113-480: Annette Gale Edwards AM (born 14 November 1954) is an Australian theatre director , who has worked extensively throughout Australia and internationally. She has also directed for television and film. Edwards began her career at Adelaide youth theatre company Energy Connection. From 1986 to 1989 she was associate director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia , has been an Artistic Director of
226-550: A bill, the governor-general can also reserve a bill for the King's pleasure, that is allow the monarch to give royal assent personally to a proposed bill. When the governor-general acted as a representative of the British government, this provision allowed for the governor-general to refer a bill back to the British government for review, which would then advise the monarch whether or not to grant assent. The British government could also advise
339-600: A bow on the left shoulder, although they may wear the same insignia as males if so desired. A gold lapel pin for daily wear is issued with each badge of the order at the time of investiture; AK/AD and AC lapel pins feature a citrine central jewel, AO and AM lapel pins have a blue enamelled centre and OAM lapel pins are plain. The different levels of the order are awarded according to the recipients' levels of achievement: Since 1976 any Australian citizen may nominate any person for an Order of Australia award. People who are not Australian citizens may be awarded honorary membership of
452-429: A cabinet meeting agreed that troops should only be called out if requested by the territory's administrator ; this did not occur. Defence minister Malcolm Fraser , who opposed the call out, was responsible for informing Hasluck of the prime minister's lack of consultation. The incident contributed to Fraser's resignation from cabinet in 1971 and Gorton's subsequent loss of the prime ministership . The governor-general
565-548: A challenge to take the prime ministership in September 2015. Two months after coming into office, the new republican prime minister announced that the Queen had approved his request to amend the Order's letters patent and cease awards at this level. Existing titles would not be affected. The move was attacked by monarchists and praised by republicans. The amendments to the constitution of
678-550: A formal letter of credence (and a letter of recall at the end of a tenure) to heads of state and government and similarly formally receives foreign letters during credentials ceremonies for heads of mission on their arrival in Canberra. Before 1987, ambassador and high commissioner appointments were formally made by the monarch instead. Under section 68 of the Constitution , the command-in-chief of Australia's military forces
791-602: A key role in performing constitutional duties in all branches of government. The Constitution defines the Parliament of the Commonwealth as consisting of the monarch, the Senate and the House of Representatives . However, the monarch's role is no more than titular, with the governor-general responsible under the Constitution for most of the functions undertaken by the monarch in regard to
904-569: A member of the British Empire, members of the colonies and later federated nation of Australia were able to have achievement awarded under the British Imperial Honours system . However, existing criticism of the aristocratic nature of the awards grew following a cash-for-honours corruption scandal in the UK in 1922. Moves to abolish the awards federally and the states were unsuccessful; however
1017-440: A military pension. The governor-general also receives a generous pension. Until 2001, governors-general did not pay income tax on their salary; this was changed after Elizabeth II agreed to pay tax. Governors-general before the 1970s wore traditional court uniforms , consisting of a dark navy wool double-breasted coatee with silver oak leaf and fern embroidery on the collar and cuffs trimmed with silver buttons embossed with
1130-526: A part of the Fox Classic Car Collection at Queens Warehouse, Melbourne. The salary of the governor-general was initially set by the Constitution, which fixed an annual amount of A£ 10,000 until the parliament decided otherwise. The Constitution also provides that the salary of the governor-general cannot be changed during their term of office. Their pay is now set by Governor-General Act 1974 , which has been amended on each new commission to set
1243-573: A representation of the states (with whom Whitlam's government was constantly in dispute) through the state badges within the Commonwealth Coat of Arms . The original three-level structure of the Order of Australia was modelled closely upon the Order of Canada , though the Order of Australia has been awarded rather more liberally, especially in regard to honorary awards to non-citizens. As of July 2024 only 30 non-Canadians have been appointed to
SECTION 10
#17331062122671356-403: A typical military fashion worn with a plumed helmet. However, that custom fell into disuse during the tenure of Sir Paul Hasluck with governors-general now observing informal wear day-to-day. Tasmanian governor Sir Stanley Burbury extensively lobbied his government in an attempt to regain the right to wear a uniform, going as far to contact Sir John Kerr in desperation, hoping he could contact
1469-469: A vacancy occurs. 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 vice-regal representatives remain neutral and above politics. A governor-general may be recalled or dismissed by
1582-589: Is "vested in the Governor‑General as the Queen's representative". Views on the effect of this section vary, from merely making the governor-general "in effect no more than a glorified Patron of the Defence Forces" to alternatively making the governor-general the ultimate head of military chain of command who may influence or deny the use of the military if it is to be used for domestic political ends. Ex-governor-general Sir Ninian Stephen stated that his view of
1695-444: Is a convex golden disc decorated with citrines, with a blue royally crowned inner disc bearing an image of the coat of arms of Australia. The ribbon of the order is royal blue with a central stripe of mimosa blossoms. Awards in the military division are edged with 1.5 mm golden bands. AKs, male ACs and AOs wear their badges on a necklet and male AMs and OAMs wear them on a ribbon on the left chest. Women usually wear their badges on
1808-434: Is a registered charity, whose stated purpose is "[t]o celebrate and promote outstanding Australian citizenship". It also supports the "community and social activities" of members and promotes and encourages the nomination of other Australians to the Order. The Order also runs a foundation that provides scholarships to tertiary students that show potential as future leaders and are involved in community activities. Branches of
1921-410: Is an Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II , Queen of Australia , on the advice of then prime minister Gough Whitlam . Before the establishment of the order, Australians could receive British honours , which continued to be issued in parallel until 1992. Appointments to
2034-461: Is formally appointed by the monarch of Australia with a commission made under the authority of section 2 of the Constitution and regulated by letters patent issued by the monarch. When a new governor-general is to be appointed, the current prime minister recommends a name to the monarch, who by convention accepts that recommendation. Prior to the 1940s, the recommendation was made and decided by
2147-536: Is generally invited to become patron of various charitable and service organisations. Historically the governor-general has also served as Chief Scout of Australia . The chief scout is nominated by the Scouting Association's National Executive Committee and is invited by the president of the Scout Association to accept the appointment. Bill Hayden declined the office on the grounds of his atheism , which
2260-553: Is likely to feel a bit second-rate, and the public is likely to agree. We hate to be the first to say it, but there is no doubt that the Order of Australia (OA) will be labelled as the Ocker Award. Satire and mockery also greeted the awards, being dubbed "Gough’s Gongs" and "the Order of the Wombat". The newly elected Liberal Fraser government decided to once again make recommendations for imperial awards, whilst maintaining and expanding
2373-478: The Australian Labor Party remained opposed and generally refused to recommend awards whilst in office, with this a part of the party's platform since 1918. This was confirmed in a resolution adopted unanimously by the party conference in 1921. However, the non-Labor parties remained supportive, with the long running Menzies government making significant use of the imperial system. The Order of Australia
SECTION 20
#17331062122672486-539: The Australian political system , in which they have independent agency. However, they are generally bound by convention to act on the advice of the prime minister and the Federal Executive Council . 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
2599-455: The Cabinet as a whole. The incoming governor-general is publicly announced usually several months before the end of the existing governor-general's term. After receiving their commission, the new governor-general takes an oath or affirmation of allegiance to the monarch and an oath or affirmation of office . These oaths are administered by the chief justice of Australia or another justice of
2712-643: The Melbourne Theatre Company , she has worked with every other major Australian theatre company, including the Sydney Theatre Company and Opera Australia . Internationally, Edwards directed the 1996 London revival of Jesus Christ Superstar , which opened at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts on Broadway in 2000, and for which she won an Emmy Award for the televised recording of
2825-461: The Royal Arms and with bullion edged epaulettes on the shoulders, dark navy trousers with a wide band of silver oak-leaf braid down the outside seam, silver sword belt with ceremonial sword, bicorne cocked hat with plume of ostrich feathers, black patent leather Wellington boots with spurs, etc., that is worn on ceremonial occasions. There is also a tropical version made of white tropical wool cut in
2938-561: The Royal Styles and Titles Act (1953 and 1973) and other bills of national significance such as the Flags Act 1953 and the Australia Act 1986 . Finally, the governor-general can refer a bill back to the houses with suggested changes. This has only happened when once passed, the government has realised a bill requires further amendment and requests the governor-general return the bill to
3051-525: The UK parliament . These include the power to summon, dissolve and prorogue the Parliament, to issue writs for lower house elections, to convene a joint sitting, as well as the power to give royal assent to bills in the monarch's name. The governor-general also has a ceremonial role in swearing in and accepting the resignations of members of Parliament. All members must make an oath or affirmation of allegiance to
3164-527: The "Governor-General in Council", however this does not denote an element of personal discretion in their exercise. However, in 1970 governor-general Paul Hasluck refused prime minister John Gorton 's request to authorise a Pacific Islands Regiment peacekeeping mission in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea , on the grounds that cabinet had not been consulted. Gorton agreed to put the matter to his ministers, and
3277-474: The 435 people who have received the nation's top Order of Australia honours since they were first awarded in 1975, shows they disproportionately attended a handful of elite Victorian secondary schools. Scotch College alumni received the highest number of awards, with 19 former students receiving Australia's [then] highest honour". On 26 January 1980 the Order of Australia Association was created as an incorporated body with membership open to award recipients. It
3390-643: The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia , Robert 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
3503-451: The Constitution, that the monarch may assign them. Additionally, the initial letters patent of Queen Victoria purported to create and empower the office of governor-general, despite their assignment already in the Constitution. This was raised as early as 1901, by John Quick and Garran in their authoritative commentary of the Constitution, noting that the governor-general of Australia was distinguished from other imperial governors-general by
Gale Edwards - Misplaced Pages Continue
3616-422: The Constitution, the circumstances in which they can be used with discretion is not prescribed and is a matter of convention. The reserve powers that are generally accepted are: The reserve powers that are the subject of greater debate are: The most prominent use of the reserve powers occurred in the course of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis , in which governor-general Sir John Kerr dismissed
3729-508: The Crown, but by the Constitution, and empowered to exercise, in his own right as Governor-General ... all the powers and functions of Australia's head of state". Governors-general are entitled to various privileges by virtue of holding the office. These include the right to live in Government House (also known as Yarralumla ), or Admiralty House, Sydney the two official residences of
3842-513: The Defence Force, and declare a time of war, exercised as ordinary executive powers on advice. Additionally, all officers are appointed by the governor-general on behalf of the monarch with a personally signed commission. Historically, the power to declare war and make peace rested with the monarch (as advised by the British government) in their role as head of the British Empire . This was
3955-609: The Executive Government of the Commonwealth ... The executive power of the Commonwealth, by section 61 of the Constitution, is declared to be vested in the Queen. It is also, in the same section, declared to be "exercisable" by the Governor-General as the Queen's representative. In the face of this provision, I feel it is difficult to contend that the Queen, even though present in Australia, may exercise in person functions of executive government which are specifically assigned by
4068-472: The High Court. Traditionally, the ceremony takes place in the Senate chamber. The Constitution does not set a term of office, so a governor-general may continue to hold office for any agreed length of time. In recent decades the typical term of office has been five years. Some early governors-general were appointed to terms of just one year ( Lord Tennyson ) or two years ( Lord Forster ; later extended). At
4181-568: The King in the presence of the governor-general or someone appointed by them before they take their seats. On the day parliament opens, the governor-general makes a speech in the Senate (similar to the King's Speech in the UK), entirely written by the government, explaining the government's proposed legislative program. One of the most significant powers of the governor-general is the power to grant royal assent in
4294-484: The King's name. This assent gives bills that have been passed by the houses of parliament the force of law, with effect either 28 days after being signed, on a date to be fixed later by proclamation or otherwise as provided in the act. The government does not formally advise the governor-general to grant assent, but it is expected that they will act in accordance with the democratically elected houses of Parliament and assent has never been refused. Apart from assenting to
4407-418: The Order of Australia and the award of 199 Honorary Medals of the Order of Australia. Notable honorary awards include: Since 1975, just over 30 per cent of recipients of an Order of Australia honour have been women. The number of nominations and awards for women is trending up, with the 2023 Australia Day Honours resulting in the highest percentage of awards for women to date (47.1 per cent, 47.9 per cent in
4520-461: The Order of Australia is a convex disc (gold for AKs, ADs and ACs, gilt for AOs, AMs and OAMs) representing a single flower of mimosa . At the centre is a ring, representing the sea, with the word Australia below two branches of mimosa. The whole disc is topped by the Crown of St Edward . The AC badge is decorated with citrines , blue enamelled ring, and enamelled crown. The AO badge is similar, without
4633-578: The Order of Australia. This was done by with the addition of two additional award levels: Knight or Dame (AK or AD) above the level of Companion, and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) below Members. The Civil Division was also renamed the General Division, so that awards could be given to those in the Defence Force for non-military achievement. These changes were made on 24 May 1976. The reaction to
Gale Edwards - Misplaced Pages Continue
4746-481: The Order of Canada, while 537 non-Australians have been appointed to the Order of Australia, with 46 to the Companion level. Public reaction to the new awards was mixed. Only the state Labor governments of Tasmania and South Australia agreed to submit recommendations for the new awards, with the remaining governments affirming their committent to the existing imperial honours system. Newspaper editorials similarly praised
4859-439: The Order were gazetted on 22 December 2015. Yvonne Kenny AM represented the Order at the 2023 Coronation . King Charles III , when he was Prince of Wales , was appointed a Knight of the Order of Australia (AK) on 14 March 1981. As he is not an Australian citizen, even though he was the heir to the Australian throne at the time, this would have required the award to be honorary. To overcome this issue, his appointment
4972-531: The Order would be determined by the Council of the Order of Australia. Awards of the Order of Australia are sometimes made to people who are not citizens of Australia to honour extraordinary achievements. These achievements, or the people themselves, are not necessarily associated with Australia, although they often are. On 1 July 2024, the Australian Honours website listed appointments for 46 Honorary Companions, 118 Honorary Officers, 174 Honorary Members of
5085-512: The Palace directly. However, it does not appear that he was successful. Governors-general have during their tenure the style His/Her Excellency the Honourable and their spouses have the style His/Her Excellency . 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
5198-764: The Principal Knight or Dame of the order. However, in 2015 knighthoods were once again abolished by new prime minister Malcolm Turnbull , with all subsequent governors-general appointed as Companions. Spouses of governors-general have no official duties but carry out the role of a vice-regal consort. They are entitled to the courtesy style Her Excellency or His Excellency during the office-holder's term of office. Most spouses of governors-general have been content to be quietly supportive. Some, however, have been notable in their own right, such as Dame Alexandra Hasluck , Lady Casey and Michael Bryce . Other offices named governor-general were previously used in Australia in
5311-630: The Queen by section 61. 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. 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 Bob Hawke 's advice, who stated that this would clarify
5424-441: The Queen to reinstate the level of knight or dame and the Queen co-signed letters patent to bring this into effect. The change was publicly announced on 25 March, and gazetted on 17 April 2014. Up to four knights or dames could be appointed each year, by the Queen of Australia on the advice of the prime minister after consultation with the chairman of the Order of Australia Council. Five awards of knight and dame were then made, to
5537-485: The UK, there is no tradition of regular weekly meetings between the governor-general and the prime minister, with meetings instead sporadically held at the request or either party. There is a greater capacity to exercise influence at the regular meetings of the Federal Executive Council at Government House; however this requires the governor-general to have existing legal experience due to the volume of material,
5650-623: The advice of the health minister of a human biosecurity emergency under the Biosecurity Act 2015 in March 2020, due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic . Formally, the governor-general may exercise the traditional rights of the monarch as identified by Bagehot : the right to be consulted, to encourage and to warn. However, the practical ability to exercise this right is limited. Unlike in Canada or
5763-428: The assignment of powers by the monarch to the governor-general, the government also requested King George VI make similar proclamations of war on Australia's behalf. No formal declarations of war have been made since World War II, although other declarations on the start and end of time of "active service" have been made in other conflicts. The powers of command-in-chief are vested in the governor-general rather than
SECTION 50
#17331062122675876-553: The association are in all the states and territories of Australia as well as the UK and the USA. Total inductees as of July 2024 . The order of wearing Australian and other approved honours is determined by the government. The award is parodied in the play Amigos , where the central character is determined to be awarded the AC, and uses persuasion, bribery and blackmail in his (ultimately successful) attempts to get himself nominated for
5989-450: The award to Prince Philip in a ReachTEL poll. The Australian Labor Party continued to oppose knighthoods and damehoods. Leader of the opposition Bill Shorten stated in March 2014 that the party would again discontinue the level if it were to win the next Australian federal election. The knighthood decision was a significant factor that caused Liberal party members to question Abbott's leadership, with Malcolm Turnbull succeeding in
6102-443: The award. During the 1996 season of the popular television programme Home and Away , the character Pippa Ross was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for her years of service as a foster carer. Governor-General of Australia The governor-general of Australia is the federal representative of the monarch of Australia , currently Charles III . The governor-general has many constitutional and ceremonial roles in
6215-411: The awards as an example of Australia's greater independence, whilst also noting that the awards would likely appear second-rate. The Australian stated that There is no longer a British Empire; everyone knows that. But somehow the phrase "imperial honours" still carries a ring of regal authenticity that somehow transcends nationalism. For the time being a recipient ... of the Order of Australia
6328-519: The changes to the awards were similarly split along party lines. Following the 1983 federal election , Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke recommitted to the end of recommendations for imperial awards. No knighthoods were awarded during his first term in office and he advised the abolition of the knight/dame level after being re-elected in 1986. During the time the division was active from 1976 to 1983, twelve knights and two dames were created. On 19 March 2014, monarchist prime minister Tony Abbott advised
6441-459: 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. In 1961, Lord Dunrossil became the first and, to date, only governor-general to die while holding office. A vacancy occurs on the resignation, death, or incapacity of the governor-general. A temporary vacancy occurs when
6554-525: The citrines. For the AM badge, only the crown is enamelled, and the OAM badge is plain. The AK/AD badge is similar to that of the AC badge, but with the difference that it contains at the centre an enamelled disc bearing an image of the coat of arms of Australia . The colours of royal blue and gold are taken from the livery colours of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms , the then national colours . The star for knights and dames
6667-554: The constitution put before the 1897 Adelaide Convention and professor of law at the University of Melbourne ), postulating that the letters patent and the royal instructions issued by Queen Victoria were unnecessary "or even of doubtful legality". Additionally, it was also previously believed that the monarch retained certain powers, such as the power to declare war, appoint diplomatic officers and to grant charters of incorporation and as such these powers were assigned separately to
6780-435: The constitution to the Governor-General. The monarch did not overturn the actions of governor-general Sir John Kerr in his dismissal of the prime ministership and government of Gough Whitlam during the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis , with the Queen's private secretary arguing that the power to commission the prime minister was "clearly placed within the jurisdiction of the governor-general, and The Queen has no part in
6893-460: 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. 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
SECTION 60
#17331062122677006-466: The decisions which the Governor-General must take in accordance with the Constitution". In an address to the Sydney Institute , January 2007, in connection with that event, Sir David Smith , a retired official secretary to the governor-general of Australia who had been Kerr's official secretary in 1975, described the constitution as conferring the powers and functions of Australia's head of state on
7119-428: 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. Three governors-general have resigned their commission. The first governor-general, Lord Hopetoun , asked to be recalled to Britain in 1903 over a dispute about funding for the post. Sir John Kerr resigned in 1977, with his official reason being his decision to accept
7232-407: The exception of awards recommended by the soon to be independent government of the Territory of Papua and New Guinea ); however this did not affect the constitutional right of state governments to recommend imperial awards. According to the governor general's then-secretary Sir David Smith , Whitlam was furious when he first saw Devlin's design for the insignia of the order, due to the inclusion of
7345-461: The fact that "[t]he principal and most important of his powers and functions, legislative as well as executive, are expressly conferred on him by the terms of the Constitution itself ... not by Royal authority, but by statutory authority". This view was also held by Andrew Inglis Clark , senior judge of the Supreme Court of Tasmania , who with W. Harrison Moore (a contributor to the first draft of
7458-706: The formal constitutional role, the governor-general has a representative and ceremonial role, though the extent and nature of that role has depended on the expectations of the time, the individual in office at the time, the wishes of the incumbent government, and the individual's reputation in the wider community. 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. Sir William Deane (governor-general 1996–2001) described one of his functions as being "Chief Mourner" at prominent funerals. In Commentaries on
7571-476: The general division). Advocacy groups such as Honour a Woman and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency have called for greater effort to be made to reach equal representation of men and women in the order. In December 2010, The Age reported a study of the educational backgrounds of all people who had received Knight/Dame and Companion level awards at that time. It reported: "An analysis of
7684-456: The government of Gough Whitlam and appointed opposition leader Malcolm Fraser as prime minister while an election was held. Kerr acted following the blocking of supply by the opposition controlled Senate, arguing that this gave him both the right and duty to dismiss the government when they did not resign or advise an election. The event remains one of the most highly debated and controversial in Australian political history. In addition to
7797-488: The governments of each respective state and territory, and three ex officio members (the chief of the Defence Force , the vice-president of the Federal Executive Council and a public servant responsible for honours policy). The Council chair as of August 2024 is Shelley Reys. The Council makes recommendations to the governor-general. Awards are announced on Australia Day and on the King's Birthday public holiday in June, on
7910-533: The governor-general can exercise reserve powers (powers that may be exercised without or against formal advice), 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
8023-418: The governor-general in "his own right". He stated that the governor-general was more than a representative of the sovereign, explaining: "under section 2 of the Constitution the Governor-General is the Queen's representative and exercises certain royal prerogative powers and functions; under section 61 of the Constitution the Governor-General is the holder of a quite separate and independent office created, not by
8136-519: 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 . However, in almost all instances
8249-439: The governor-general is overseas on official business representing Australia. A temporary vacancy also occurred in 2003 when Peter Hollingworth stood aside. Section 4 of the Constitution allows the monarch to appoint an administrator to carry out the role of governor-general when there is a vacancy. By convention, the longest-serving state governor holds a dormant commission , allowing an assumption of office to commence whenever
8362-480: 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,
8475-572: The governor-general to remove an individual from the order, who may cancel an award. Announcements of all awards, cancellations and resignations appear in the Commonwealth Gazette . Nomination forms are confidential and not covered by the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) . The reasoning behind a nomination being successful or unsuccessful—and even the attendees of the meetings where such nominations are discussed—remains confidential. As
8588-400: The governor-general under section 2. However, the current interpretation of the Constitution is that all royal prerogatives are exercisable by the governor-general under section 61 and in recognition of this, the vesting of additional powers ended in 1987. While separate letters-patent still exist for the governor-general, these merely provide for the appointment of administrator in the case of
8701-419: The governor-general's absence or incapacity and requires the governor-general to make an oath or affirmation of allegiance and one of office. Commonwealth 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. What is exercisable is original executive power: that is, the very thing vested in
8814-465: The governor-general's position under the constitution. This remains the case even when the sovereign is in the country: solicitor-general Kenneth Bailey , prior to the first tour of Australia by its reigning monarch in 1954, explained the position by saying: the Constitution expressly vests in the Governor-General the power or duty to perform a number of the Crown's functions in the Legislature and
8927-525: The governor-general's salary to an amount slightly higher than the average salary of the chief justice of the High Court over the next five years. Since 1995, this has been reduced to take into account any existing pension the incoming governor-general currently receives. This provision led to the salary increase of current governor-general Samantha Mostyn (of $ 495,000 to $ 709,017) being significantly greater than other new governors-general, as unlike previous governor-general David Hurley , she does not receive
9040-468: The governor-general. Such advice is generally the result of decisions already made in Cabinet , the de facto highest executive body in Australia. While some provisions in the Constitution refer the "Governor-General" and others to the "Governor-General in Council", this does not mean that there is in element of discretion in the former; this distinction merely indicates that that the former powers were those that were historically classified as belonging to
9153-439: The governor-generalship, and went as far as to have the necessary documents drawn up. Casey had twice called McMahon into Yarralumla to give him a "dressing down" over his poor relationship with deputy prime minister John McEwen , which he believed was affecting the government. Holt believed that this was an improper use of his authority, but no further action was taken. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The governor-general has
9266-408: The house. Under the Constitution, the executive power of the Commonwealth is vested in the monarch, but is exercisable by the governor-general. However, such power is only exercised on the advice of ministers in accordance with the principles of responsible government . This occurs formally through the Federal Executive Council , a body of all current (and technically former) ministers that advises
9379-408: The issue of his management of sex abuse cases during his time as Anglican archbishop of Brisbane became a matter of controversy. The governor-general makes state visits overseas on behalf of Australia, during which an administrator of the government is appointed. The right of governors-general to make state visits was confirmed at the 1926 Imperial Conference , as it was deemed not feasible for
9492-403: The lack of any requirement for executive-councillors to be briefed or otherwise senior in the government, and the expectation by some governments that the governor-general should only act as a rubber stamp . The reserve powers are those powers that the governor-general may exercise independently, that is in the absence of or against ministerial advice. While most of these powers are listed in
9605-474: The mid-19th century. Sir Charles FitzRoy (governor of New South Wales from 1846 to 1855) and Sir William Denison (governor of New South Wales from 1855 to 1861) also carried the additional title of governor-general because their jurisdiction extended to other colonies in Australia. The office of governor-general of Australia was conceived during the debates and conventions leading up to federation . The first governor-general, John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun ,
9718-473: The monarch before their term is complete. By convention, this may only be upon advice from the prime minister, who retains responsibility for selecting an immediate replacement or letting the vacancy provisions take effect. 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. According to William McMahon , Harold Holt considered having Lord Casey dismissed from
9831-483: The monarch of Australia on the prime minister's advice. 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 . The current governor-general, Samantha Mostyn , is the second woman to hold the post, after Dame Quentin Bryce (2008–2014). The governor-general
9944-423: The monarch to disallow a law passed within the last two years, which would annul the law on the governor-general's proclamation or message to the houses. However, since the assumption of full sovereignty and the emergence of an independent Crown of Australia, the British government no longer has these powers and the reservation power has only occasionally been used for bills that affect the monarch personally, such as
10057-417: The occasion of a special announcement by the governor-general (usually honorary awards), and on the appointment of a new governor-general. The governor-general presents the order's insignia to new appointees. Appointments to the order may be made posthumously as long as a person was nominated for an award whilst they were still alive. Awardees may subsequently resign from the order, and the Council may advise
10170-492: The office-holder. For transportation, the governor-general has access to a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI limousine for ceremonial occasions or an armoured BMW 7 Series for ordinary official business. These cars fly the flag of the governor-general of Australia and display the Tudor Crown instead of number plates. Originally, two Phantoms were available after being purchased in the 1970s to be used for royal tours. One of these cars
10283-473: The order are made by the governor-general , "with the approval of The Sovereign", according to recommendations made by the Council for the Order of Australia . Members of the government are not involved in the recommendation of appointments, other than for military and honorary awards. The King of Australia is the sovereign head of the order, and the governor-general is the principal companion and chancellor of
10396-590: The order at all levels. Nomination forms are submitted to the Director, Honours Secretariat, a position within the Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia , at Government House, Canberra , which are then forwarded to the Council for the Order of Australia . The council consists of 19 members: seven selected by the prime minister (described as "community representatives"), eight appointed by
10509-661: The order. 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. The same individuals were also usually either peers , knights, or both (the only Australian peer to be appointed as governor-general
10622-446: The order. The governor-general's official secretary , Paul Singer (appointed August 2018), is secretary of the order. The order is divided into a general and a military division. The five levels of appointment to the order in descending order of seniority are: Honorary awards at all levels may be made to non-citizens. These awards are made additional to the quotas. The order's insignia was designed by Stuart Devlin . The badge of
10735-405: The outgoing governor-general , Quentin Bryce ; her successor, Peter Cosgrove ; a recent chief of the Defence Force , Angus Houston ; a recent governor of New South Wales , Marie Bashir ; and Prince Philip . This last award was widely met with ridicule and dismay by many in the Australian media. The award was also heavily criticised in the community, with 72% disapproving and 12% in favour of
10848-548: The outward and visible representation of the Imperial relationship of the Commonwealth". That role can become controversial, however, if the governor-general becomes unpopular with sections of the community. 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
10961-477: 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 . In 2003, ex-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. He later stepped down over
11074-525: The position of Robert Menzies in 1939, who assumed that the declaration of war by the United Kingdom in World War II automatically applied to Australia. However, in 1941 opinion had shifted and the Curtin government advised the governor-general to declare war on several Axis powers . However, it was still unclear whether the governor-general had the constitutional power to declare war, so in addition to requesting
11187-422: The post-nominal AC by virtue of being Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Australia. Quentin Bryce was the first governor-general to have had no prior title or pre-nominal style. She was in office when, on 19 March 2014, then prime minister Tony Abbott advised the Queen to amend the letters patent of the Order of Australia to reinstate knighthoods into the Order, with the governor-general becoming
11300-564: The premiere production of The Boy from Oz . For Opera Australia, she directed Aida (2015), La bohème (2016–2023), Carmen (2017), Salome (2019). She co-wrote the book and lyrics of the musical Eureka , which premiered in Melbourne in 2004. Edwards'credits directing for film and television include the 2011 Australian film A Heartbeat Away and the "Pride" segment of 1993 television series Seven Deadly Sins , as well as filmed versions of stage presentations. Edwards has been
11413-401: The prerogative of the monarch alone. Many executive powers are also bestowed on the governor-general by statute. This allows the government of the day (acting through the governor-general) to perform certain acts that would otherwise require legislation. Such provision are often made where legislating may be too slow, as for the declaration of emergencies. An example this was the declaration on
11526-672: The prime minister alone, rather than by the Council of the Order of Australia, as is the case with all lower levels of the order. In accordance with the statutes of 2014, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , was created a Knight of the Order by letters patent signed by the Queen on 7 January 2015, on Abbott's advice. Prince Philip's knighthood was announced as part of the Australia Day Honours on 26 January 2015 and his appointment attracted criticism of what Abbott described as his "captain's call". Abbott responded by announcing that future recommendations for appointments as Knights and Dames of
11639-659: The production. Edwards contributed to the book of the musical Whistle Down the Wind , for which she directed the West End production. She directed Shakespeare 's The Merchant of Venice and A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 2003 and 2004 respectively. Edwards has directed for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare Theatre Company (Washington D.C.). She directed
11752-487: The recipient of three Sydney Critics Circle Awards, four Melbourne Green Room Awards (most recently for her 2012 production of Chess for The Production Company), an Emmy , two Helpmann Awards (Best Direction of a Musical for The Boy From Oz and Sweeney Todd ), a Sydney Critics Award, two nominations for Helen Hayes Awards in Washington D.C., and a 2000 Centenary Medal 'for Service to Australian Society'. Edwards
11865-477: The section was that it vests command of the military in the governor-general personally, but only to the extent that the power to give orders or call out the military does not require formal advice from the Federal Executive Council but instead the direct advice of the relevant minister. Other powers exist in the Defence Force Act 1903 , such as the power to appoint the chief of the Defence Force , to call out
11978-806: The sovereign to pay state visits on behalf of countries other than the United Kingdom. However, an Australian governor-general did not exercise that right until 1971, when Paul Hasluck visited New Zealand. Hasluck's successor John Kerr made state visits to eight countries, but Kerr's successor Zelman Cowen made only a single state visit – to Papua New Guinea – as he wished to concentrate on travelling within Australia. All subsequent governors-general have travelled widely while in office and made multiple state visits. Occasionally governors-general have made extended tours visiting multiple countries, notably in 2009 when Quentin Bryce visited nine African countries in 19 days. The governor-general accredits (i.e. formally validates) Australia's ambassadors through sending
12091-467: 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 ) headed by the official secretary . The governor-general is selected by the prime minister, but formally appointed by
12204-543: Was 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). In 1989, Bill Hayden , a republican, declined appointment to the British Privy Council and any imperial honours . From that time until 2014, governors-general did not receive automatic titles or honours, other than
12317-447: Was created by an amendment to the constitution of the Order of Australia by special letters patent signed by the Queen, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser . In March 2014 the knight and dame levels, which had been abolished in 1986 by Prime Minister Bob Hawke , were reintroduced to the Order of Australia by Tony Abbott . At the same time, Abbott announced that future appointments at this level would be recommended by
12430-498: Was established on 14 February 1975 by letters patent of Queen Elizabeth II , acting as Queen of Australia , and on the advice of the newly elected Labor prime minister , Gough Whitlam . The original order had three levels: Companion (AC), Officer (AO) and Member (AM) as well as two divisions: Civil Division and Military Division. Whitlam had previously announced in 1972 (on his third day in office) that his government would no longer nominate persons for British Imperial honours (with
12543-492: Was incompatible with the Scout Promise . He did however serve as the association's patron during his term of office. While the governor-general is the monarch's representative, as provided by section 2 of the Constitution, the powers they exercise are solely granted by the Constitution. This was not always seen to be the case however, with section 2 also providing that the governor-general may exercise other powers, subject to
12656-477: Was made a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours . The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards ), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Gale Edwards won two awards in that time. Member of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia
12769-461: Was sold in 1995 to a Sydney doctor, having previously carried the Queen during a royal tour and later being pelted with eggs when it carried Sir John Kerr following the Dismissal in 1975. The car was then entered into the almost 15,000 km long Peking to Paris rally, where it became known as "Lizzie's Taxi" and secured fourth place. The car is now owned by Lindsay Fox and is often on display as
#266733