Governor of Western Australia
The governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of the monarch of Australia, King Charles III. As with the other governors of the Australian states, the governor of Western Australia performs constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:
- presiding over the Executive Council;
- proroguing and dissolving the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council;
- issuing writs for elections; and
- appointing Ministers, Judges, Magistrates and Justices of the Peace.
| Governor of Western Australia | |
|---|---|
former Badge of the Governor | |
Flag of the Governor | |
| Viceregal | |
| Style | His Excellency the Honourable |
| Residence | Government House, Perth |
| Seat | Perth |
| Nominator | Premier of Western Australia |
| Appointer | Monarch of Australia on the advice of the Premier |
| Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure (usually 5 years by convention) |
| Formation | 6 February 1832 |
| First holder | Captain James Stirling |
| Website | govhouse |
Furthermore, all bills passed by the Parliament of Western Australia require the governor's signature before they become acts and pass into law. However, since convention almost always requires the governor to act on the advice of the premier and the cabinet, such approval is almost always a formality.
Until the appointment of Sir James Mitchell in 1948, all governors of Western Australia had been British officials. After Mitchell's appointment, a further three Britons served as governor: Mitchell's two immediate successors, and then, from 1980 to 1983, Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge who was the last British governor of any Australian state.[1]
Styles edit
The governor of Western Australia is styled "His Excellency" during his term in office (or Her Excellency for a female governor). In August 2014, three of the four living past governors – John Sanderson, Ken Michael and Malcolm McCusker – were given the style "The Honourable", on the recommendation of the premier.[2] The other living former governor, Michael Jeffery, already held the style in virtue of his later service as governor-general of Australia.
Governor's standard edit
The governor's standard of Western Australia is the same design as the British blue ensign with the union flag at the upper left quarter. On the right side, the state badge of Western Australia, comprising a black swan in a yellow disc, is surmounted by the St. Edward's crown.
If the standard is flying at Government House, on a vehicle or at an event, this indicates that the governor is present.
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1870–1953
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1953-1988
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1988 -present
List of governors and lieutenant-governors of Western Australia edit
List of Governors edit
| No. | Portrait | Governor | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Captain Sir James Stirling RN | 4 March 1832 | 2 January 1839 | |
| 2 | John Hutt | 3 January 1839 | 26 January 1846 | |
| 3 | Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Clarke KCH | 27 January 1846 | 11 February 1847 | |
| - | Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Irwin (acting Governor) | 12 February 1847 | 11 August 1848 | |
| 4 | Captain Charles Fitzgerald | 12 August 1848 | 22 July 1855 | |
| 5 | Sir Arthur Kennedy GCMG CB | 23 July 1855 | 27 February 1862 | |
| 6 | Dr John Hampton | 28 February 1862 | 1 November 1868 | |
| 7 | Sir Benjamin Pine[3] | 2 November 1868 | 29 September 1869 | |
| 8 | The Hon. Sir Frederick Weld GCMG | 30 September 1869 | 10 January 1875 | |
| 9 | Sir William Robinson GCMG | 11 January 1875 | 11 November 1877 | |
| 10 | Major General The Hon. Sir Harry Ord GCMG CB RE[4] | 12 November 1877 | 9 April 1880 | |
| - | Sir William Robinson GCMG (2nd time) | 10 April 1880 | 1 June 1883 | |
| 11 | Sir Frederick Broome KCMG | 2 June 1883 | 19 October 1890 | |
| - | Sir William Robinson GCMG (3rd time) | 20 October 1890 | 22 December 1895 | |
| 12 | Lieutenant Colonel Sir Gerard Smith KCMG | 23 December 1895 | 30 April 1901 | |
| 13 | Sir Arthur Lawley GCIE KCMG | 1 May 1901 | 23 March 1903 | |
| 14 | Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford KCB | 24 March 1903 | 30 May 1909 | |
| 15 | Sir Gerald Strickland KCMG | 31 May 1909 | 16 March 1913 | |
| 16 | Major General Sir Harry Barron KCMG CVO | 17 March 1913 | 8 April 1917 | |
| 17 | The Rt Hon. Sir William Ellison-Macartney KCMG | 9 April 1917 | 8 April 1920 | |
| 18 | Sir Francis Newdegate GCMG | 9 April 1920 | 27 October 1924 | |
| 19 | Colonel Sir William Campion KCMG DSO TD | 28 October 1924 | 8 June 1931 | |
| N/A[5] | 1931 | 1948 | ||
| 20 | Sir James Mitchell GCMG | 5 October 1948 | 30 June 1951 | |
| 21 | General Sir Charles Gairdner GBE KCMG KCVO CB | 6 November 1951 | 25 October 1963 | |
| 22 | Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew KCMG CB CBE DSO | 25 October 1963 | 6 January 1974 | |
| 23 | Air Commodore Sir Hughie Edwards VC KCMG CB DSO OBE DFC | 7 January 1974 | 2 April 1975 | |
| 24 | Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Hart Kyle GCB KCVO CBE DSO DFC | 24 November 1975 | 24 November 1980 | |
| 25 | Rear Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge KCVO | 25 November 1980 | 24 November 1983 | |
| 26 | Professor Gordon Reid AC | 2 July 1984 | 30 September 1989 | |
| 27 | The Hon. Sir Francis Burt AC KCMG QC | 20 March 1990 | 31 October 1993 | |
| 28 | Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC | 1 November 1993 | 17 August 2000 | |
| 29 | Lieutenant General John Sanderson AC | 18 August 2000 | 31 October 2005 | |
| 30 | Dr Ken Michael AC | 18 January 2006 | 2 May 2011 | |
| 31 | Malcolm McCusker AC CVO QC | 1 July 2011 | 30 June 2014 | |
| 32 | Kerry Sanderson AC | 20 October 2014 | 1 May 2018 | |
| 33 | Kim Beazley AC | 1 May 2018 | 30 June 2022 | |
| 34 | Chris Dawson | 15 July 2022 | Current |
List of Lieutenant-governors edit
The lieutenant-governor serves as deputy to the governor, fulfilling the governor's functions in the governor's absence.[6]
Stirling was only commissioned as the governor of Western Australia on 4 March 1831, rectifying the absence of a legal instrument providing the authority detailed in Stirling's Instructions of 30 December 1828. Stirling had said of his own position:
I believe I am the first Governor who ever formed a settlement without Commission, Laws, Instructions and Salary.[7]
| No. | Portrait | Lieutenant-Governor | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Captain Sir James Stirling RN | 30 December 1828 | 5 February 1832 | |
| ... | ||||
| N/A | Peter Quinlan | 27 November 2019 | Current |
References edit
- ^ Dr Geoff Gallop, Premier (13 May 2003). "Rear Admiral Sir Richard John Trowbridge Condolence Motion" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Western Australia: Western Australian Legislative Assembly. Part 1: pp. 7514–7514.
- ^ Western Australian Government Gazette, 15 August 2014, No. 126, p. 2951. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ Although formally appointed Governor, Pine never actually came to Western Australia to take up his post; the role was filled by an administrator, Lieutenant Colonel John Bruce.
- ^ Ord was Lieutenant-Governor from 12 November 1877 to 29 January 1878.
- ^ The post of Governor was not filled between 1931 and 1948. Sir John Northmore was administrator until 29 June 1932. He was Lieutenant-Governor until 10 July 1933, and was succeeded as Lieutenant-Governor by Sir James Mitchell until 4 October 1948. Mitchell was appointed Governor from 5 October 1948.
- ^ "Lieutenant Governor". Government House Western Australia. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ . Documenting a Democracy. National Archives of Australia. Archived from the original on 7 February 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2008. - see also Scan of 1st page of parchment original 23 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine and Bathurst (1831). "Transcription of Commission appointing Stirling Governor and Commander-in-Chief 4 March 1831 (UK)" (pdf (5 pages)). Founding documents: 110 key documents that are the foundation of our nation. National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
External links edit
- Government House, Western Australia: The Official Website of the Governor of Western Australia