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THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL
The Governor-General is the representative of the Sovereign, appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Australian Prime Minister.
His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery AC, CVO, MC (Retd) has been Governor-General since 11 August 2003.
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS
The Governor-General exercises the executive power of the Commonwealth of Australia on the advice of the Prime Minister. Certain other powers and functions conferred by the Constitution include the powers to:
- appoint times for holding the sessions of the Parliament
- prorogue Parliament
- dissolve the House of Representatives
- dissolve the House of Representatives and the Senate in the event of a double dissolution
- cause writs to be issued for general elections of members of the House of Representatives
- assent in the Queen's name to a proposed law passed by both Houses of the Parliament
- appoint and summon executive councillors
- appoint ministers of state for the Commonwealth of Australia.
In addition, the Governor-General, as the Queen's representative, is Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces. Many Acts of the Commonwealth Parliament provide that the Governor-General may make Regulations to give effect to such Acts. The Governor-General may also be authorised by statute to issue proclamations, for example, to declare an Act in force. The Governor-General has been given power by statute to legislate for certain Australian territories.
In all such matters the Governor-General acts on the advice of the Prime Minister.
The Governor-General also possesses what are referred to as 'reserve powers'. These may be used without the advice of the Prime Minister, but are used only in times of political uncertainty.
The Queen may appoint an Administrator of the Commonwealth when the Governor-General is out of the country, ill or when the position of Governor-General is vacant. By convention, the longest-serving state governor is appointed as Administrator.
PREVIOUS GOVERNORS-GENERAL
Those persons who have held the office of Governor-General from the inception of the Commonwealth of Australia until 1988 are pictured in Year Book Australia 1988. Pictures of all holders of the office can be found below.
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Rt Hon. John Adrian Louis Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun,
PC, KT, GCMG, GCVO | Rt Hon. Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson,
PC, GCMG | Rt Hon. Henry Stafford Northcote, 1st Baron Northcote,
PC, GCMG, GCIE, CB |
1901-03 | 1903-04 | 1904-08 |
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Rt Hon. William Humble Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley,
PC, GCB, GCMG, GCVO | Rt Hon. Thomas Denman, 3rd Baron Denman,
PC, GCMG, KCVO | Rt Hon. Sir Ronald Craufurd Munro-Ferguson,
GCMG |
1908-11 | 1911-14 | 1914-20 |
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Rt Hon. Henry William Forster, 1st Baron Forster,
PC, GCMG | Rt Hon. John Lawrence Baird, 1st Baron Stonehaven,
PC, GCMG, DSO | Rt Hon. Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs,
GCB, GCMG, KC |
1920-25 | 1925-31 | 1931-36 |
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Brigadier General the Rt Hon. Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven, 1st Baron Gowrie,
VC, PC, GCMG, CB, DSO, KGStJ | His Royal Highness Prince Henry William Frederick Albert, Duke of Gloucester, Earl of Ulster and Baron Culloden
KG, PC, KT, KP, GCB, GCMG, GCVO | Rt Hon. Sir William John McKell,
GCMG, QC |
1936-45 | 1945-47 | 1947-53 |
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Field Marshal Sir William Joseph Slim, 1st Viscount Slim (Yarralumla and Bishopston),
KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DSO, MC, KStJ | Rt Hon. William Shepherd Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil,
PC, GCMG, MC, KStJ, QC | Rt Hon. William Phillip Sidney De L'Isle, 1st Viscount De Lisle,
VC, PC, GCMG, GCVO, KStJ |
1953-60 | 1960-61 | 1961-65 |
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Rt Hon. Richard Gardiner Casey, Baron Casey,
KG, PC, GCMG, CH, DSO, MC, KStJ | Rt Hon. Sir Paul Meernaa Caedwalla Hasluck,
GCMG, GCVO, KStJ | Rt Hon. Sir John Robert Kerr,
AK, GCMG, KStJ, QC |
1965-69 | 1969-74 | 1974-77 |
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Rt Hon. Sir Zelman Cowan,
AK, GCMG, GCVO, KStJ, QC | Rt Hon. Sir Ninian Stephen,
KG, AK, GCMG, GCVO, KBE, QC | The Honourable William
George Hayden,
AC |
1977-82 | 1982-89 | 1989-96 |
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The Honourable Sir William Patrick Deane,
AC, KBE | The Right Reverend Dr Peter Hollingworth,
AC, OBE | His Excellency, Major General Michael Jeffery,
AC, CVO, MC (Retd) |
1996-2001 | 2001-03 | 2003- |
LIST OF HONOURS, AND QUALIFICATIONS AWARDED TO AUSTRALIAN GOVERNORS-GENERAL
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| AC | Companion of the Order of Australia |
| AK | Knight of the Order of Australia |
| CB | Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath |
| CH | Companion of Honour |
| CVO | Commander of the Royal Victorian Order |
| DSO | Companion of the Distinguished Service Order |
| GBE | Knight Grand Cross of the order of the British Empire |
| GCB | Knight Grand Cross of the order of the Bath |
| GCIE | Knight Grand Cross of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire |
| GCMG | Knight Grand Cross of the order of St Michael and St George |
| GCVO | Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order |
| KBE | Knight Commander of the order of the British Empire |
| KC | Kings Council |
| KCVO | Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order |
| KG | Knight of the Garter |
| KGStJ | Knight of Grace, Order of St John of Jerusalem |
| KP | Knight of the Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick |
| KStJ | Knight, Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem |
| KT | Knight of the Thistle |
| MC | Military Cross |
| OBE | Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
| PC | Privy Councillor |
| QC | Queens Council |
| VC | Victoria Cross |
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