# Paul de Jersey

Paul de Jersey, AC, CVO, KC (born 21 September 1948) is an Australian jurist who served as the 26th governor of Queensland, from 29 July 2014 to 1 November 2021. He was Chief Justice of Queensland from 1998 to 2014.

## Education

De Jersey was educated at Anglican Church Grammar School (1961–1965) and the University of Queensland. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws with Honours in 1971. He was part of the Queensland University Regiment from 1966 to 1971 and was commissioned in 1969.

## Career

De Jersey practiced law in Queensland and was called to the Queensland Bar in 1971, at the age of 23. At 33, he took silk in 1981 as a Queen's Counsel.
At the Bar, De Jersey practiced in the commercial field; appeared in constitutional cases before the High Court of Australia, and also appeared before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. He was appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 1985, at the age of 36, and was the commercial causes judge between 1986 and 1989. De Jersey was the judge constituting the Mental Health Tribunal between 1994 and 1996, the president of the Queensland Industrial Court between 1996 and 1997, and the chairman of the Law Reform Commission of Queensland from 1996 to 1997.
De Jersey was appointed Chief Justice of Queensland on 17 February 1998, at 40 years, making him the second-youngest chief justice of Queensland, at the time. He has been Chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane since 1991. He was also Vice President of the Australian Cancer Society between 1995 and 1998 and its president between 1998 and 2001, a trustee of the National Breast Cancer Foundation between 1994 and 1999, and the chairman of the Queensland Cancer Fund (now the Cancer Council Queensland) between 1994 and 2001. He recently accepted the position of Chairman of School Council at his alma mater, Anglican Church Grammar School.

## Governor of Queensland

De Jersey became the 26th governor of Queensland on 29 July 2014. On the retirement of Alex Chernov as Governor of Victoria on 1 July 2015, de Jersey became the longest-serving sitting governor of an Australian state and by custom assumed the additional office of Administrator of the Commonwealth who exercises the powers of the Governor-General of Australia in the governor-general's absence or disability.
In 2017 a German Shepherd named Gavel was appointed as the vice-regal dog of the governor, after failing to become a police dog due to a too friendly temperament. A children's picture book was released in 2020 about his story, which was followed by his retirement in 2021.
In November 2018, it was announced that de Jersey's original term had been extended by two years through to 29 July 2021. In June 2021, it was announced that he would stay on until November to allow Jeannette Young, his successor, to focus on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout as Chief Health Officer, before taking up the role of governor.

## Post vice regal career

In 2022, De Jersey was appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal of Tonga.

## Personal life

De Jersey married Kaye Brown in 1971. Together they have three children and three grandchildren. Kaye was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2025 Australia Day Honours for "service to the Crown and to the community of Queensland".

## Titles, styles, and honours

De Jersey's style and title as governor in full was: His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey, Companion of the Order of Australia, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Knight of Grace of the Order of St John, Queen's Counsel, Governor of the State of Queensland in the Commonwealth of Australia.
* As Administrator: His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey, Companion of the Order of Australia, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Knight of Grace of the Order of St John, Queen's Counsel, Administrator of the Commonwealth of Australia.
| Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) | 12 June 2000 |
| Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) | 12 June 2021 |
| Knight of Grace of the Order of St John | 19 November 2014 |
| Centenary Medal | 2003 |
| Australian Defence Medal | |
* Life Member of the Bar Association of Queensland

### Honorary degrees

* 2000: Honorary Doctorate of the University of Queensland.
* 2008: Honorary Doctorate of the University of Southern Queensland.
* 2014: Honorary Doctorate of the Griffith University.

#### Honorary appointments

* Australian Army 28 July 2014 – 1 November 2021: Regimental Colonel of the Royal Queensland Regiment.
* Order of St John 28 July 2014 – 1 November 2021: Deputy Prior of the Order of St John.
* Scouts Australia 28 July 2014 – 1 November 2021: Chief Scout of Scouts Australia QLD
* Royal Australian Air Force 17 December 2014 – 1 November 2021: Honorary Air Commodore of No. 23 Squadron RAAF