Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia | |
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since 1 July 2024 | |
Viceregal | |
Style | Her Excellency the Honourable |
Residence | Government House (Canberra) Admiralty House (Sydney) |
Appointer | Monarch of Australia on the advice of the prime minister |
Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure (typically 5 years)[1] |
Constituting instrument | Australian Constitution section 2 |
Formation | 29 October 1900[2] |
First holder | John Hope |
Salary | $709,017[3] |
Website | gg |
The governor-general of Australia[a] is the representative of the monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III. They have many constitutional and ceremonial roles in the Australian political system, in which they act independently, not as monarch's delegate or agent.[1] They also have a significant community role, through recognising meritorious individuals and groups, and representing the nation as a whole. The current governor-general is Sam Mostyn.
Significant functions of the governor-general include giving royal assent to bills passed by the houses of parliament, issuing writs for elections, exercising executive power on the advice of the Federal Executive Council, formally appointing government officials (including the prime minister, other ministers, judges and ambassadors), acting as commander-in-chief of the Australian Defence Force, and bestowing Australian honours.[4] However, in almost all instances the governor-general only exercises de jure power in accordance with the principles of the Westminster system and responsible government. This requires them to remain politically neutral and to only act in accordance with Parliament (such as when selecting the prime minister and providing royal assent) or on the advice of ministers (when performing executive actions). However, in certain limited circumstances, the governor-general can act independently without or against formal advice by exercising reserve powers, most notably during the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis. These situations are often controversial and the use of and continued existence of these powers remains highly debated.
In their ceremonial and community roles, the governor-general represents the nation as a whole. Domestically, this role entails attending services and commemorations, sponsoring community organisations and hosting events at one of the two official residences (Government House in Canberra and Admiralty House in Sydney). Internationally, the governor-general represents Australia by travelling to significant events and by performing and receiving state visits. The governor-general is supported by a staff (of 80 in 2018[5]) headed by the official secretary to the governor-general of Australia.
The governor-general is selected by the prime minister, but formally appointed by the monarch of Australia on the prime minister's advice.[6][7] Their term is not fixed, but they typically serve for five years. From Federation in 1901 until 1965, 11 out of the 15 governors-general were British aristocrats; however all since then have been Australian citizens.[b] The current governor-general, Samantha Mostyn, is the second woman to hold the post, after Dame Quentin Bryce (2008–2014).[8][9][10]
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