Editing Governor-General of Australia (section)

===Diplomatic role===
[[File:Dame Patsy and Sir David with Governor-General and Mrs Hurley.jpg|thumb|Governor-General [[David Hurley]] and Linda Hurley with [[Governor-General of New Zealand|New Zealand Governor-General]] Dame [[Patsy Reddy]] and Sir [[David Gascoigne]] in 2021]]

The governor-general makes [[state visit]]s overseas on behalf of Australia, during which an [[administrator of the government]] is appointed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 April 2023 |title=Governor-General to attend Coronation and undertake State Visit to Greece |url=https://www.gg.gov.au/about-governor-general/media/governor-general-attend-coronation-and-undertake-state-visit-greece |website=Governor-General of the Commomwealth of Australia}}</ref> The right of governors-general to make state visits was confirmed at the [[1926 Imperial Conference]], as it was deemed not feasible for the sovereign to pay state visits on behalf of countries other than the United Kingdom.<ref name=smith96>{{cite journal|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/~/~/link.aspx?_id=D704CA6CD1B549AF8654FDCFBA383150&_z=z|title=An Australian Head of State: An Historical and Contemporary Perspective|first=David|last=Smith|author-link=David Smith (public servant)|year=1996|journal=Papers on Parliament|publisher=Australian Parliamentary Library|volume=27|access-date=7 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124434/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Powers_practice_n_procedures/~/~/link.aspx?_id=D704CA6CD1B549AF8654FDCFBA383150&_z=z|archive-date=9 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> However, an Australian governor-general did not exercise that right until 1971, when [[Paul Hasluck]] visited New Zealand.<ref name=smith96/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-2466|title=State visit by Governor-General of New Zealand - statement by the prime minister, Mr William McMahon|publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet|date=8 September 1971|access-date=7 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124216/https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-2466|archive-date=9 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Hasluck's successor [[John Kerr (governor-general)|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.<ref name=smith96/> 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/criticism-over-ggs-africa-tour-20090308-8sgk.html|title=Criticism over G-G's Africa tour|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=9 March 2009|access-date=7 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124310/https://www.smh.com.au/national/criticism-over-ggs-africa-tour-20090308-8sgk.html|archive-date=9 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 March 2009 |title=Governor-General's Visit to Africa |url=https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-16450 |website=Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet}}</ref>

The governor-general [[accredits]] (i.e. formally validates) Australia's [[ambassador]]s through sending a formal [[letter of credence]] (and a letter of recall at the end of a tenure) to heads of state and government<ref name=":12">{{Cite journal |title=Diplomatic and Consular Relations |url=https://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/AUYrBkIntLaw/1989/24.pdf |journal=Australian Year Book of International Law}}</ref> and similarly formally receives foreign letters during credentials ceremonies for [[Head of mission|heads of mission]] on their arrival in Canberra.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2. Heads of mission |url=https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/corporate/protocol-guidelines/2-heads-of-mission |accessdate=21 January 2024 |website=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |series=Protocol Guidelines |at=2.6 Presentation of credentials to the Governor-General}}</ref> Before 1987, ambassador and [[High commissioner (Commonwealth)|high commissioner]] appointments were formally made by the monarch instead.<ref name=":12" />