Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson had been offered the governorship of South Australia in 1895 and of Victoria in 1910, but refused both appointments.
Since 1 July 2019, the governor-general has been General David Hurley. From Federation in 1901 until 1965, 11 out of the 15 governors-general were British aristocrats; they included four barons, three viscounts, three earls, and one royal duke.
The first governor-general, Lord Hopetoun, asked to be recalled to Britain in 1903 over a dispute about funding for the post.
Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson had been offered the governorship of South Australia in 1895 and of Victoria in 1910, but refused both appointments.
Traditionally, the swearing-in of a new governor-general takes place in the Senate chamber. ===History=== In 1919, Prime Minister Billy Hughes sent a memorandum to the Colonial Office in which he requested "a real and effective voice in the selection of the King's representative".
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". The prime minister now advises the monarch to appoint their nominee.
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.
This has been the procedure since November 1930, when James Scullin's proposed appointment of Sir Isaac Isaacs was fiercely opposed by the British government.
This, among other things, led to the Statute of Westminster 1931 and to the formal separation of the Crowns of the Dominions.
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).
Lord De L'Isle was Secretary of State for Air in Winston Churchill's cabinet from 1951 to 1955.
Lord De L'Isle was Secretary of State for Air in Winston Churchill's cabinet from 1951 to 1955.
In 1961, Lord Dunrossil became the first and, to date, only governor-general to die while holding office. A governor-general may be recalled or dismissed by the monarch before their term is complete.
Since 1 July 2019, the governor-general has been General David Hurley. From Federation in 1901 until 1965, 11 out of the 15 governors-general were British aristocrats; they included four barons, three viscounts, three earls, and one royal duke.
Formerly, the governor-general automatically became a knight or dame (if he or she was not already one previously) upon being sworn in. ==Backgrounds of governors-general== All the governors-general until 1965 were British-born, except for Australian-born Sir Isaac Isaacs (1931–1936) and Sir William McKell (1947–1953).
Under the Governor-General Act 1974, each new commission has resulted in a pay increase.
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). Australian Solicitor-General Maurice Byers stated in 1974: "The constitutional prescription is that executive power is exercisable by the governor-general although vested in the Queen.
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. 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.
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.
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 1976, the letters patent for the Order were amended to introduce the rank of Knight and Dame to the Order, and from that time the governor-general became, ex officio, the Chancellor and Principal Knight of the Order.
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.
The independence of the office is highlighted by changes which have been made in recent years to the Royal Instruments relating to it." The changes occurred in 1984 when Queen Victoria's letters patent and instructions were revoked and replaced with new letters patent, on Prime Minister
In 1986 the letters patent were amended again, and governors-general appointed from that time were again, ex officio, entitled to the post-nominal AC (although if they already held a knighthood in the Order that superior rank was retained). Until 1989, all governors-general were members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom and thus held the additional style the Right Honourable for life.
And it is exercisable by the Queen's representative, not her delegate or agent." The 1988 Constitutional Commission report explained: "the governor-general is in no sense a delegate of the Queen.
In 1986 the letters patent were amended again, and governors-general appointed from that time were again, ex officio, entitled to the post-nominal AC (although if they already held a knighthood in the Order that superior rank was retained). Until 1989, all governors-general were members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom and thus held the additional style the Right Honourable for life.
In 1989, Bill Hayden, a republican, declined appointment to the British Privy Council and any imperial honours.
Until 2001, Governors-General did not pay income tax on their salary; this was changed after the Queen agreed to pay tax. Three governors-general have resigned their commission.
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.
A temporary vacancy also occurred in 2003 when Peter Hollingworth stood aside. Section 4 of the constitution allows the Queen to appoint an administrator to carry out the role of governor-general when there is a vacancy.
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. 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.
From that time until 2014, governors-general did not receive automatic titles or honours, other than the post-nominal AC by virtue of being Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Australia.
She was in office when, on 19 March 2014, the Queen, acting on the advice of Prime Minister Tony Abbott, amended the letters patent of the Order of Australia to provide, inter alia, that the governor-general would be, ex officio, Principal Knight or Principal Dame of the Order.
Until 2015, the honour continued after the retirement from office of the governor-general.
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 is supported by a staff (of 80 in 2018) headed by the official secretary to the governor-general of Australia. A governor-general is not appointed for a specific term, but is generally expected to serve for five years subject to a possible short extension.
Since 1 July 2019, the governor-general has been General David Hurley. From Federation in 1901 until 1965, 11 out of the 15 governors-general were British aristocrats; they included four barons, three viscounts, three earls, and one royal duke.
All text is taken from Wikipedia. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License .
Page generated on 2021-08-05