Governor of Western Australia

Template:Short description Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox official post The governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of the monarch, King Charles III. As with the other governors of the Australian states, the governor of Western Australia performs constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:

• presiding over the Executive Council
• proroguing and dissolving the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council
• issuing writs for elections
• appointing Ministers, Judges, Magistrates and Justices of the Peace

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 non-Australian governor of any Australian state.<ref>Template:Cite hansard</ref>

Although not a responsibility of the office of Governor of Western Australia, governors of Western Australia are - like all Governors of the Australian states - normally given a dormant commission to administer the government of the Commonwealth of Australia in the absence from Australia, or the death, incapacity or removal from office of the Governor-General by the Sovereign.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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.<ref>Western Australian Government Gazette, 15 August 2014, No. 126, p. 2951. Retrieved 15 October 2014.</ref> 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.

• 
  1870–1953
• 
  1953-1988
• 
  1988 -present

List of governors and lieutenant-governors

List of governors

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.<ref>Template:Cite web - see also Scan of 1st page of parchment original Template:Webarchive and Template:Cite web</ref>

No.	Portrait	Governor	From	To
1		Captain Sir James Stirling	6 February 1832	2 January 1839<ref name = "PWA">Template:Cite web</ref>
2	File:John Hutt.jpg	John Hutt	3 January 1839	26 January 1846
3	File:Andrew Clarke.jpg	Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Clarke	27 January 1846	11 February 1847
-	File:Frederick Irwin (1788-1860).jpg	Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Irwin (acting Governor)	12 February 1847	11 August 1848
4	File:Charles Fitzgerald.jpg	Captain Charles Fitzgerald	12 August 1848	22 July 1855
5	File:ArthurEdwardKennedy.jpg	Sir Arthur Kennedy	23 July 1855	27 February 1862
6	File:John Hampton.jpg	John Hampton	28 February 1862	1 November 1868
7	File:Benjamin Pine.jpg	Sir Benjamin Pine<ref group=note>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.Template:Citation needed</ref>	2 November 1868	29 September 1869
8	File:Frederick Weld.jpg	Sir Frederick Weld	30 September 1869	10 January 1875
9	File:Williamrobinson.jpg	Sir William Robinson	11 January 1875	11 November 1877
10	File:HarryStGeorgeOrd-1877-1880.jpg	Major General Sir Harry Ord<ref group=note>Ord was Lieutenant-Governor from 12 November 1877 to 29 January 1878.Template:Citation needed</ref>	12 November 1877	9 April 1880
-	File:Williamrobinson.jpg	Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson (2nd time)	10 April 1880	1 June 1883
11	File:Frederick Broome.jpg	Sir Frederick Broome	2 June 1883	19 October 1890
-	File:Williamrobinson.jpg	Sir William Robinson (3rd time)	20 October 1890	22 December 1895
12	File:Gerard Smith Governor of WA.jpg	Lieutenant Colonel Sir Gerard Smith	23 December 1895	30 April 1901
13	File:Arthur Lawley, 6th Baron Wenlock.png	Sir Arthur Lawley	1 May 1901	23 March 1903
14	File:Frederick Bedford Vanity Fair 3 December 1903.jpg	Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford	24 March 1903	30 May 1909
15	File:Gerald Strickland 1930s.jpg	Sir Gerald Strickland	31 May 1909	16 March 1913
16	File:HarryBarron.jpg	Major General Sir Harry Barron	17 March 1913	8 April 1917
17	File:WGEllison-Macartney.jpg	Sir William Ellison-Macartney	9 April 1917	8 April 1920
18	File:Francis Newdegate.jpg	Sir Francis Newdegate	9 April 1920	27 October 1924
19	File:William Campion.jpg	Colonel Sir William Campion	28 October 1924	8 June 1931
		N/A<ref group=note>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.Template:Citation needed</ref>	1931	1948
20	File:Sir James Mitchell.jpg	Sir James Mitchell	5 October 1948	30 June 1951
21		General Sir Charles Gairdner	6 November 1951	25 October 1963
22		Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew	25 October 1963	6 January 1974
23	File:HughieEdwards.jpg	Air Commodore Sir Hughie Edwards	7 January 1974	2 April 1975
24		Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Kyle	24 November 1975	24 November 1980
25	File:Richardtrowbridge.jpg	Rear Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge	25 November 1980	24 November 1983
26		Gordon Reid	2 July 1984	30 September 1989
27		Sir Francis Burt	20 March 1990	31 October 1993
28	File:Jeffery Michael 030238DI-002.jpg	Major General Michael Jeffery	1 November 1993	17 August 2000
29		Lieutenant General John Sanderson	18 August 2000	31 October 2005
30	File:Ken Michael.jpg	Ken Michael	18 January 2006	2 May 2011
31	File:11 Nov gnangarra-10.jpg	Malcolm McCusker	1 July 2011	30 June 2014
32	File:Kerry Sanderson Governor of Western Australia crop.jpg	Kerry Sanderson	20 October 2014	1 May 2018
33	File:Kim Beazley crop.jpg	Kim Beazley	1 May 2018	30 June 2022
34	File:Chris Dawson 2022.jpg	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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

No.	Portrait	Lieutenant-Governor	From	To
1		Captain Sir James Stirling	30 December 1828	5 February 1832<ref name = "PWA"/>
...
N/A	File:Sir James Mitchell.jpg	Sir James Mitchell	1933	1948<ref name = "PWA"/>
...
N/A		Peter Quinlan	27 November 2019	Current

External links

• Government House, Western Australia: The Official Website of the Governor of Western Australia