The Governor of Victoria is the representative in the Australian state of Victoria of Australia's monarch, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level. The Governor's office and official residence is Government House in central Melbourne.
Powers
Standard of the Governor of Victoria
In accordance with the conventions of the Westminster system of parliamentary government, the Governor nearly always acts solely on the advice of the head of the elected government, the Premier of Victoria. Nevertheless, the Governor retains the reserve powers of the Crown, and has the right to dismiss the Premier.[1]
Related offices
There is also a Lieutenant-Governor and an Administrator. The Chief Justice of Victoria is ex-officio the Administrator, unless he or she is the Lieutenant-Governor, in which case, the next most senior judge is the Administrator. The Lieutenant-Governor takes on the responsibilities of the Governor when that post is vacant or when the Governor is out of the State or unable to act. The Administrator takes on those duties if both the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor are not able to act for the above reasons.
See Governors of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Governor.
List of Governors of Victoria
Lieutenant-Governors
Until Victoria obtained responsible government in 1855, the Governor-General of New South Wales appointed Lieutenant-Governors to Victoria. The Governor-General of New South Wales was reverted to Governor in 1861.[2]
Governors
| No. |
Governor |
From |
To |
| 1 |
Captain Sir Charles Hotham KCB RN |
May 22, 1855 |
December 31, 1855 |
| 2 |
Sir Henry Barkly GCMG KCB FRS FRGS |
December 26, 1856 |
September 10, 1863 |
| 3 |
Sir Charles Darling KCB |
September 11, 1863 |
May 7, 1866 |
| 4 |
The Rt Hon. Viscount Canterbury GCMG KB |
August 15, 1866 |
March 2, 1873 |
| 5 |
The Rt Hon. Sir George Bowen GCMG |
July 30, 1873 |
February 22, 1879 |
| 6 |
The Most Hon. Marquess of Normanby GCB GCMG PC |
April 29, 1879 |
April 18, 1884 |
| 7 |
The Rt Hon. Lord Loch GCMG, KCB |
July 15, 1884 |
November 15, 1889 |
| 8 |
The Most Hon. Marquess of Linlithgow KT GCMG GCVO PC |
November 28, 1889 |
July 12, 1895 |
| 9 |
The Rt Hon. Earl Brassey GCB JP DL TD |
October 25, 1895 |
March 31, 1900 |
| 10 |
The Rt Hon. Baron Sydenham of Combe GCSI GCIE GCMG GBE |
December 10, 1901 |
November 24, 1903 |
| 11 |
The Hon. Major-General Sir Reginald Talbot KCB |
April 25, 1904 |
July 6, 1908 |
| 12 |
The Rt Hon. Lord Carmichael GCSI GCIE KCMG DL |
July 27, 1908 |
May 19, 1911 |
| 13 |
Sir John Fuller KCMG |
May 24, 1911 |
November 24, 1913 |
| 14 |
The Rt Hon. Lord Sheffield KCMG |
February 23, 1914 |
January 30, 1920 |
| 15 |
The Rt Hon. Earl of Stradbroke KCMG CB CVO CBE VD TD |
February 24, 1921 |
April 7, 1926 |
| 16 |
The Rt Hon. Lord Somers KCMG DSO MC |
June 28, 1926 |
June 23, 1931 |
| 17 |
The Rt Hon. Lord Huntingfield KCMG |
May 14, 1934 |
April 4, 1939 |
| 18 |
Major General Lord Dugan of Victoria GCMG CB KStJ DSO |
July 17, 1939 |
February 20, 1949 |
| 19 |
General Sir Reginald Brooks KCB KCMG KCVO DSO KStJ |
October 18, 1949 |
May 7, 1963 |
| 20 |
Major General Sir Rohan Delacombe, KCMG KBE CB DSO KStJ |
May 8, 1963 |
May 31, 1974 |
| 21 |
Sir Henry Winneke AC KCMG KCVO OBE KStJ KC |
June 3, 1974 |
February 28, 1982 |
| 22 |
Rear Admiral Sir Brian Murray KCMG AO KStJ |
March 1, 1982 |
October 3, 1985 |
| 23 |
The Reverend Dr Davis McCaughey AC KStJ |
February 18, 1986 |
April 22, 1992 |
| 24 |
Richard McGarvie AC KStJ QC |
April 23, 1992 |
April 23, 1997 |
| 25 |
Sir James Gobbo AC CVO KStJ QC |
April 24, 1997 |
December 31, 2000 |
| 26 |
John Landy AC CVO MBE |
January 1, 2001 |
April 7, 2006 |
| 27 |
Professor David de Kretser AC KStJ |
April 7, 2006 |
Present |
Living former governors
As of November 2007, two former governors are alive, the oldest being John Landy (2001–06, born 1930). The most recent governor to die was Davis McCaughey (1986–92), on March 25, 2005. The most recently-serving governor to die was Richard McGarvie (1992–1997), on May 24, 2003.
References
External links
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