Governors of New South Wales

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Governor of New South Wales is the representative in the Australian state of New South Wales of Australia's head of state, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level.

The office of Governor of New South Wales is the oldest constitutional office in Australia. Captain Arthur Phillip assumed office as Governor of New South Wales on 7th February 1788, when the Colony of New South Wales, the first British settlement in Australia, was formally founded. The early colonial governors held an almost autocratic power due to the distance from and poor communications with Great Britain, until 1824 when the New South Wales Legislative Council, Australia's first legislative body, was appointed to advise the governor.[1]

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 New South Wales. Nevertheless, the Governor retains the reserve powers of the Crown, and has the right to dismiss the Premier. This power was last exercised in 1932, when Sir Philip Game dismissed Jack Lang.

The Governor of New South Wales previously used Government House as a residence, office and official reception space. However, in 1999, at the direction of Premier Bob Carr, the Governor has not used it as a residence. The Governor's present day office is the historic Chief Secretary’s Office building nearby, at 121 Macquarie Street.

See Governors of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Governor.

[edit] List of Governors of New South Wales

1. Captain Arthur Phillip, RN, 1788-1792
2. Captain John Hunter, RN, 1795-1800
3. Captain Philip King, RN, 1800-1806
4. Captain William Bligh, RN, 1806-1808
5. Colonel William Paterson (acting), 1809
6. Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, 1810-1821
7. Major-General Sir Thomas Brisbane, 1821-1825
8. Lieutenant-General Ralph Darling, 1825-1831
9. Major-General Sir Richard Bourke, 1831-1837
10. Sir George Gipps, 1838-1846
11. Sir Charles Augustus FitzRoy, 1846-1855
12. Sir William Denison, 1855-1861
13. John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar, 1861-1867
14. Somerset Lowry-Corry, 4th Earl Belmore, 1868-1872
15. Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead, 1872-1879
16. Lord Augustus Loftus, 1879-1885
17. Charles Wynn-Carington, 3rd Baron Carrington, 1885-1890
18. Victor Albert George Child-Villiers, 7th Earl of Jersey, 1891-1893
19. Sir Robert Duff, 1893-1895
20. Henry Robert Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden, 1895-1899
21. William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp, 1899-1901
22. Admiral Sir Harry Rawson, 1902-1909
23. Frederic John Napier Thesiger, 3rd Baron Chelmsford, 1909-1913
24. Sir Gerald Strickland, 1913-1917
25. Sir Walter Davidson, 1918-1923
26. Admiral Sir Dudley de Chair, 1924-1930
27. Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Game, 1930-1935
28. Brigadier-General Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1935-1936
29. Admiral Sir David Anderson, 1936
30. John de Vere Loder, 2nd Baron Wakehurst, 1937-1946
31. General Sir John Northcott, 1946-1957
32. Lieutenant-General Sir Eric Woodward, 1957-1965
33. Sir Roden Cutler, 1966-1981
34. Air Marshal Sir James Rowland, 1981-1989
35. Rear Admiral Sir David Martin, 1989-1990
36. Rear Admiral Peter Sinclair, 1990-1996
37. Gordon Samuels, 1996-2001
38. Professor Marie Bashir, 2001-present