| Governor of Western Australia | |
|---|---|
| Viceroy | |
| Provincial/State | |
 Badge of the Governor |
|
| Incumbent: Ken Michael |
|
| Style: |
His Excellency |
| Appointed by: |
Elizabeth II as Queen of Australia |
| First viceroy: |
Captain James Stirling |
| Formation: |
6 February 1832 |
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important 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.
Furthermore, all Bills passed by the Parliament of Western Australia require the Governor's signature before they become law (i.e. an Act).
The Governor of Western Australia is presently Ken Michael.
The first Australian- (and Western Australian-) born Governor of Western Australia was Sir James Mitchell (appointed 1948). His two successors were British; then came two Australians; but in 1980, another Briton was appointed, Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge. His term ended in 1983 and he was the last British governor of any Australian state.
For further information on the office of Governor, see Governors of the Australian states.
Contents |
List of Governors of Western Australia
This is a list of Governors and Lieutenant-Governors of Western Australia.
Lieutenant-Governors of Western Australia
Stirling was in fact only commissioned as Governor of Western Australia from 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.[1]
| No. | Lieutenant-Governor | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Captain Sir James Stirling RN | 30 December 1828 | 5 February 1832 |
Governors
| No. | 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 Sir Andrew Clarke KCH | 27 January 1846 | 11 February 1847 |
| - | Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Irwin (a/g Governor) | 12 February 1847 | 11 August 1848 |
| 4 | Captain Charles Fitzgerald | 12 August 1848 | 22 July 1855 |
| 5 | Sir Arthur Kennedy GCMG KCB | 23 July 1855 | 27 February 1862 |
| 6 | Dr John Hampton | 28 February 1862 | 1 November 1868 |
| 7 | Sir Benjamin Pine[2] | 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 | The Hon. Major-General Sir Harry Ord GCMG CB RE[3] | 12 November 1877 | 9 April 1880 |
| 11 | Sir William Robinson GCMG | 10 Apr 1880 | 1 June 1883 |
| 12 | Sir Frederick Broome KCMG | 2 June 1883 | 19 October 1890 |
| 13 | Sir William Robinson GCMG | 20 October 1890 | 22 December 1895 |
| 14 | Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Gerard Smith KCMG | 23 December 1895 | 30 April 1901 |
| 15 | The Rt Hon. Baron Wenlock GCIE KCMG | 1 May 1901 | 23 March 1903 |
| 16 | Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford KCB | 24 March 1903 | 30 May 1909 |
| 17 | Sir Gerald Strickland KCMG | 31 May 1909 | 16 March 1913 |
| 18 | Major General Sir Harry Barron KCMG CVO | 17 March 1913 | 8 April 1917 |
| 19 | The Rt Hon. Sir William Ellison-Macartney KCMG | 9 April 1917 | 8 April 1920 |
| 20 | Sir Francis Newdegate GCMG | 9 April 1920 | 27 October 1924 |
| 21 | Colonel Sir William Campion KCMG DSO TD | 28 October 1924 | 8 June 1931 |
| N/A[4] | 1931 | 1948 | |
| 22 | Sir James Mitchell GCMG | 5 October 1948 | 30 June 1951 |
| 23 | General Sir Charles Gairdner GBE KCMG KCVO CB | 6 November 1951 | 25 October 1963 |
| 24 | Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew KCMG CB CBE DSO | 25 October 1963 | 6 January 1974 |
| 25 | Air Commodore Sir Hughie Edwards VC KCMG CB DSO OBE DFC | 7 January 1974 | 23 November 1975 |
| 26 | Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Hart Kyle GCB KCVO CBE DSO DFC RAF | 24 November 1975 | 24 November 1980 |
| 27 | Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge KCVO | 25 November 1980 | 1 July 1984 |
| 28 | Professor Gordon Reid AC | 2 July 1984 | September 1989 |
| 29 | The Hon. Sir Francis Burt AC KCMG QC | 29 March 1990 | 31 October 1993 |
| 30 | Major-General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC KStJ | November 1993 | 2000 |
| 31 | Lieutenant-General John Sanderson AC | 18 August 2000 | 17 January 2006 |
| 32 | Dr Ken Michael AC | 18 January 2006 | present |
Living former governors
As of November 2007, two former governors are alive, the oldest being Michael Jeffery. The most recent governor to die was Sir Francis Burt in 2004.
| Name | Term as governor | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Jeffery | 1993–2000 | 12 December 1937 |
| John Sanderson | 2000–2005 | 1940 |
See also
References
- ^ "Commission appointing Stirling Governor and Commander-in-Chief 4 March 1831 (UK)". Documenting a Democracy. National Archives of Australia. http://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item.asp?dID=94. Retrieved 2008-03-05. - see also Scan of 1st page of parchment original 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. http://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/resources/transcripts/wa5i_doc_1831.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-05.
- ^ 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.
External links
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