| Governor of Victoria | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Viceregal | |
| Style | Her Excellencythe Honourable |
| Residence | Government House, Melbourne |
| Seat | Melbourne |
| Appointer | Monarch on theadvice of thepremier |
| Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure (typically 5 years) |
| Formation | 22 May 1855 (170 years ago) (1855-05-22) |
| First holder | Charles Hotham |
| Deputy | Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria |
| Salary | $517,650 (2025)[1][2] |
| Website | governor |
Thegovernor of Victoria is the representative ofthe monarch, currentlyKing Charles III, in theAustralian state ofVictoria. The governor has many constitutional and ceremonial roles in theVictorian political system; however, they are generally bound byconvention to act on the advice of thepremier and theExecutive Council of Victoria.[3] They also have a significant community role, through investingAustralian Honours on behalf of thegovernor-general, patronage of community organisations, and representing the state as a whole. The current governor isMargaret Gardner.[4]
Significant functions of the governor include givingroyal assent to bills passed bythe houses of parliament, issuingwrits for elections, exercising executive power on the advice of the Victorian Executive Council, formally appointing government officials (including the premier, other ministers, judges and officials), opening sessions of state parliament, and presentingAustralian honours.[3] Although Australia has a federal system of government, the governor is the direct representative of the monarch and is not subordinate to the governor-general.[5]
In almost all instances, the governor only exercisesde jure power in accordance with the principles of theWestminster system andresponsible government. This requires them to remain politically neutral and to only act in accordance withParliament (such as when selecting the premier and providingroyal assent) or on theadvice of ministers (when performing executive actions).[6] In certain limited circumstances, the governor can exercisereserve powers (powers that may be exercised without or against formal advice). Governors are rarely called upon to exercise these reserve powers in the modern period. However, as theLegislative Council of Victoria has always had a majority of elected members, and theLegislative Council of Victoria had three major parties forming ministries, the government of Victoria prior to 1960 required more active involvement by the governors than in the other Australian states.Sir Charles Darling in 1868 andSir George Bowen in 1879 were both recalled for their poor management of constitutional crises, while premiersAlbert Dunstan in 1945,Thomas Hollway in 1952 andJohn Cain Sr. in 1955 all lost office due tofailing to maintain supply.[7] The governors consultedVictoria's Chief Justice for advice on their exercise of the reserve powers, withSir Dallas Brooks also consulting theChief Justice of the High Court, VictorianSir Owen Dixon, during the 1955 incident.[7]
In their ceremonial and community roles, the governor represents the state as a whole. Domestically, this role entails attending services and commemorations, sponsoring community organisations and hosting events at their official residence,Government House, located next to theRoyal Botanic Gardens and surrounded byKings Domain inMelbourne. The governor also promotes Victoria's economic, social and cultural interests abroad and is entitled to travel on an Australian diplomatic passport on official business.[8] The governor is supported anOfficial Secretary, and the Office of the Governor, an administrative office within theDepartment of Premier and Cabinet which employed 47FTE staff in 2024.[9]
The governor is selected by the premier and formally appointed by the monarch on the premier's advice. The term of office isnot fixed, but they typically serve for five years. Between Victoria's separation from the Colony of New South Wales in 1851 and 1900, ten British-born officials served as governor, includingCharles La Trobe andCharles Hotham, who were titledLieutenant-Governor of Victoria until the colony achievedresponsible government in 1855. Three of these colonial governors wereminor British nobility, the other seven came from thelanded gentry. SinceFederation in 1901, the position was held by a series of minor British nobles, includingBaron Huntingfield, the first person born in Australia to serve as governor in any state,[10] however Victoria was the last state to begin appointing Australians as governor on a regular basis.[11] The first Australian appointed governor wasSir Henry Winneke in 1974,[12] and all governors since have been Australian citizens. Several governors since 1974 were born overseas, namelyDavis McCaughey (born in Ireland) came to Australia for work[13] andDavid de Kretser (born inCeylon, nowSri Lanka[14]) andAlex Chernov (born inLithuania[15]), both of whom came to Australia while at school. The first woman to be appointed governor wasLinda Dessau, who served from 2015 to 2023.[16]
The governor is formally appointed by themonarch with a commission[17] made under the authority of section 6 of theVictorian Constitution.[18] When a new governor is to be appointed, the current premier recommends a name to the monarch, who by convention accepts thatrecommendation.[19] Prior to 1986, the governor was appointed by themonarch of the United Kingdom acting on the advice of theColonial Secretary (after 1966, theForeign Secretary), although local recommendations were considered and usually accepted by the British minister.
The incoming governor is publicly announced usually several months before the end of the existing governor's term. After receiving their commission, the new governor takes anoath or affirmation of allegiance to the monarch and an oath or affirmation of office.[18] These oaths are administered by thechief justice of Victoria or another justice of theSupreme Court. Traditionally, the ceremony takes place in theLegislative Council chamber, although between 2001 and 2015 it was conducted at Government House.[20]
TheVictorian Constitution does not set a term of office, so a governor may continue to hold office for any agreed length of time. The typical term of office is five years, although after this initial term, a commission may be extended. The term ofLinda Dessau was extended by three years in June 2020, due to the impact of theCOVID-19 pandemic in Australia.[21] This made Deassau the longest-serving governor since Major GeneralSir Rohan Delacombe, who served 1963 to 1974.[22]
There are two other offices that are authorised to administer the government of Victoria on behalf of the governor. Thelieutenant-governor of Victoria is appointed by the governor by commission under thePublic Seal of Victoria[23] while theadministrator of Victoria isex officio the chief justice of the Supreme Court, unless:
In these cases, the administrator is the next most senior justice of the supreme course who is in Victoria, willing and able to act as administrator.[24]
The lieutenant-governor may assume the administration of the government of the state when:
The administrator may assume the administration of the government of the state in the same situations, but not when there is a lieutenant-governor who is in Victoria, willing and able to assume the administration of the government.[25]
The governor may also appoint the lieutenant governor or administrator as their deputy to perform some or all of the functions of the governor on behalf of the governor while the governor is exercising the office.[26]
A governor may be dismissed by the monarch before their term is complete. Since the passage of theAustralia Act 1986 the monarch may only dismiss a governor on advice from the premier, who is responsible for selecting an immediate replacement or letting the vacancy provisions take effect.[19] Prior to 1986, the governors were dismissed, or recalled to theUnited Kingdom, by the monarch of the United Kingdom.
| This article is part ofa series on the |
| Politics of Australia |
|---|
 |
| Constitution |
 Australia portal |
The governor has a key role in performing constitutional duties in all branches of government of the state. The governor also has a subsidiary role performing some constitutional duties relating to the government of the Commonwealth.
The Victorian Constitution defines theParliament of Victoria as consisting of the monarch, theLegislative Council and theLegislative Assembly. However, the monarch's role is no more than titular, with the governor responsible under the Victorian Constitution andAustralia Act 1986[19] for all of the functions undertaken by the monarch in regard to theUK parliament. These include the power to summon, dissolve and prorogue the Parliament, to issue writs for elections, as well as the power to give royal assent to bills in the monarch's name.[27]
The governor also has a ceremonial role in swearing in and accepting the resignations of members of Parliament. All members must make anoath or affirmation of allegiance to the King in the presence of the governor or someone appointed by them before they take their seats.[28] On the day parliament opens, the governor makes a speech in the Legislative Council (similar to theKing's Speech in the UK), entirely written by the government, explaining the government's proposed legislative program.[29]
One of the most significant powers of the governor is the power to grantroyal assent in the King's name.[27] This assent gives bills that have been passed by the houses of parliament the force of law. It is unclear whether the governor acts on the advice of the government when giving assent, with previous governors giving conflicting views. Previously the Executive Council advised the granting of assent, but since 1996 a standing instruction has been given by the premier stating assent should be given in the absence of advice otherwise.[30][31] This differs from Commonwealth and other state vice-regal representatives (with the exception of South Australia) who are not given advice regarding royal assent.[32] Assent has not been refused since the early days ofresponsible government. In 1857, GovernorSir Henry Barkly refused assent to the Oaths of Office Bill 1857 on the grounds that it conflicted with an act of theImperial Parliament (theRoman Catholic Relief Act 1829). The next year, he similarly refused to assent to the Duration of Parliament Bill 1858, which aimed to alter the new constitution, but had not been passed in the manner required for constitutional alterations. In both cases, Barker assented to replacement bills that he did not consider to be beyond the power of the colonial parliament.[33]
Prior to theAustralia Act 1986, theAustralian Constitutions Act 1850 (UK) authorised the governor to reserve a bill for the monarch's pleasure, that is allow the monarch to give royal assent personally to a proposed bill.[34][35] When the governor acted as a representative of the British government, this provision allowed for the governor to refer a bill back to the British government for review, which would then advise the monarch whether or not to grant assent. Since the passage of theAustralia Act 1986, the powers of the monarch in relation to the state - save for the power to appoint the governor - are exercised by the governor.[19] Under theAustralian Constitutions Act 1842 (UK), the British government could also advise the monarch to disallow a law passed within the last two years, which would annul the law on the governor's proclamation or message to the parliament.[36] This power was also removed by theAustralia Act 1986.[37]
Finally, the governor can refer a bill back to the houses with suggested changes.[38]
Executive powers vested in governor by statute or as part of the prerogative are exercised on the advice of ministers in accordance with the principles ofresponsible government.[39] This occurs formally through theExecutive Council, a body of all current (and technically former) ministers that advises the governor.[40] Such advice is generally the result of decisions already made inCabinet, thede facto highest executive body in Victoria.[41]
Formally, the governor exercises the traditional rights of the monarch as identified byBagehot: the right to be consulted, to encourage and to warn.[19]
The role of state governors in the government of the Commonwealth is limited to the issue and return of the writs for the election ofsenators representing their state, and the nomination of new senators to fill acasual vacancy.[42]
When theprime minister advises governor-general to call an election of theHouse of Representatives within the 12 months before the expiration of the term of half the Senate, or thedissolution of both houses of parliament undersection 57 of the Australian Constitution, they will also advise the governor-general to invite the state governors to issue the writs for the election of senators on the same date.[43]
While the office of governor of Victoria has little role in the administration of the government of the Commonwealth, the individuals who serve as governors of Victoria are - like all theGovernors of the Australian states - normally given adormant commission toadminister the government of the Commonwealth in the absence from Australia, or the death, incapacity or removal from office of thegovernor-general by the Sovereign.[44] Victorian governors are often also appointed as adeputy of the governor-general[45] to perform certain responsibilities of the governor-general while the governor-general is present in Australia, but unable to perform them personally.[46]
In addition to the formal constitutional role, the governor has a representative and ceremonial role, though the extent and nature of that role has depended on the expectations of the time, the individual in office at the time, the wishes of the incumbent government, and the individual's reputation in the wider community. Governors generally become patrons of various charitable institutions, present honours and awards, host functions for various groups of people including representatives of other countries, and travel widely throughout the state.
The governor is generally invited to become patron of various charitable and service organisations. Historically the governor has often served asChief Scout of Victoria,[49] Deputy Prior of theOrder of St John,[50] and by law is theVisitor ofDeakin,Federation,La Trobe,Melbourne,Monash,RMIT, andVictoria Universities.[51]
The governor makesofficial visits overseas on behalf of Victoria at the request of the state government. During these periods, theLieutenant-Governor of Victoria or anadministrator executes the government of the state.[52][53]
The governor fills the honorary role ofRepresentative Colonel for theAustralian Army Reserve'sRoyal Victoria Regiment.[50] They are an Honorary Commodore of theRoyal Australian Navy,[54] and the Honorary Air Commodore ofNo 21 (City of Melbourne) Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force.[55] These appointments are strictly honorary, and unlike governors in the United States who exercise operational control their stateNational Guard, the governor of Victoria plays no formal role in the command structure of these units.
Governors are entitled to various privileges by virtue of holding the office. These include the right to live inGovernment House, the largest and grandest vice-regal residence in theCommonwealth of Nations.[56] The state's first lieutenant-governor,[a]Charles La Trobe continued to live inLa Trobe's Cottage, which he had built for himself as Superintendent ofPort Phillip District.[57] The colonial government then rentedToorak House from 1854 for use as Government House until the construction of the permanent building inKing's Domain was completed in 1876.[58] However, lease negotiations broke down andSir George Bowen resided atBishopscourt, the official residence of theAnglican Archbishop of Melbourne, during the final months before Government House was completed.[56]
Beginning in 1901, the now-state government provided the use of Government House to theGovernor-General of Australia as Melbourne was the capital city of Australia prior to the construction ofCanberra. The governor-general remained resident in Melbourne outside of parliamentary sitting periods after the capital moved in 1927, not moving toYarralumla full-time untilSir Issac Issacs took up the post. During this period, the state government rentedStonnington Mansion for use by the state governor, eventually purchasing the building and its contents in 1928. After the governors returned to live at Government House, Stonnington was used as a school.[56]
The governor's official vehicles use a representation ofSt Edward's Crown in place of a standard registration plate[59] and fly the governor's personal standard.[60]
The salary of the governor was initially set by theAustralian Constitutions Act 1850 at £2,000,[b] which also required any bill that altered the governor's salary to be reserved for her majesty's pleasure.[34] As of 2025, the governor is paid the same salary as a justice of the supreme court[2] (currently $517,650[1])
Governors before the 1970s wore traditionalcourt uniforms, based on the uniform of theLord Lieutenants of English counties with the colours reversed. It consisted of a dark navy wool double-breasted coatee with silver oak leaf and fern embroidery on the collar and cuffs trimmed with silver buttons embossed with theRoyal Arms and with bullion edged epaulettes on the shoulders, dark navy trousers with a wide band of silver oak-leaf braid down the outside seam, silver sword belt with ceremonial sword,bicorne cocked hat with plume of ostrich feathers, black patent leather Wellington boots with spurs, etc., that is worn on ceremonial occasions.[61] However, that custom fell into disuse and governors now dress ininformal wear day-to-day.
Governors have during their tenure the styleHis or HerExcellencythe Honourable and their spouses have the styleHis or Her Excellency. The style used by a former governor isthe Honourable.
Since the creation of theOrder of Australia in 1975, governors have been routinely invested as Companions of theOrder of Australia immediately prior to being commissioned as governor, and several governors includingLinda Dessau,[62]Sir James Gobbo,[63] have been appointed Commanders of theRoyal Victorian Order[c] for their service to the sovereign as vice-regal representatives. Prior to 1986, Victoria still utilised theimperial honours system, and it was customary for governors to be recognised with awards of Knight Grand Cross or Knight Commander of theOrder of St Michael and St George for their service as colonial officials[64][65] as well as Knight Grand Cross or Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order for their services to the sovereign.[66]
Spouses of governors have no official duties but carry out the role of a vice-regal consort. They are entitled to the courtesy styleHer Excellency orHis Excellency during the office-holder's term of office. Most spouses of governors have been content to be quietly supportive. Some, however, have been notable in their own right, such as Lady Brooks,[67][68]Margaret, Baroness Huntingfield, andGlyn Davis
| |
| Use | Other   |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Adopted | 18 April 1984; 41 years ago (1984-04-18)[69] |
| Design | The Governor's badge of a redSouthern Cross surmounted bySt Edward's Crown, on a golden yellow flag with the Union flag in the upper left (canton) quarter. |
The personal standard of the governor of Victoria is the same design as thestate flag of Victoria, but with the blue background replaced by gold, and red stars depicting the Southern Cross. The gold is said to represent "Victoria’s golden past and its promise of a golden future".[70]
The current standard has been in place since 1984. Previously, the standard used by Victorian governors after 1870 had been theUnion Jack with the Badge of the State of Victoria emblazoned in the centre.[70]
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.[70]
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
The Office of the Governor provides support to the governor to fulfill their constitutional and ceremonial duties, community and international engagements and maintainsGovernment House, including its collections, as a heritage and community asset of national importance.[71]
The Office of the Governor is currently constituted as an administrative office within theDepartment of Premier and Cabinet under thePublic Administration Act 2004.[72] It employed 47Full-time equivalent staff in 2024[9] and is headed by theOfficial Secretary to the Governor.
The official secretary to the governor is Victoria's nominee on the Council of the Order of Australia[73][74] As of 2025, the official secretary is Jonathan Burke.[74]
Charles La Trobe, superintendent of thePort Phillip District of theColony of New South Wales was appointed the inaugural lieutenant-governor of the newColony of Victoria on its separation from New South Wales on 1 July 1851. However, he remained subject toSir Charles FitzRoy who was raised to the position ofGovernor-General of New South Wales in an early attempt at federalism among the Australian colonies. FitzRoy exercised little authority over the other colonies, particularly afterHenry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey resigned asSecretary of State for War and the Colonies in February 1852.[75]
La Trobe had extensive power as lieutenant-governor, able to veto bills passed by theLegislative Council and was responsible for initiating all financial legislation.[34] Within weeks of the new colony being proclaimed,gold was discovered inBallarat.[76] At the same time as he was called upon to establish the institutions of the new colony, La Trobe also needed to rapidly and drastically expand the area controlled by the new government. Like La Trobe, the other officials of the new government were inexperienced and there were many missteps in the early days of the government as they attempted to manage they tens of thousands of people arriving in the colony in search of gold.[77] The new colony was well-funded from the start, and invested significantly in developing the still-new towns in Melbourne, Ballarat, and the rest of the colony. However, infrastructure remained lacking throughout the gold rush period, and the government was running a budget deficit by the time La Trove returned to the UK.[78][79]
Despite a last-minute attempt to instead obtain command of a ship when theCrimean War broke out, CaptainSir Charles Hotham relieved La Trobe as lieutenant-governor in June 1854. He attempted to increase government revenue and get the government out of debt by enforcing the mining licences that had been instituted on the goldfields, but at the same time extended political rights to the miners.[80] Hotham was an extremely authoritarian governor for aCrown Colony that was about to be grantedresponsible government, perhaps influenced by theEureka Rebellion breaking out within months of his arrival in the colony.[81]
After the nascent rebellion was put down by elements of the12th Regiment of Foot, the40th Regiment of Foot andVictoria Police, Hotham had 13 of the minerstried for high treason, however the jury refused to convict them.[82] and he was rebuked by the new colonial secretary,Lord John Russell for mishandling the prosecutions.[83]
Hotham was appointed as Victoria's first governor following passage of theVictoria Constitution Act 1855 by the imperial parliament. This act formally approved the constitution that had been written by the Legislative Council early in 1854 and established theLegislative Assembly of Victoria, which would begin its first sitting in 1856.[84] When the dispatches returned the approved constitution, they included a provision that the new constitution would not take effect for three months after arrival. Hotham declared that there would be no change to the governance of the state until that time, putting himself and his executive council in conflict with the Legislative Council who believed that the new governor wasaccountable to legislative oversight. However, this disagreement was short-lived, with Hotham dying on 31 December 1855.[85]
Following the unexpected death of Hotham, the government of Victoria was administered by Major-GeneralSir Edward Macarthur for most of 1856. The eldest son of the infamousJohn Macarthur commanded the British Army forces in the colony and had been appointed administrator.[86] Macarthur oversaw the first elections for the Legislative Assembly during the 11 months before the new governor arrived and was well-regarded by the people of Melbourne for his administration.[87]
In 1865, the government led byJames McCulloch announced, and then immediately started collecting, a newtariff. After several months of the Legislative Council refusing to pass the tariff, it was added to asupply bill. Under the colonial constitution, the Legislative Council had no power to amend supply bills and so refused to pass it in its entirety.[88] The first Australiansupply crisis begun. TreasurerGeorge Verdon attempted to secure loans to fund the government, but was rejected by all except theLondon Chartered Bank of Australia. The other banks in the colony published their concerns about the power of the governor and ministry to obtain new loans in the absence of supply, however the influence of their only Victorian director, premier James McCulloch meant that the London Chartered Bank immediately extended a loan of £40,000.[89]
When the government was unable to service the loan the next month, the bank sued for the debt in the Supreme Court and the government offered no defence. After receiving the judgement of the court, the government advised governorSir Charles Darling to authorise payment for the loan and the bank's costs from the consolidated revenue fund without parliamentary approval, a process that was repeated on a monthly basis.[90] McCulloch took the issue to the electorate by dissolving the Legislative Assembly, and after reelection he continued to try and force the Legislative Council to endorse the new tariff.[91] Various attempts to pass the tariff were rejected by the Legislative Council until the ministry resigned in March 1866,[92] however theProtectionist party held a majority of seat in the Assembly and McCulloch was soon asked to form a new ministry.[93]
Governor Darling's handling of the situation was poorly received by the people of Victoria, newspapers across Australia,[94] and by the colonial office in London. He wasrecalled in April 1866 and Major GeneralGeorge Carey assumed the administration of the colony until the new governor arrived in August.[95][96] Darling was widely condemned for allowing the colonial government to so grievously exceed the bounds of constitutional propriety for so long,[97] however, his recall led to a compromise that saw the deadlock resolved, supply restored, and a new tariff bill passed.[90] However, the crisis was not yet quite over.
The Victorian government attempted to gift £20,000 to Lady Darling as compensation for the early termination of Sir Charles' appointment. It was not considered appropriate that the payment be made to Sir Charles directly, however the colonial office was not of a mind to allow the obviously blind and theSecretary of State for the Colonies,Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon sent messages to both the Darlings and the Assembly that the would not be permitted so long as he remained in theColonial Service.[98] The new governor,Sir John Manners-Sutton, had directions from colonial secretaryHenry Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle not to approve any such payment,[90] so Sir Charles submitted his resignation, but Manners-Sutton was able to convince Newcastle to allow Sir Charles to withdraw it the following year,[99] and he received a pension from the imperial government until he died in 1870.[93]
At the May 1877 election, with the powerful backing of the MelbourneAge,Graham Berry's liberals won a huge majority in the Assembly and he returned to office at the head of a radical ministry. Berry promised that if theLegislative Council, which was elected on a limited property-based franchise, blocked his program, it would be "dealt with according to its deserts." Given that there was no mechanism in the Victorian Constitution to override the Council, this was taken by conservatives to be a threat of revolutionary violence.
Among other priorities, Berry's government sought topay members of the Legislative Assembly, a proposal borne of the desire to facilitate middle and working class representation. It was rejected by the Legislative Council, and thentacked to the annual appropriations bill, which was again rejected.[100] After unlawfully sacking over 400 public servants, including magistrates, judges, goldfields commissioners and coroners on what became known asBlack Wednesday, Berry's government plunged the state into financial trouble.[90] In an attempt to restore stability, Berry advised governorSir George Bowen to authorise payments based solely on the approval of the Legislative Council.[101] Bowen authorised these payments after obtaining advice from the attorney-general, but he was reprimanded by the colonial office for approving the payments and allowing other illegal actions of Berry and his ministers.[102]
The Black Wednesday sackings were cancelled,[103] and Bowen was recalled to be assigned as the newGovernor of Mauritius, an unimportant backwaterCrown Colony that did not have responsible government.[104] Bowen, who had expected to be appointed governor of New South Wales following his time in Victoria, regretted his involvement in the crisis, writing the following year:
My reluctant consent, purely on constitutional grounds, to these dismissals … has damaged my further reputation and my career to a degree that I shall never recover. It will never be forgotten either in England or in the Colony.[105]
FollowingFederation in 1901, the Victorian governors spent the next several decades in a peculiar position. With Melbourne the new nation's temporary capital,John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun and former governor of Victoria, returned toGovernment House asGovernor-General of Australia. His successors remained in residence untilSir Issac Issacs, the first Australian appointed to the position began to live in Canberra full-time in 1930. During this time, the now-state governors resided atStonnington Mansion.[56]
In 1903, the Victorian parliament first debated abolishing the governor's office on grounds of duplication and economy. Further debates occurred in 1904, 1917, and 1920; the last including a motion that fell only four votes short of calling for the abolition of the office. GovernorSir Arthur Stanley shared their views, requesting an early recall to allow the appointment of a replacement who believed in the utility of his office in 1917. He was convinced by the state government to remain in place until 1920, as ministers feared that public opinion could force them to leave the administration of the state in the hands of an Australian lieutenant-governor.[11]
Between 1931 and 1934, the state was administered by thelieutenant-governor, chief justiceSir William Irvine. During this time, Irvine did not sit as a justice of the supreme court.[106] Irvine was called upon to act as governor for an extended period due to the financial position of the state during theGreat Depression. When planning the move, ministers claimed that £7,000 would be saved annually by leaving the post of governor vacant and decommissioningStonnington as the state's Government House.[107]
In September 1943, theCountry Party government ofSir Albert Dunstan was defeated by amotion of no confidence.[108] When this occurs, theconvention is that either the government resigns or a new election is called. Arguing that the1943 Victorian state election had just been held and no other party had the numbers to form a government, Dunstan attempted to pursuade governorSir Winston Dugan to allow him to remain in office while he negotiated support from theUnited Australia Party. Dugan instead exercised hisreserve powers, requiring the premier to submit his resignation. He then appointed the leader of the opposition,John Cain as premier.
There had been an understanding between Labour and the United Australia Party that UAP leaderThomas Hollway would be the one to be appointed premier.[109] Feeling no loyalty to Cain, the UAP voted with the Country Party to bring down his new government the following day. Instead of submitting his resignation, Cain advised the governor to call for a fresh election,[110] but this advice was refused.[109]
In September 1945, Cain was able to block a supply bill on the floor of the Legislative Assembly. Dunstan's government attempted to pass the bill again, but when it became clear that it did not have the votes to do so, the governor dissolved the assembly and called for an election in November, when the new electoral rolls would be prepared.[109][111] The proclamation dissolving the legislative assembly did not take affect until the following week, allowing time for an interim supply bill to be passed to fund the election and other aspects of the state government in the meantime.
Cain retained his supporters, and passing a motion explicitly calling on Dunstan to resign, citing the illegal payments made by governments in the 1865 and 1878 supply crises as rationale.[112] Dunstan asked the governor for an immediate dissolution of parliament, but was denied, with Dugan retorting that he was refusing to sanction illegal payments as his 18th-century predecessors had and required the premier's resignation.[109] Both Cain and Holloway were unable to secure the passage of supply to provide for the state's finances until the election, with the deadlock eventually being broken by the appointment of attorney-generalIan Macfarlan as premier to lead a caretaker ministry until the1945 Victorian state election.[113][114] After the election John Cain secured a majority and was commissioned as premier, while Dugan was raised to the peerage at the conclusion of his term as governor, becoming Baron Dugan of Victoria.[115]
The1950 Victorian state election produced ahung parliament, with the new governor,Sir Dallas Brooks, mediating a minority Country Party government supported on confidence and supply by the Labor Party.[116] This government under premierJohn McDonald remained in office for two years, before John Cain's Labor Party blocked supply in the Legislative Council in October 1952 in an effort to bring Thomas Holloway to power to lead a caretaker government and institute electoral reform.[117]
Following his defeat on supply, McDonald requested a dissolution but was denied by the governor who appointedThomas Holloway as premier.[118] Holloway swiftly passed the supply bill through the Legislative Council, funding the government until December. In the Legislative Assembly, Holloway lost a confidence motion, and requested a dissolution of parliament on the grounds that he had achieved his promise of obtaining supply until the election.[119]
However, McDonald argued that Holloway had never achieved the backing of the Legislative Assembly, as he had retained the confidence of the Assembly throughout the incident and was entitled to campaign as premier. After seeking the advice of the chief justices of the supreme court (Edmund Herring) and the high court (VictorianOwen Dixon), Brooks recommissioned McDonald as premier and McDonald immediately requested afresh election.[120][109] After this election, John Cain was again commissioned as premier, leading a Labor government.
Cain's third government lasted until theAustralian Labor Party split of 1955. After the1955 Australian federal election, opposition leaderH. V. Evatt blamed disloyal elements of the Victorian party for his loss, and set about purging those elements from the party.[121][122]
With 4 of his ministers amongst the exiled members, Cain requested a dissolution of parliament from the governor. Sir Dallas Brooks again consulted with Herring and Dixon, determining that there was insufficient supply to fund the government until the election, refused to grant a dissolution until supply was passed.[109][123]
When state parliament was finally summoned, 11 of the ousted Labor MLAs, who would soon establish the virulently anti-communistDemocratic Labor Party,[d] joined withHenry Bolte'sLiberal and Country Party and theCountry Party to pass a motion of no confidence, and as there was sufficient supply to cover the state's expenses through the election, the writs for the1955 Victorian state election were issued.[124]
In 1967, governorSir Rohan Delacombe was petitioned to exercise theroyal prerogative of mercy to commute the execution ofRonald Ryan by four of the jurors in the case who had submitted a guilty verdict in the belief thatcapital punishment had been abolished in Victoria, and thought Ryan's sentence would be commuted to life imprisonment. PremierHenry Bolte was determined Ryan should hang. Delacombe called a meeting with the Victorian cabinet, at which it was unanimously agreed that the execution should proceed.[22] Ryan was hanged on 3 February 1967, the last person in Australia to be executed.[125]
In 1985, as theAustralia Acts 1986 were being developed, Victorian Governor Rear AdmiralSir Brian Murray was embroiled in a scandal.[126] Against the advice of PremierJohn Cain,[e] Murray had accepted free travel for himself and his wife and was caught up in a police investigation into the use of free airfares by police officers and other state officials.[127] The Premier sought forElizabeth II to remove Murray, but the British Government was unwilling to act, fearing to appear anachronistic on the eve of theAustralia Acts 1986. Cain's attempts to communicate with theForeign Office were also complicated by the Governor being the traditional channel of communication.Sir John Leahy, theBritish High Commissioner, declined to carry messages on the grounds that he was not accredited to the state governments. Instead, messages were conveyed by theAustralian High Commissioner in the United Kingdom, and deputy premierRobert Fordham travelled to London to meet with British ministers. The Foreign Secretary requested legal advice from his department as to the mechanisms of dismissing an Australian state governor, but was ultimately not required to act on the state government's request when Murray submitted his resignation under pressure from the state and Commonwealth governments.[128] There was some enthusiasm amongst the state government for appointingCharles, Prince of Wales to replace Murray as governor, but this was quietly discouraged before a formal request could be made.[129]
Prior to the separation of theColony of Victoria fromNew South Wales in 1851, the area was called thePort Phillip District of New South Wales. Thegovernor 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 obtainedresponsible government in 1855, the governor-general of New South Wales appointed lieutenant-governors to Victoria.[130] On Victoria obtaining responsible government in May 1855, the title of the then incumbent lieutenant-governor,Captain Sir Charles Hotham, became governor.
| No. | Image | Lieutenant-governor | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Charles La Trobe[77] CB | 1 July 1851 | 5 May 1854 |
| 2 |  | Captain SirCharles Hotham[80] KCB RN | 22 June 1854 | 22 May 1855 |
| No. | Image | Governor | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Captain SirCharles Hotham[80] KCB RN | 22 May 1855 | 31 December 1855 |
| - |  | (Administrator) Lieutenant GeneralEdward Macarthur[86] KCB | January 1856 | December 1856 |
| 2 |  | SirHenry Barkly[131] GCMG KCB FRS FRGS | 26 December 1856 | 10 September 1863 |
| 3 |  | The Rt Hon SirCharles Darling[93] KCB | 11 September 1863 | 7 May 1866 |
| - |  | (Administrator) Major GeneralGeorge Carey[96] CB | May 1866 | August 1866 |
| 4 |  | The Rt HonJohn Manners-Sutton, 3rd Viscount Canterbury[99] GCMG KCB | 15 August 1866 | 2 March 1873 |
| 5 |  | SirGeorge Bowen[105] GCMG | 30 July 1873 | 22 February 1879 |
| 6 |  | George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby[132] GCB GCMG PC | 29 April 1879 | 18 April 1884 |
| 7 |  | SirHenry Loch[133] GCB GCMG | 15 July 1884 | 15 November 1889 |
| 8 |  | John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun[134] KT GCMG GCVO | 28 November 1889 | 12 July 1895 |
| 9 |  | Thomas Brassey, 1st Baron Brassey[135] GCB TD JP | 25 October 1895 | 31 March 1900 |
| 10 |  | SirGeorge Clarke[136] GCSI GCMG GCIE GBE | 10 December 1901[137] | 24 November 1903 |
| 11 |  | Major-General SirReginald Talbot[138] KCB | 25 April 1904 | 6 July 1908 |
| 12 |  | Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael[139] GCSI GCIE KCMG Bt FRSE | 27 July 1908 | 19 May 1911 |
| 13 |  | Sir John Fuller[140] KCMG Bt | 24 May 1911 | 24 November 1913 |
| 14 | | SirArthur Stanley[141] KCMG | 23 February 1914 | 30 January 1920 |
| 15 |  | George Rous, 3rd Earl of Stradbroke[142] KCMG CB CVO CBE VD TD | 24 February 1921 | 7 April 1926 |
| 16 |  | Arthur Somers-Cocks, 6th Baron Somers[143] KCMG DSO MC | 28 June 1926 | 23 June 1931 |
| - | .jpg) | (Lieutenant-Governor) The Hon SirWilliam Irvine[144] KCMG | June 1931 | May 1934 |
| 17 |  | William Vanneck, 5th Baron Huntingfield[145] | 14 May 1934 | 4 April 1939 |
| - | | (Lieutenant-Governor) The Hon SirFrederick Mann[146][147] KCMG | April 1939 | July 1937 |
| 18 |  | Major-General SirWinston Dugan[148] GCMG CB DSO KStJ | 17 July 1939 | 20 February 1949 |
| - |  | (Lieutenant-Governor) Lieutenant-General The Hon SirEdmund Herring[149][150] KCMG KBE DSO MC KStJ ED KC | February 1949 | October 1949 |
| 19 |  | General SirDallas Brooks[151] GCMG KCB KCVO DSO KStJ | 18 October 1949 | 7 May 1963 |
| 20 | | Major General SirRohan Delacombe[22] KCMG KCVO KBE CB DSO KStJ | 8 May 1963 | 31 May 1974 |
| 21 | .JPG) | SirHenry Winneke[152] AC KCMG KCVO OBE QC | 1 June 1974 | 28 February 1982 |
| 22 | | Rear Admiral SirBrian Murray[153] KCMG AO RAN | 1 March 1982 | 3 October 1985 |
| - | | (Lieutenant-Governor) The Hon SirJohn Young[154] AC KCMG KStJ | October 1985 | February 1986 |
| 23 | | The ReverendDavis McCaughey AC | 18 February 1986 | 22 April 1992 |
| 24 | | The HonRichard McGarvie AC QC | 23 April 1992 | 23 April 1997 |
| 25 | | SirJames Gobbo AC CVO QC | 24 April 1997 | 31 December 2000 |
| 26 |  | John Landy AC CVO MBE FTSE | 1 January 2001 | 7 April 2006 |
| 27 |  | Professor The HonDavid de Kretser AC FAA FTSE FAHMS | 7 April 2006 | 7 April 2011 |
| 28 |  | The HonAlex Chernov AC KC | 8 April 2011 | 30 June 2015 |
| 29 |  | The HonLinda Dessau AC CVO | 1 July 2015 | 30 June 2023 |
| 30 |  | Her Excellency The HonMargaret Gardner AC FASSA | 9 August 2023 | Incumbent |
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
| BeforeFederation | | |
|---|---|---|
| AfterFederation | ||