Commonwealth of Australia | Page last reviewed 15 Sept 2022, Welcome to the Parliamentary Education Office. The Governor-General. The convention gradually became established throughout the Commonwealth that the Governor-General is a citizen of the country concerned, and is appointed on the advice of the government of that country. [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. The Australian Constitution And The Use Of Convention Essay. [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. Free shipping for many products! A list of all former Governors-General. 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. The governor-general is formally appointed by the monarch of Australia, in terms of letters patent issued by the monarch at some time during their reign and counter-signed by the then prime minister. 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. Lord Casey was Governor of Bengal in between his periods of service to the Australian Parliament. The Governor-General of Australia is His Majesty The Kings representative. The Governor-General of Australiais addressed as His/Her Excellencydenoting his/her rank the vice-royal representative of the monarchto a Commonwealth nation. In a very real sense, they represented the British Government. [27], The monarch chose not to intervene during the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, in which Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed the Labor government of Gough Whitlam, on the basis that such a decision is a matter "clearly placed within the jurisdiction of the Governor-General". In writing, on an envelope or address block of an email: --His/Her Excellency The governor-general makes state visits overseas on behalf of Australia, during which an administrator of the government is appointed. 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. The King and Queen Consort will first head to France on March 16, where they will undertake engagements in Paris and Bordeaux. Some, however, have been notable in their own right, such as Dame Alexandra Hasluck, Lady Casey and Michael Bryce. 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. The Governor-General's ceremonial duties include: The Governor-General is in constant contact with the Australian people. The salutation for a letter addressed to the Governor-General and Mrs Hurley should be "Your Excellencies". General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK CVO MC (Retd) Sydney NSW. After receiving their commission, the new governor-general takes an Oath of Allegiance to the monarch and an Oath of Office. All times AEDT (GMT +11). On Thursday 2 March 2023, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) presided at a meeting of the Federal Executive Council. Afterwards, the Governor-General hosted a breakfast for The Honourable Patrick Gorman MP, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister. On 29 November, the King agreed to Isaacs's appointment, but made it clear that he did so only because he felt he had no option. This was confirmed by the prime minister while talking to reporters on . The Biosecurity Act 2015 specifies that the governor-general may declare such an emergency exists if the health minister (Greg Hunt at the time) is satisfied that "a listed human disease is posing a severe and immediate threat, or is causing harm, to human health on a nationally significant scale". Governors-general generally become patrons of various charitable institutions, present honours and awards, host functions for various groups of people including ambassadors to and from other countries, and travel widely throughout Australia. According to William McMahon, Harold Holt considered having Lord Casey dismissed from the governor-generalship, and went as far as to have the necessary documents drawn up. The Governor-General is not part of the government or the opposition and must remain neutral. A second Australian (William McKell) was appointed in 1947; he was followed by three more Britons, each chosen by Sir Robert Menzies. From the creation of the Order of Australia in 1975, the governor-general was, ex officio, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the order, and therefore became entitled to the post-nominal AC. Dame Quentin Bryce was the first governor-general to have had no prior title or pre-nominal style. Sir John Kerr resigned in 1977, with his official reason being his decision to accept the position of Australian Ambassador to UNESCO in Paris, a post which ultimately he did not take up, but the resignation also being motivated by the 1975 constitutional controversy. Kerr determined that he had both the right and the duty to dismiss the government and commission a new government that would recommend a dissolution of the Parliament. All the governors-general until 1965 were British-born, except for Australian-born Sir Isaac Isaacs (19311936) and Sir William McKell (19471953). "[21], The 1988 Constitutional Commission report explained: "the governor-general is in no sense a delegate of the Queen. Don't have an account? acting as Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force. On Thursday 2 March 2023, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) p. resided at a meeting of the Federal Executive Council. Governors-general have during their tenure the style His/Her Excellency the Honourable and their spouses have the style His/Her Excellency. Las mejores ofertas para Tarjeta de cigarrillo Ogden: conde de Hopetoun, gobernador general de Australia estn en eBay Compara precios y caractersticas de productos nuevos y usados Muchos artculos con envo gratis! The royal assent brings such laws into effect, as legislation, from the date of signing. 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. Governors-general have no fixed term, but have usually served for around five years. The Governor-General is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force. Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson had been offered the governorship of South Australia in 1895 and of Victoria in 1910, but refused both appointments. Spouses of governors-general have no official duties but carry out the role of a vice-regal consort. [38] There is some ambiguity with regard to the role of the governor-general in declarations of war. The same individuals were also usually either peers, knights, or both (the only Australian peer to be appointed as governor-general was the Lord Casey; and Sir William McKell was knighted only in 1951, some years into his term, but he was entitled to the style "The Honourable" during his tenure as premier of New South Wales, an office he held until almost immediately before his appointment). YARRALUMLA ACT 2600, Tel: (02) 6283 3533E-mail the Governor-General or Government House. At the end of this initial term, a commission may be extended for a short time, usually to avoid conflict with an election or during political difficulties.[6]. 25. 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. During these months, the person recommended is referred to as the governor-general-designate. Whenever the Governor-General makes a public statement, they avoid personal opinions and do not comment on political and other controversies. [50] Until 2001, Governors-General did not pay income tax on their salary; this was changed after Elizabeth II agreed to pay tax.[49]. These provisions make it clear that the Monarch's role in the parliament is in name only and the actual responsibility belongs to the governor-general. The governor-general is officially appointed by the monarch of Britain but is recommended by the prime minister of Australia. Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia Badge Flag of the Governor-General Incumbent David Hurley since 1 July 2019 Viceregal Style His Excellencythe Honourable Status Representative of the Head of state Commander in chief Residence Government House(Canberra) Admiralty House(Sydney) Seat Canberra Nominator Prime Minister of Australia visiting places hit by national disaster, such as floods or fire. The Governor-General of Australia is the representative in Australia of Australia's head of state, Charles III. 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. The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, The Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General. They go above and beyond, are from all over the country, and contribute every day in every way imaginable. The office of "governor-general" was previously used in Australia in the mid-19th century. That role can become controversial, however, if the governor-general becomes unpopular with sections of the community. 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. The PEO acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and their continuing Later, the Governor-General received Ms Minoli Perera, Ambassador- designate to Zimbabwe. The public role adopted by Sir John Kerr was curtailed considerably after the constitutional crisis of 1975; Sir William Deane's public statements on political issues produced some hostility towards him; and some charities disassociated themselves from Peter Hollingworth after the issue of his management of sex abuse cases during his time as Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane became a matter of controversy. They are appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, usually for a term of 5 years. [5] The monarch then permits the recommendation to be publicly announced, usually several months before the end of the existing governor-general's term. The Governor-General has an important role in the governing of Australia. There are 736 awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia, with 48 per cent for women and 45 per cent for service to local communities. The King maintained that it was now his sole prerogative to choose a governor-general, and he wanted Field-Marshal Sir William Birdwood for the Australian post. In Commentaries on the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia, Garran noted that, since the Australian executive is national in nature (being dependent on the nationally elected House of Representatives, rather than the Senate), "the Governor-General, as the official head of the Executive, does not in the smallest degree represent any federal element; if he represents anything he is the image and embodiment of national unity and the outward and visible representation of the Imperial relationship of the Commonwealth".[34]. He later stepped down over the church's handling of allegations of sexual abuse of boys, for which he apologised before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2016. The governor-general now wears an ordinary lounge suit if a man or day dress if a woman. Lord Northcote was Governor of Bombay. [28] During the 1920s, the importance of the position declined. Slim was to see no change of prime minister over his term of nearly seven years. As the Balfour Declaration of 1926, later implemented as the Statute of Westminster 1931, put it: It is desirable formally to place on record a definition of the position held by the Governor-General as His Majesty's representative in the Dominions. 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. 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. An "administrator of the government" in Canada is a constitutional practice where an individual is empowered to perform the functions of the office of the governor general if the governor general is incapable of rendering their constitutional duties, or if the position of Governor General is vacant following a resignation or death. The first four governors-general were peers; Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson (appointed 1914) was the first commoner to hold the position, although he was also later elevated to the peerage. [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]. He spent much of his retirement in Europe but returned to Australia several times in the 1980s . 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'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. Defence Minister Malcolm Fraser, who opposed the call out, was responsible for informing Hasluck of the prime minister's lack of consultation. Dame Quentin Bryce (20082014) was the first woman to be appointed to the office. [47] He did however serve as the association's patron during his term of office. Now, the King of Australia is generally bound by constitutional convention to accept the advice of the Australian prime minister and state premiers about Australian and state constitutional matters, respectively. 87 following. A vacancy occurs on the resignation, death, or incapacity of the governor-general. Together with the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Governor-General is a part of the Australian Parliament. The Governor-General is officially appointed by the Queen as Head of State. [48] Under the Governor-General Act 1974, each new commission has resulted in a pay increase. Holt believed that this was an improper use of his authority, but no further action was taken.[17]. When the late Queen Elizabeth II was in Australia, the Queen's Personal Australian Flag was flown on the car in which she was travelling. A biography for the Governor-General can be found on the Governor-General's website. Sections 58 to 60 allow the governor-general to withhold assent, suggest changes, refer to the Monarch or proclaim that the Monarch has annulled the legislation. Menzies had sought a man of stature, one who had no involvement in Australian politics, and one who would represent the monarch effectively. Hollingworth resigned on 28 May 2003. Travelling widely to encourage and acknowledge individuals and groups making a substantial contribution to the community, Responding quickly and compassionately on behalf of all Australians to natural disasters and events of national significance. The first Australian-born Governor-General was the Right Honourable Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs, who served from 1931 to 1936. He was appointed in July 1900, returning to Australia shortly before the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901. It is also, in the same section, declared to be "exercisable" by the Governor-General as the Queen's representative. Permission should be sought from Office of the Governor-General for third-party or commercial uses of this image. Should you wish to extend an invitation to the Governor-General and Mrs Hurley, please use ouremail formand selectInvitations. The Governor-General has specific constitutional and statutory powers. Formerly, all governors-general automatically became a knight upon being sworn in.[55]. The Governor-General of Australia is a powerful person in the country. 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). The usual wording of official announcements of this nature read "The King has been pleased to appoint ", but on this occasion the announcement said merely "The King has appointed ", and his private secretary (Lord Stamfordham) asked the Australian solicitor-general, Sir Robert Garran, to make sure that Scullin was aware of the exact wording. The recipients have had a significant impact at the local, national and international level and are, quite simply, inspiring, the Governor-General said. Lord Dunrossil (as William Morrison) was Speaker of the UK House of Commons. 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. The first governor-general, Lord Hopetoun, asked to be recalled to Britain in 1903 over a dispute about funding for the post. The Governor General is the Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force. [64] (Lord Stamfordham had complained that Scullin had "put a gun to the King's head".). Everything you need to know about the role, function, structure and people of the Australian Parliament. 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 of Australia is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in Australia. awarding special honours, in their role as the Chancellor of the Order of Australia. 1.2 National anthem and flag protocols. Lord Stonehaven (as John Baird) was Minister for Transport in the Cabinets of Bonar Law and Stanley Baldwin; and after his return to Britain he became Chairman of the UK Conservative Party. John Robert Kerr (1914-1991), lawyer, judge, and governor-general, was born on 24 September 1914 at Balmain, Sydney, eldest of eight children of New South Wales-born parents Harry Kerr, boilermaker, and his wife Laura May, ne Cardwell. Form letters or emails generated as part of a broader campaign will not be responded to. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. [33] The Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Declaration 2020 was declared by Governor-General David Hurley under Section 475 of the Act. Traditionally, the ceremony takes place in the Senate chamber. [10] Since then, all but one of the governors-general have been Australian-born; the exception, Sir Ninian Stephen, arrived in Australia as a teenager. Permission should be sought from Government House for third-party or commercial uses of this image.