Governor of South Australia
Badge of the governor
Flag of the governor since 2024[1]
Incumbent Frances Adamson since 7 October 2021
Vice Regal
Style	Her Excellency The Honourable
Residence	Government House
Seat	Adelaide
Appointer	Monarch on the advice of thePremier and Cabinet
Term length	At His Majesty's pleasure (usually 5 years byconvention)
Formation	28 December 1836
First holder	Captain John Hindmarsh
Salary	$521,720 (since February 2025)[2]
Website	governor.sa.gov.au

Thegovernor of South Australia is the representative inSouth Australia of the monarch, currentlyKing Charles III. The governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does thegovernor-general of Australia at the national level. In accordance with the conventions of theWestminster system of parliamentary government, the governor nearly always acts solely on the advice of the head of the elected government, thepremier of South Australia. Nevertheless, the governor retains thereserve powers of the Crown, and has the right to dismiss the premier. As from June 2014, Queen Elizabeth II, upon the recommendation of the premier, accorded all current, future and living former governors the title 'The Honourable' for life.^[3] The first six governors oversaw the colony fromproclamation in 1836, untilself-government and an electedParliament of South Australia was granted in the year prior to the inaugural1857 election.

The first Australian-born governor of South Australia was Major-General SirJames Harrison (appointed 1968), and most subsequent governors have been Australian-born. The first South Australian-born governor was SirMark Oliphant (appointed 1971), and the firstAboriginal governor was SirDouglas Nicholls (appointed 1976).

The current governor is diplomatFrances Adamson who was sworn in atGovernment House, Adelaide on 7 October 2021,^[4][5] replacingHieu Van Le,^[6] who held the role from 2014 to 2021.^[7][8]

The governor's official residence isGovernment House, inAdelaide, the state's capital.

Prior to self-government, the governor was responsible to theGovernment of the United Kingdom and was charged with implementing laws and policy. Currently, the governor is responsible for safeguarding theSouth Australian Constitution and facilitating the work of the Parliament and state government.

The governor exercises power on the advice of ministers, conveyed through the Executive Council. Constitutional powers bestowed upon the governor and used with the consent and advice of the Executive Council include:

• to appoint and dismiss ministers.
• exercising the prerogative of mercy.
• issuing regulations and proclamations under existing laws.
• giving royal assent to bills passed by Parliament.
• appointing judges, royal commissioners and senior public servants.
• dissolving Parliament and issuing writs for elections.

The governor additionally maintains 'reserve powers' which can be used without the consent of the Executive Council. These powers relate to the appointment and dismissal of ministers and Parliament.^[9]

Although not a responsibility of the office of Governor of South Australia, governors of South Australia are - like allGovernors of the Australian states - normally given adormant commission toadminister the government of the Commonwealth of Australia in the absence from Australia, or the death, incapacity or removal from office of theGovernor-General by the Sovereign.^[10] Some South Australian governors are also appointed as aDeputy of the Governor-General^[11] to perform certain responsibilities of the Governor-General while the Governor-General is present in Australia, but unable to perform them personally.^[12]

The governor standard of South 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 South Australia, comprising a piping shrike in a golden disc, is surmounted by a crown. In 2024, this representation changed from a St Edward's Crown to a Tudor Crown.^[13]

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

Past and present standards of the governor

• 
  1870–1876
• 
  1876–1904
• 
  1904–1975
• 
  1975–2024
• 
  2024-present

The governor of South Australia supports outstanding achievers within the South Australian community through the presentation of a number of annual awards:^[14]

• The Governor's Multicultural Awards recognise and celebrate South Australians who promote multiculturalism and increase the understanding of the benefits of cultural diversity in our community; administered by the Department of the premier and Cabinet through Multicultural Affairs. They are presented by the governor on the advice of an independent judging panel.^[15]
• The Governor's Aboriginal Youth Awards recognise young Aboriginal South Australians, aged between 15 and 29 years, who are showing potential and determination to achieve success, or who are excelling in their chosen field in one of three areas: Sport, Arts and Higher Education; delivered through a partnership between the Department of the Premier and Cabinet’s Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation division and the Office of the Governor.
• The Governor’s Civics Awards for Schools provide the opportunity for young South Australians to develop their understanding of the role citizenship plays in a multicultural and democratic society. The inaugural awards in 2019 had two categories: an individual and a group award for Year 5 students; in 2020, they expanded to include students from Years 5–12.

The governor also awards a series of commendations for excellence in theSACE year 12 exams, including:^[16]

• Governor of South Australia Commendation – Excellence Award
• Governor of South Australia Commendation – Aboriginal Student SACE Excellence Award
• Governor of South Australia Commendation – Excellence in Modified SACE Award.

No.	Portrait	Governor[17]	Term begin	Term end	Time in office
Governor appointed by KingWilliam IV (1830–1837):
1		Rear Admiral SirJohn Hindmarsh	28 December 1836	16 July 1838	1 year, 200 days
Governors appointed byQueen Victoria (1837–1901):
2		Lieutenant-ColonelGeorge Gawler	17 October 1838	15 May 1841	2 years, 210 days
3		SirGeorge Grey	15 May 1841	25 October 1845	4 years, 163 days
4		Lieutenant-ColonelFrederick Holt Robe	25 October 1845	2 August 1848	2 years, 282 days
5		SirHenry Fox Young	2 August 1848	20 December 1854	6 years, 140 days
6		SirRichard Graves MacDonnell	8 June 1855	4 March 1862	6 years, 269 days
7		SirDominick Daly	4 March 1862	19 February 1868	5 years, 352 days
8		Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet	16 February 1869	18 April 1873	4 years, 61 days
9		SirAnthony Musgrave	9 June 1873	29 January 1877	3 years, 234 days
10		Lieutenant-General SirWilliam Jervois	2 October 1877	9 January 1883	5 years, 99 days
11		SirWilliam Robinson	19 February 1883	5 March 1889	6 years, 14 days
12		Algernon Keith-Falconer, 9th Earl of Kintore	11 April 1889	10 April 1895	5 years, 364 days
13		Sir Fowell Buxton, 3rd Baronet	29 October 1895	29 March 1899	3 years, 151 days
14		Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson	10 April 1899	17 July 1902	3 years, 98 days
Governors appointed by KingEdward VII (1901–1910):
15		SirGeorge Le Hunte	1 July 1903	18 February 1909	5 years, 232 days
16		Admiral SirDay Bosanquet	18 February 1909	22 March 1914	5 years, 32 days
Governors appointed by KingGeorge V (1910–1936):
17		Lieutenant Colonel SirHenry Galway	18 April 1914	30 April 1920	6 years, 12 days
18		Lieutenant Colonel SirArchibald Weigall	9 June 1920	30 May 1922	1 year, 355 days
19		Lieutenant-General SirTom Bridges	4 December 1922	4 December 1927	5 years, 0 days
20		Brigadier SirAlexander Hore-Ruthven	14 May 1928	26 April 1934	5 years, 347 days
21		Major-General SirWinston Dugan	28 July 1934	23 February 1939	4 years, 210 days
Governors appointed by KingGeorge VI (1936–1952):
22		SirMalcolm Barclay-Harvey	12 August 1939	26 April 1944	4 years, 258 days
23		Lieutenant-General SirWilloughby Norrie	19 December 1944	19 June 1952	7 years, 183 days
Governors appointed by QueenElizabeth II (1952–2022):
24		Air Vice-Marshal SirRobert George	23 February 1953	7 March 1960	7 years, 13 days
25		Lieutenant-General SirEdric Bastyan	4 April 1961	1 June 1968	7 years, 58 days
26		Major General SirJames Harrison	4 December 1968	16 September 1971	2 years, 286 days
27		Professor SirMark Oliphant	1 December 1971	30 November 1976	4 years, 365 days
28		SirDouglas Nicholls	1 December 1976	30 April 1977	150 days
29		Reverend SirKeith Seaman	1 September 1977	28 March 1982	4 years, 208 days
30		Lieutenant General SirDonald Dunstan	23 April 1982	5 February 1991	8 years, 288 days
31		DameRoma Mitchell	6 February 1991	21 July 1996	5 years, 166 days
32		SirEric Neal	22 July 1996	3 November 2001	5 years, 104 days
33		Marjorie Jackson-Nelson	3 November 2001	31 July 2007	5 years, 242 days
34		Rear AdmiralKevin Scarce	8 August 2007	7 August 2014	6 years, 364 days
35		Hieu Van Le	1 September 2014	31 August 2021	6 years, 364 days
36		Frances Adamson	7 October 2021		4 years, 43 days

These people administered the government in the absence of the official governor.^[17]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toGovernors of South Australia.

• The Official Website of the Governor of South Australia
• Previous governors on official website

• Governors of South Australia
• Lists of viceroys in Australia
• Parliament of South Australia
• South Australia-related lists
• 1836 establishments in Australia

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