercised in council, which are not reserve powers, include: All such actions are taken on the advice of ministers. The salutation for a letter addressed to the Governor-General and Mrs Hurleyshould be "Your Excellencies". Form letters or emails generated as part of a broader campaign will not be responded to. As a result of decisions made at the 1926 Imperial Conference, the governor-general ceased to represent the British Government diplomatically, and the British right of supervision over Australian affairs was abolished. On Thursday 2 March 2023, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) presided at a meeting of the Federal Executive Council. In 1975, Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam advised the Queen that Sir Colin Hannah, then Governor of Queensland, should have his dormant commission revoked for having made public and partisan anti-Whitlam Government political statements, in violation of the convention that state governors and federal governors-general remain neutral and above politics. However, that custom fell into disuse during the tenure of Sir Paul Hasluck. She was the first woman to be the Governor-General. The Governor-General of Australiais addressed as His/Her Excellencydenoting his/her rank the vice-royal representative of the monarchto a Commonwealth nation. [10] In 1920, Billy Hughes became the first prime minister to be consulted over the governor-generalship. In practice, the associated powers over the Australian Defence Force are only exercised on the advice of the prime minister or minister for defence, on behalf of cabinet. A temporary vacancy occurs when the governor-general is overseas on official business representing Australia. The Governor-General does not have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the government but has a role in both the government and the Parliament. The Governor-General is not part of the government or the opposition and must remain neutral. [38] There is some ambiguity with regard to the role of the governor-general in declarations of war. Term of Office. According to Section 2 of the Australian Constitution, the Governor-General is appointed by the King to be His Majesty's representative in Australia. Various governors-general had previously served as governors of an Australian state or colony: Lord Hopetoun (Victoria 18891895); Lord Tennyson (South Australia 18991902); Lord Gowrie (South Australia 192834; and New South Wales 19351936); Major General Michael Jeffery (Western Australia 19932000); Dame Quentin Bryce (Queensland 20032008); General David Hurley (New South Wales 20142019). [19] The constitution also provides that the governor-general is the monarch's "representative" in exercising the executive power of the Commonwealth (section 61) and as commander-in-chief of the armed forces (section 68). Scullin's proposed appointment of Sir Isaac Isaacs was fiercely opposed by the British government. log in. They appoint a deputy, to whom members make an oath of allegiance before they take their seats. Australia's constitution, which can be considered crudely as an amalgam of the constitutional forms of the United Kingdom and the United States, was adopted in 1900 and entered into force in 1901.