Governor of Western Australia
former Badge of the Governor
Flag of the Governor
Incumbent
Chris Dawson
since 15 July 2022
Viceregal
StyleHis Excellency the Honourable
ResidenceGovernment House, Perth
SeatPerth
NominatorPremier of Western Australia
AppointerMonarch of Australia
on the advice of the Premier
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
(usually 5 years by convention)
Formation6 February 1832
First holderCaptain James Stirling
Websitegovhouse.wa.gov.au

The governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of the monarch of Australia, King Charles III. As with the other governors of the Australian states, the governor of Western Australia performs constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:

Furthermore, all bills passed by the Parliament of Western Australia require the governor's signature before they become acts and pass into law. However, since convention almost always requires the governor to act on the advice of the premier and the cabinet, such approval is almost always a formality.

Until the appointment of Sir James Mitchell in 1948, all governors of Western Australia had been British officials. After Mitchell's appointment, a further three Britons served as governor: Mitchell's two immediate successors, and then, from 1980 to 1983, Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge who was the last British governor of any Australian state.[1]

Styles

The governor of Western Australia is styled "His Excellency" during his term in office (or Her Excellency for a female governor). In August 2014, three of the four living past governors – John Sanderson, Ken Michael and Malcolm McCusker – were given the style "The Honourable", on the recommendation of the premier.[2] The other living former governor, Michael Jeffery, already held the style in virtue of his later service as governor-general of Australia.

Governor's standard

The governor's standard of Western Australia is the same design as the British blue ensign with the union flag at the upper left quarter. On the right side, the state badge of Western Australia, comprising a black swan in a yellow disc, is surmounted by the St. Edward's crown.

If the standard is flying at Government House, on a vehicle or at an event, this indicates that the governor is present.

List of governors and lieutenant-governors of Western Australia

List of Governors

No. Portrait 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 Andrew Clarke KCH 27 January 1846 11 February 1847
- Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Irwin (acting Governor) 12 February 1847 11 August 1848
4 Captain Charles Fitzgerald 12 August 1848 22 July 1855
5 Sir Arthur Kennedy GCMG CB 23 July 1855 27 February 1862
6 Dr John Hampton 28 February 1862 1 November 1868
7 Sir Benjamin Pine[3] 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 Major General The Hon. Sir Harry Ord GCMG CB RE[4] 12 November 1877 9 April 1880
- Sir William Robinson GCMG (2nd time) 10 April 1880 1 June 1883
11 Sir Frederick Broome KCMG 2 June 1883 19 October 1890
- Sir William Robinson GCMG (3rd time) 20 October 1890 22 December 1895
12 Lieutenant Colonel Sir Gerard Smith KCMG 23 December 1895 30 April 1901
13 Sir Arthur Lawley GCIE KCMG 1 May 1901 23 March 1903
14 Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford KCB 24 March 1903 30 May 1909
15 Sir Gerald Strickland KCMG 31 May 1909 16 March 1913
16 Major General Sir Harry Barron KCMG CVO 17 March 1913 8 April 1917
17 The Rt Hon. Sir William Ellison-Macartney KCMG 9 April 1917 8 April 1920
18 Sir Francis Newdegate GCMG 9 April 1920 27 October 1924
19 Colonel Sir William Campion KCMG DSO TD 28 October 1924 8 June 1931
N/A[5] 1931 1948
20 Sir James Mitchell GCMG 5 October 1948 30 June 1951
21 General Sir Charles Gairdner GBE KCMG KCVO CB 6 November 1951 25 October 1963
22 Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew KCMG CB CBE DSO 25 October 1963 6 January 1974
23 Air Commodore Sir Hughie Edwards VC KCMG CB DSO OBE DFC 7 January 1974 2 April 1975
24 Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Hart Kyle GCB KCVO CBE DSO DFC 24 November 1975 24 November 1980
25 Rear Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge KCVO 25 November 1980 24 November 1983
26 Professor Gordon Reid AC 2 July 1984 30 September 1989
27 The Hon. Sir Francis Burt AC KCMG QC 20 March 1990 31 October 1993
28 Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC 1 November 1993 17 August 2000
29 Lieutenant General John Sanderson AC 18 August 2000 31 October 2005
30 Dr Ken Michael AC 18 January 2006 2 May 2011
31 Malcolm McCusker AC CVO QC 1 July 2011 30 June 2014
32 Kerry Sanderson AC 20 October 2014 1 May 2018
33 Kim Beazley AC 1 May 2018 30 June 2022
34 Chris Dawson 15 July 2022 Current

List of Lieutenant-governors

The lieutenant-governor serves as deputy to the governor, fulfilling the governor's functions in the governor's absence.[6]

Stirling was only commissioned as the governor of Western Australia on 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.[7]

No. Portrait Lieutenant-Governor From To
1 Captain Sir James Stirling RN 30 December 1828 5 February 1832
...
N/A Peter Quinlan 27 November 2019 Current

References

  1. ↑ Dr Geoff Gallop, Premier (13 May 2003). "Rear Admiral Sir Richard John Trowbridge Condolence Motion" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Western Australia: Western Australian Legislative Assembly. Part 1: pp. 7514–7514.
  2. ↑ Western Australian Government Gazette, 15 August 2014, No. 126, p. 2951. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ Ord was Lieutenant-Governor from 12 November 1877 to 29 January 1878.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ "Lieutenant Governor". Government House Western Australia. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  7. ↑ "Commission appointing Stirling Governor and Commander-in-Chief 4 March 1831 (UK)". Documenting a Democracy. National Archives of Australia. Archived from the original on 7 February 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2008. - see also Scan of 1st page of parchment original Archived 23 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine 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. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
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