# Governor of Queensland

The governor of Queensland is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in the state of Queensland. In an analogous way to the governor-general at the national level, the governor performs constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level. In particular the governor has the power to appoint and dismiss the premier of Queensland and all other ministers in the Cabinet, and issue writs for the election of the state parliament.
The current governor of Queensland, former Chief Health Officer of Queensland Jeannette Young, was sworn in on 1 November 2021.
The chief justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland, currently Helen Bowskill, acts in the position of governor in the governor's absence. In June 2014, Queen Elizabeth II, upon the recommendation of then-Premier Campbell Newman, accorded all current, future and living former governors the title The Honourable in perpetuity.

## Official residence

The governor has resided at Government House, Brisbane since 1910. The mansion, set in 14 hectares (35 acres) of gardens and bushland in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington, is also known as Fernberg. Unlike Fernberg, the original Government House was purpose-built and was used from 1862 to 1910; the building still exists today on the grounds of Queensland University of Technology's CBD campus.

## Constitutional provisions

The office of the governor was initially established by letters patent issued by Queen Victoria on the founding of Queensland in 1867. However, up until 1977 the office was not formally recognised in Queensland legislation, with the powers of the governor set down in the letters patent and in an imperial order in council which preserved the effect of the Australian Constitutions Act 1842 (Imp) (the document that granted NSW a semi-elected assembly) as regard to the governor and restricted the power of the Queensland assembly to remove the position. However, following the 1975 Dismissal crisis then premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Peterson amended the Constitution Act 1867 (Qld) to replicate the provisions of the order in council. This was done as the order in council only applied due to the continuing authority of the British Parliament in regard to the states. It was feared that a future Commonwealth government would either assert or acquire by consent the exiting powers of the imperial parliament over the states, giving them the power to either abolish the office or make it subordinate to the governor-general, allowing the Commonwealth to order the state governor to refuse royal assent to state bills. This amendment provision was doubly entrenched, requiring a referendum for the provisions about the governor to be amended or removed. Following the passage of the Australia Act 1986, the power of the British Parliament to legislate for the states has been removed. However, there remains academic doubts of the legal effectiveness of the double entrenchment provisions.
The Constitution Act 2001 consolidated the previous constitutional documents, including the most recent letters-patent, leaving the role of the governor fully defined by Australian law. However, the doubly entrenched provisions of the 1867 constitution remains in place as a referendum was not sought to amend them.
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 Queensland. The governor may exercise reserve powers (powers able to be used in the absence of or contrary to advice) only in limited circumstances.
The Queensland Constitution expressly provides that the governor "is not subject to direction by any person and is not limited as to the Governor's sources of advice" on the appointment or dismissal of ministers (s 35), another provision inserted by the Bjelke-Petersen government in the wake of the 1975 federal dismissal. This provision worked against Bjelke-Petersen when, in the dying days of his government in November 1987, he tried and failed to convince governor Sir Walter Campbell to remove several ministers to shore up his own support within Parliament. When the parliamentary wing of the National Party deposed Bjelke-Petersen and elected one of the dissident ministers, Mike Ahern, as the new leader of the National Party, Bjelke-Petersen initially refused to resign as premier and Sir Walter resisted calls to dismiss him. Bjelke-Petersen elected to resign on 1 December 1987.
The governor is head of the Executive Council, a Queensland equivalent to the Federal Executive Council. The Council is composed of ministers from the government of the day. The Chief Justice of Queensland and other judges in the Queensland judicial system are appointed by the governor acting on the advice of the Executive Council.

## Governor's standard

The governor's standard comprises a Union Jack with a white roundel in the centre with the state badge of Queensland: a light blue Maltese cross, surmounted by a royal crown and surrounded by garland of laurel leaves.
The general design of standards for British governors was approved by Queen Victoria in 1869. The design for governors of Queensland was created and flown as a personal standard since 1876, when the Maltese cross was adopted as the colonial badge.
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

* 1876–1963, bearing a Tudor crown
* 1963–present, bearing a St. Edward's crown

## List of governors of Queensland

The first Australian born Governor of Queensland was Lieutenant-General Sir John Lavarack (appointed 1946). His successor, Sir Henry Abel Smith, the husband of the niece of Queen Mary, Lady May Abel-Smith, was British. All subsequent governors have been Australian-born, except for Leneen Forde, who was born in Canada but who emigrated to Australia at an early age.
Prior to the Separation of Queensland in 1859, it was part of New South Wales under the governors of New South Wales.
There have been 26 past governors of Queensland, prior to the current governor:
| No. | Title Governor Office (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Monarch |
| 1 | The Right Honourable Sir George Bowen GCMG (1821–1899) | 10 December 1859 | 4 January 1868 | Victoria (1837–1901) |
| Victoria (1837–1901) ||
| 2 | Colonel the Honourable Samuel Blackall (1809–1871) | 14 August 1868 | 2 January 1871 | Victoria (1837–1901) |
| Victoria (1837–1901) ||
| 3 | The Right Honourable George Phipps Earl of Mulgrave GCB, GCMG (1819–1890) | 12 August 1871 | 12 November 1874 | Victoria (1837–1901) |
| Victoria (1837–1901) ||
| 4 | The Honourable Sir William Cairns KCMG (1828–1888) | 23 January 1875 | 14 March 1877 | Victoria (1837–1901) |
| Victoria (1837–1901) ||
| 5 | The Honourable Sir Arthur Kennedy GCMG, CB (1809–1883) | 20 July 1877 | 2 May 1883 | Victoria (1837–1901) |
| Victoria (1837–1901) ||
| 6 | The Honourable Sir Anthony Musgrave GCMG (1828–1888) | 6 November 1883 | 9 October 1888 | Victoria (1837–1901) |
| Victoria (1837–1901) ||
| 7 | Field Marshal the Honourable Sir Henry Norman GCB, GCMG, CIE (1826–1904) | 1 May 1889 | 31 December 1895 | Victoria (1837–1901) |
| Victoria (1837–1901) ||
| 8 | The Right Honourable Charles Cochrane-Baillie 2nd Baron Lamington (1860–1940) | 9 April 1896 | 19 December 1901 | Victoria (1837–1901) |
| 8 | The Right Honourable Charles Cochrane-Baillie 2nd Baron Lamington (1860–1940) | 5 years and 255 days | 5 years and 255 days | Edward VII (1901–1910) |
| 9 | Lieutenant General the Honourable Sir Herbert Chermside GCMG, CB (1850–1929) | 24 March 1902 | 10 October 1904 | Edward VII (1901–1910) |
| Edward VII (1901–1910) ||
| 10 | The Honourable Frederic Thesiger 3rd Baron Chelmsford KCMG (1868–1933) | 30 November 1905 | 26 May 1909 | Edward VII (1901–1910) |
| Edward VII (1901–1910) ||
| 11 | The Right Honourable Sir William MacGregor GCMG, CB, AM (1846–1919) | 2 December 1909 | 16 July 1914 | Edward VII (1901–1910) |
| 11 | The Right Honourable Sir William MacGregor GCMG, CB, AM (1846–1919) | 4 years and 227 days | 4 years and 227 days | George V (1910–1936) |
| 12 | Major The Honourable Sir Hamilton Goold-Adams GCMG, CB (1858–1920) | 15 March 1915 | 3 February 1920 | George V (1910–1936) |
| George V (1910–1936) ||
| 13 | Lieutenant Colonel the Honourable Sir Matthew Nathan GCMG (1862–1939) | 3 December 1920 | 17 September 1925 | George V (1910–1936) |
| George V (1910–1936) ||
| 14 | Lieutenant General the Honourable Sir John Goodwin KCB, KCMG, DSO (1871–1960) | 13 July 1927 | 7 April 1932 | George V (1910–1936) |
| George V (1910–1936) ||
| 15 | Lieutenant Colonel the Right Honourable Sir Leslie Wilson GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, DSO (1876–1955) | 13 June 1932 | 23 April 1946 | Edward VIII (1936) |
| 15 | Lieutenant Colonel the Right Honourable Sir Leslie Wilson GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, DSO (1876–1955) | 13 years and 315 days | 13 years and 315 days | George VI (1936–1952) |
| 16 | Lieutenant General the Honourable Sir John Lavarack KCMG, KCVO, KBE, CB, DSO (1885–1957) | 1 October 1946 | 4 December 1957 | George VI (1936–1952) |
| 16 | Lieutenant General the Honourable Sir John Lavarack KCMG, KCVO, KBE, CB, DSO (1885–1957) | 11 years and 65 days | 11 years and 65 days | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
| 17 | Colonel the Honourable Sir Henry Abel Smith KCMG, KCVO, DSO (1900–1993) | 18 March 1958 | 18 March 1966 | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
| Elizabeth II (1952–2022) ||
| 18 | The Honourable Sir Alan Mansfield KCMG, KCVO (1902–1980) | 21 March 1966 | 21 March 1972 | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
| Elizabeth II (1952–2022) ||
| 19 | Air Marshal the Honourable Sir Colin Hannah KCMG, KBE, CB (1914–1978) | 21 March 1972 | 20 March 1977 | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
| Elizabeth II (1952–2022) ||
| 20 | Commodore the Honourable Sir James Ramsay KCMG, KCVO, CBE, DSC, RAN (1916–1986) | 22 April 1977 | 21 July 1985 | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
| Elizabeth II (1952–2022) ||
| 21 | Flight Lieutenant the Honourable Sir Walter Campbell AC, QC (1921–2004) | 22 July 1985 | 29 July 1992 | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
| Elizabeth II (1952–2022) ||
| 22 | The Honourable Leneen Forde AC (b. 1935) | 29 July 1992 | 29 July 1997 | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
| Elizabeth II (1952–2022) ||
| 23 | Major General the Honourable Peter Arnison AC, CVO (b. 1940) | 29 July 1997 | 29 July 2003 | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
| Elizabeth II (1952–2022) ||
| 24 | The Honourable Quentin Bryce AC (b. 1942) | 29 July 2003 | 29 July 2008 | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
| Elizabeth II (1952–2022) ||
| 25 | The Honourable Penelope Wensley AC (b. 1946) | 29 July 2008 | 29 July 2014 | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
| Elizabeth II (1952–2022) ||
| 26 | Lieutenant the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, CVO, QC (b. 1948) | 29 July 2014 | 1 November 2021 | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
| Elizabeth II (1952–2022) ||
| 27 | Her Excellency the Honourable Jeannette Young AC, PSM (b. 1963) | 1 November 2021 | Incumbent | |
| 27 | Her Excellency the Honourable Jeannette Young AC, PSM (b. 1963) | 1 November 2021 | Incumbent | Charles III (2022–present) |
| Charles III (2022–present) ||

## List of administrators and lieutenant-governors of Queensland

Administrators and lieutenant-governors are deputy roles generally appointed to carry out the duties of the governor when the governor is unavailable, due to travel or illness. If one is not appointed, then the duties are carried out by the Chief Justice of Queensland (or the most senior judge available). The following are the administrators and lieutenant-governors of Queensland:
| Name | Term | Notes |
| Maurice Charles O'Connell | 4 January 1868 – 14 August 1868 | Administrator |
| Maurice Charles O'Connell | 2 January 1871 – 12 August 1871 | Administrator |
| Maurice Charles O'Connell | 12 November 1874 – 23 January 1875 | Administrator |
| Maurice Charles O'Connell | 14 March 1877 – 10 April 1877 | Administrator |
| Arthur Edward Kennedy | 10 April 1877 – 20 July 1877 | Administrator |
| Joshua Peter Bell | 19 March 1880 – 22 November 1880 | Administrator |
| Arthur Hunter Palmer | 2 May 1883 – 6 November 1883 | Administrator |
| Arthur Hunter Palmer | 20 April 1886 – 13 December 1886 | Administrator |
| Arthur Hunter Palmer | 9 October 1888 – 1 May 1889 | Administrator |
| Arthur Hunter Palmer | 15 November 1895 – 9 April 1896 | Lieutenant Governor Administrator |
| Samuel Griffith | 21 June 1901 – 24 March 1902 | Lieutenant Governor |
| Hugh Muir Nelson | 10 October 1904 – 30 November 1905 | Lieutenant Governor |
| Arthur Morgan | 27 May 1909 – 2 December 1909 | Lieutenant Governor |
| Arthur Morgan | 16 July 1914 – 15 March 1915 | Lieutenant Governor |
| William Lennon | 3 February 1920 – 3 December 1920 | Lieutenant Governor |
| William Lennon | 17 September 1925 – 13 June 1927 | Lieutenant Governor |
| William Lennon | 8 May 1929 – 2 June 1929 | Lieutenant Governor |
| James William Blair | 7 April 1932 – 1 June 1932 | Administrator |
| James William Blair | 17 May 1937 – 21 November 1937 | Administrator |
| Frank Cooper | 24 April 1946 – 30 September 1946 | Lieutenant Governor |
| Alan Mansfield | 25 January 1957 – 18 March 1958 | Administrator |
| Alan Mansfield | 31 March 1960 – 24 May 1960 | Administrator |
| Alan Mansfield | 18 April 1963 – 18 October 1963 | Administrator |
| William Mack | 10 March 1966 – 21 March 1966 | Administrator |
| William Mack | 20 March 1969 – 30 June 1969 | Administrator |
| Joseph Aloysius Sheehy | 30 June 1969 – 18 September 1969 | Administrator |
| Mostyn Hanger | 9 March 1972 – 21 March 1972 | Administrator |
| Mostyn Hanger | 21 March 1977 – 22 April 1977 | Administrator |