Editing Governor of Victoria

{{Short description|Representative of the Australian monarch in Victoria}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Governor
| body = Victoria
| flag = Flag of the Governor of Victoria.svg
| flagsize = 150px
| flagcaption = The Governor's Standard
| insignia = 
| insigniasize = 
| insigniacaption = 
| image = Governor of Victoria Portrait.jpg
| imagesize = 150px
| incumbent = [[Margaret Gardner]]
| incumbentsince = 9 August 2023
| department = [[Viceroy#Commonwealth realms|Viceregal]]
| style = [[Excellency|Her Excellency]] [[the Honourable]]
| residence = [[Government House, Melbourne]]
| seat = [[Melbourne]]
| appointer = [[Monarchy of Australia|Monarch]]
| appointer_qualified = on the [[Advice (constitutional law)|advice]] of the [[Premier of Victoria|premier]]
| termlength = [[At His Majesty's pleasure]]
| termlength_qualified = (typically 5 years)
| constituting_instrument = 
| formation = 22 May 1855
| first = [[Charles Hotham]]
| deputy = [[Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria]]
| salary = $485,000 (2022)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Eddie |first1=Rachel |title='I'm a republican': Margaret Gardner named next governor of Victoria |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/margaret-gardner-to-be-next-governor-of-victoria-20230605-p5ddww.html |access-date=5 June 2023 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=5 June 2023}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|governor.vic.gov.au}}
}}

The '''governor of Victoria''' is the representative of [[Monarchy of Australia|the monarch]], currently King [[Charles III]], in the [[Australia]]n state of [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]].

The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the [[premier of Victoria]]. The governor's role is to represent the monarch. This role mainly includes performing ceremonial functions, such as opening and dissolving [[Parliament of Victoria|parliament]], appointing the cabinet and granting [[royal assent]].

The governor's office and official residence is [[Government House, Melbourne|Government House]] next to the [[Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria|Royal Botanic Gardens]] and surrounded by [[Kings Domain]] in [[Melbourne]].

The current governor of Victoria is [[Margaret Gardner]], who succeeded [[Linda Dessau]] in August 2023.<ref name=dessau>{{cite news|last1=Willingham|first1=Richard|title=Linda Dessau will become Victoria's first female Governor|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/linda-dessau-will-become-victorias-first-female-governor-20150211-13bjn8.html|access-date=12 February 2015|work=The Age|date=11 February 2015}}</ref>

==Powers==
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.<ref>''Constitution of Victoria'' (1975), Part 1.</ref>

==Role of governor==
The governor is appointed by the [[monarch of Australia|monarch]], on the [[Advice (constitutional law)|advice]] of the premier of Victoria, to act as the monarch's representative as head of state in Victoria.<ref name=Role>[http://www.governor.vic.gov.au/victorias-governor/role-of-the-governor Role of the governor]</ref> The governor acts "[[At His Majesty's pleasure]]", meaning that the term of the governor can be terminated at any time by the monarch acting upon the advice of the premier.

Since the passage of the [[Australia Act 1986|''Australia Acts 1986'']], it is the governor and not the monarch who exercises all the powers of the head of state and the governor is not subject to the direction or supervision of the monarch but acts upon the advice of the premier. Upon appointment, the governor becomes a [[viceroy]]. The governor's main responsibilities fall into three categories – constitutional, ceremonial and community engagement.<ref name=Role />

==Governor's personal standard==
The personal standard of the governor of Victoria is the same design as the [[Flag of Victoria (Australia)|state flag of Victoria]], but with the blue background replaced by gold, and red stars depicting the Southern Cross. Above the Southern Cross is the Royal Crown.

The current standard has been in place since 1984. Previously, the standard used by Victorian governors after 1870 had been the [[Union Jack]] with the Badge of the State of Victoria emblazoned in the centre.<ref name="Standard">{{Cite web |title=The Governor's Standard |url=http://www.governor.vic.gov.au/victorias-governor/symbols-and-emblems |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921030201/http://www.governor.vic.gov.au/victorias-governor/symbols-and-emblems |archive-date=21 Sep 2012 |website=Governor of Victoria}}</ref> 

The governor's standard is flown at Government House and on vehicles conveying the governor. The standard is lowered over Government House when the governor is absent from Victoria.<ref name=Standard />

;Past and present standards of the governor
<gallery class="center">
File:Flag of the Governor of Victoria (1870–1877).svg|1870–1877
File:Flag of the Governor of Victoria (1877–1901).svg|1877–1901
File:Flag of the Governor of Victoria (1952–1984).svg|1901–1984
File:Flag of the Governor of Victoria.svg|1984–present
</gallery>

==Related offices==
There is also a lieutenant-governor and an administrator. The [[List of Judges of the Supreme Court of Victoria|chief justice of Victoria]] is ''ex officio'' the administrator, unless the chief justice 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.

The Official Secretary to the Governor of Victoria is the head of the Office of the Governor which supports the Governor of Victoria in carrying out his or her official constitutional and ceremonial duties and community and international engagements. The official secretary manages the office and its administrative and service staff. All staff report to their respective managers, and through them to the Deputy Official Secretary and Official Secretary. The office also is in charge of maintaining Government House and its collections as a heritage and community asset of national importance. The official secretary is the Victorian nominee on the [[Council for the Order of Australia]].<ref name="office">{{cite web |title=Office of the Governor |url=https://www.governor.vic.gov.au/victorias-governor/office-governor |publisher=Governor of Victoria |access-date=30 July 2021}} {{CC-notice|cc=by4}}</ref>

The Office of the Governor was established under the ''Public Administration Act 2004'' (Vic) as an administrative office within the portfolio of the [[Department of Premier and Cabinet (Victoria)|Department of Premier and Cabinet]]. The current official secretary is Jonathan Burke, the current deputy official secretary (operations) is Taara Olorenshaw<ref name="office" /> and the current deputy official secretary (program) is Patrick Rundle.   

==Australianisation of the office==
As with the other states, until the 1986 [[Australia Acts]], the office of Governor of Victoria was an appointment of the British Foreign Office although local advice was considered and sometimes accepted.

Until the appointment of Victorian-born Sir [[Henry Winneke]] in 1974, the governors of Victoria were British. Since then, governors have been Australian although several were born overseas, namely [[Davis McCaughey]] (born in Ireland) came to Australia for work and [[David de Kretser]] (born in [[British Ceylon|Ceylon]], now [[Sri Lanka]]) and [[Alex Chernov]] (born in [[Lithuania]]), both of whom came to Australia while at school.

==List of governors of Victoria==
===Lieutenant-governors===
Prior to the separation of the colony of Victoria from New South Wales in 1851, the area was called the [[Port Phillip District]] of [[New South Wales]]. The [[Governor of New South Wales]] appointed superintendents of the district. In 1839, Charles La Trobe was appointed superintendent. La Trobe became lieutenant-governor of the new colony of Victoria on separation on 1 July 1851.

From 1850 to 1861, the Governor of New South Wales was titled Governor-general of New South Wales in an attempt to form a federal structure. Until Victoria obtained responsible government in 1855, the Governor-general of New South Wales appointed lieutenant-governors to Victoria.<ref>{{cite book |last=Twomey |first=Anne |author-link=Anne Twomey (academic) |title=The chameleon Crown: The Queen and her Australian governors |url=http://www.federationpress.com.au/bookstore/book.asp?isbn=9781862876293 |year=2006 |publisher=The Federation Press |location=Sydney |isbn=978-1-86287-629-3 }}</ref> On Victoria obtaining responsible government in May 1855, the title of the then incumbent lieutenant-governor, [[Captain Sir Charles Hotham]], became governor.

{| class="wikitable"
! width="4%"| No.
! width="10%"| Image
! width="50%"| Lieutenant-governor
! width="20%"| From
! width="20%"| To
|-
| 1
| [[Image:Charleslatrobe.jpg|80px]]
| [[Charles La Trobe|Captain Charles La Trobe]]
| 1 July 1851
| 5 May 1854
|-
| 2
| [[File:Charles Hotham by James Henry Lynch-crop.jpg|80px]]
| [[Charles Hotham|Captain Sir Charles Hotham KCB RN]]
| 22 June 1854
| 22 May 1855
|}

===Governors===
{| class="wikitable"
! width="4%"| No.
! width="8%"| Image
! width="30%"| Governor
! width="20%"| From
! width="20%"| To
! width="20%"| Notes
|-
| 1
| [[File:Charles Hotham by James Henry Lynch-crop.jpg|80px]]
| Sir [[Charles Hotham]] [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath|KCB]] 
| 22 May 1855
| 31 December 1855
| [[Edward Macarthur]] was administrator from January to December 1856<ref>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography|last=Hill|first=A. J.|year=1974|volume=5|id2=macarthur-sir-edward-4059|title=Macarthur, Sir Edward (1789–1872)|access-date=6 January 2013}}</ref>
|-
| 2
| [[Image:Henry Barkly.jpg|80px]]
| Sir [[Henry Barkly]] [[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George|GCMG]] KCB FRS FRGS
| 26 December 1856 
| 10 September 1863
| 
|-
| 3 
| [[Image:Portrait of Sir Charles Darling 1863 wood engraving.jpg|80px]]
| Sir [[Charles Henry Darling|Charles Darling]] KCB
| 11 September 1863 
| 7 May 1866 
| [[George Jackson Carey|George Carey]] acted May to August 1866<ref>
{{Australian Dictionary of Biography
 |first=Chris |last=McConville
 |title=Carey, George Jackson (1822–1872)
 |id2=carey-george-jackson-3165
 |access-date=26 November 2013
}}</ref>
|-
| 4
| [[Image:3rdViscountCanterbury.jpg|80px]]
| [[John Manners-Sutton, 3rd Viscount Canterbury|The Rt Hon. Viscount Canterbury]] GCMG KCB
| 15 August 1866
| 2 March 1873
| 
|-
| 5
| [[Image:George Bowen b.jpg|80px]]
| The Rt Hon Sir [[George Bowen]] GCMG
| 30 July 1873 
| 22 February 1879
| 
|-
| 6
| [[Image:GeorgePhipps2ndMarquessOfNormanby.jpg|80px]]
| [[George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby|The Most Hon. Marquess of Normanby]] [[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath|GCB]] GCMG [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|PC]]
| 29 April 1879
| 18 April 1884
| 
|-
| 7
| [[Image:Henry Loch Vanity Fair 5 July 1894.jpg|80px]]
| [[Henry Loch, 1st Baron Loch|Sir Henry Brougham Loch]] GCMG KCB
| 15 July 1884
| 15 November 1889
| 
|-
| 8
| [[Image:Lord Hopetoun 1902.jpg|80px]]
| [[John Hope, 1st Marquess of Linlithgow|The Right Hon. Earl of Hopetoun]] [[Knight of the Order of the Thistle|KT]] GCMG [[Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order|GCVO]] PC
| 28 November 1889 
| 12 July 1895
| 
|-
| 9
| [[Image:Brassey1.JPG|80px]]
| [[Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey|The Rt Hon. Lord Brassey]] GCB [[Justice of the Peace|JP]] [[Deputy Lieutenant|DL]] [[Territorial Decoration|TD]]
| 25 October 1895
| 31 March 1900
| 
|-
| 10
| [[Image:George Sydenham Clarke.jpg|80px]]
| [[George Clarke, 1st Baron Sydenham of Combe|Sir George Clarke]] KCMG 
| 28 September 1901<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=27360 |date=1 October 1901 |page=6395 }}</ref>
| 24 November 1903
|
|-
| 11
| [[Image:Reginald Talbot Vanity Fair 22 July 1897.jpg|80px]]
| The Hon. Major-General Sir [[Reginald Talbot]] KCB
| 25 April 1904
| 6 July 1908
| 
|-
| 12
| [[Image:Thomas Gibson Carmichael.jpg|80px]]
| [[Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, 1st Baron Carmichael|The Rt Hon. Lord Carmichael]] GCSI GCIE [[Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George|KCMG]] DL
| 27 July 1908
| 19 May 1911
| 
|-
| 13
| [[File:John Fuller.jpg|80px]]
| |The Rt Hon. Sir [[Sir John Fuller, 1st Baronet|John Fuller]] [[Fuller baronets|Bt]] KCMG
| 24 May 1911
| 24 November 1913
| 
|-
| 14
| [[Image:Arthur Stanley.jpg|80px]]
| Sir [[Arthur Stanley, 5th Baron Sheffield|Arthur Stanley]] KCMG
| 23 February 1914
| 30 January 1920
| 
|-
| 15
| [[Image:The Earl of Stradbroke in 1915.jpg|80px]]
| [[George Rous, 3rd Earl of Stradbroke|The Rt Hon. Earl of Stradbroke]] KCMG [[Companion of the Order of the Bath|CB]] [[Commander of the Royal Victorian Order|CVO]] [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire|CBE]] [[Volunteer Decoration|VD]] TD
| 24 February 1921
| 7 April 1926
| 
|-
| 16
| [[Image:Lord Somers Governor 1926.jpg|80px|]]
| [[Arthur Somers-Cocks, 6th Baron Somers|The Rt Hon. Lord Somers]] KCMG [[Companion of the Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] [[Military Cross|MC]]
| 28 June 1926
| 23 June 1931
| 
|-
| 17
| [[Image:Lord huntingfield.jpg|80px]]
| [[William Vanneck, 5th Baron Huntingfield|The Rt Hon. Lord Huntingfield]] KCMG
| 14 May 1934
| 4 April 1939
| 
|-
| 18
| [[Image:Winston Dugan.jpg|80px]]
| [[Winston Dugan, 1st Baron Dugan of Victoria|The Rt Hon. Major General Lord Dugan]] GCMG CB DSO
| 17 July 1939
| 20 February 1949
| 
|-
| 19
| [[Image:Sir Dallas Brooks talking with the Governor of West Australia, Sir James Mitchell.jpg|80px|]]
| [[Dallas Brooks|General Sir Reginald Dallas Brooks]] GCMG KCB [[Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order|KCVO]] DSO
| 18 October 1949
| 7 May 1963
| 
|-
| 20
| 
| [[Rohan Delacombe|Major General Sir Rohan Delacombe]] KCMG KCVO [[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire|KBE]] CB DSO
| 8 May 1963
| 31 May 1974
| 
|-
| 21
| [[File:Sir_Henry_Winneke_(cropped).JPG|80px]]
| [[Henry Winneke|The Hon. Sir Henry Winneke]] [[Companion of the Order of Australia|AC]] KCMG KCVO [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire|OBE]] [[Queen's Counsel|QC]]
| 1 June 1974
| 28 February 1982
| 
|-
| 22
| 
| [[Brian Murray (governor)|Rear Admiral Sir Brian Murray]] KCMG [[Officer of the Order of Australia|AO]]
| 1 March 1982
| 3 October 1985
| 
|-
| 23
| 
| [[Davis McCaughey|The Reverend Dr Davis McCaughey]] AC
| 18 February 1986
| 22 April 1992
| 
|-
| 24
| 
| [[Richard McGarvie|The Hon. Richard McGarvie]] AC QC
| 23 April 1992
| 23 April 1997
| 
|-
| 25
| 
| [[James Gobbo|The Hon. Sir James Gobbo]] AC CVO QC
| 24 April 1997
| 31 December 2000
| 
|-
| 26
| [[Image:Bannister and Landy.jpg|80px]] 
| [[John Landy|Mr. John Landy]] AC CVO [[Member of the Order of the British Empire|MBE]] 
| 1 January 2001
| 7 April 2006
| 
|-
| 27
| [[Image:David de Kretser Dsc 6787.jpg|80px]]
| [[David de Kretser|Professor David de Kretser]] AC
| 7 April 2006
| 7 April 2011
| 
|-
| 28
| [[File:Alex Chernov Governor of Victoria.png|80px]]
| [[Alex Chernov|The Hon. Alex Chernov]] AC KC
| 8 April 2011
| 30 June 2015
| 
|-
| 29
| [[File:Linda Dessau.jpg|80px]]
| [[Linda Dessau|The Hon. Linda Dessau]] AC CVO
| 1 July 2015
| 30 June 2023
| 
|-
| 30
| 
| [[Margaret Gardner|The Hon. Margaret Gardner]] AC
| 9 August 2023
| ''Incumbent''
| 
|}

== Line of succession ==
There is also a lieutenant-governor and an 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 lieutenant-governor is appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier of Victoria. Appointment as lieutenant-governor does not of itself confer any powers or functions. If there is no governor or if the governor is unavailable to act for a substantial period, the lieutenant-governor assumes office as administrator and exercises all the powers and functions of the governor.

If expecting to be unavailable for a short period only, the governor, with the consent of the premier, usually commissions the lieutenant-governor to act as deputy for the governor, performing some or all of the powers and functions of the governor.<ref>[http://www.vic.gov.au/contactsandservices/directory/?ea0_lfz99_120.&organizationalRole&cc1d2cba-356a-4f31-8e7b-d76c4874be09 Victoria Online]</ref>

The [[chief justice of Victoria]] is ''ex officio'' the administrator, unless the chief justice is the lieutenant-governor, in which case the next most senior judge is the administrator. The administrator takes on the governor's duties if both the governor and lieutenant-governor are not able to act for the above reasons.

The current lieutenant-governor is [[James Angus (scientist)|James Angus]], who was appointed to the role on 12 November 2021 to succeed [[Ken Lay (police officer)|Ken Lay]].

== See also ==
{{Portal|British Empire|Australia|Victoria}}
* [[Governor-General of Australia]]
* [[Governors of the Australian states]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Governors of Victoria, Australia}}
* [http://www.governor.vic.gov.au/ The Official Website of the Governor of Victoria]
* [http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/about/people-in-parliament/governor Governors of Victoria, Parliament of Victoria]
* [https://www.governor.vic.gov.au/victorias-governor/office-governor Office of the Governor] [[File:CC-BY icon.svg|50px]]  Text was copied from this source, which is available under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License].

{{-}}
{{Governors of Victoria}}
{{Australian governors}}
{{Representatives of the monarch in Commonwealth realms and Dominions}}
{{Government of Victoria}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Governor of Victoria}}
[[Category:Governors of Victoria (Australia)| ]]
[[Category:Lists of viceroys in Australia|Victoria]]
[[Category:Parliament of Victoria]]
[[Category:Victoria (state)-related lists]]
[[Category:1855 establishments in Australia]]