Quentin Bryce

Quentin Bryce, AC, CVO (born 23 December 1942) is the 25th and current Governor-General of Australia (the first woman to hold the position) and former Governor of Queensland.
Born in Brisbane, Queensland as Quentin Alice Louise Strachan, she spent her first years in Ilfracombe, with her family subsequently living in a number of country towns around Australia. She attended the University of Queensland, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws, becoming one of the first women accepted to the Queensland bar.
In 1968 she became the first woman to be a faculty member of the Law school where she had studied, and in 1978 she joined the new National Women's Advisory Council. This was followed by a number of positions, including the first director of the Queensland Women's Information Service, the Queensland director of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and the Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner in 1988.
Her services to the community saw her appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1988, and a Companion of the Order of Australia and Dame of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in 2003. On 26 October 2011, The Queen of Australia invested Bryce as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order at Government House in Canberra. 
Bryce was appointed the Governor of Queensland in 2003. Although some concerns were raised during her time in the position, her five-year term was to be extended until 2009. However, on 13 April 2008, before the completion of the initial five years, it was announced that Bryce was to become the next Governor-General of Australia. The decision was generally well received, and on 5 September 2008 Bryce was sworn in, succeeding Major General Michael Jeffery, becoming the first woman to be the Governor-General.


On 13 April 2008 it was announced that, on the recommendation of Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the Queen had approved her appointment as the next Governor-General of Australia. The decision was generally well received: current and previous Labor State Premiers supported her selection, and both the then Leader of the Opposition, Brendan Nelson, and the leader of the Australian Greens, Bob Brown, spoke in favour of the decision. Patricia Edgar described Bryce's selection as an "inspired choice", while Jill Singer in the Herald Sun stated that the decision signalled "an important about face for Australia".
There was some opposition to the appointment, in particular from columnist Des Houghton, who argued that she would bring a "fair bit of baggage" to the role (in reference to the controversies surrounding her time as the Governor of Queensland), and that she had failed to live up to her promise to be outspoken during her time at Government House.[33] Concerns were also raised in August 2008, when it was revealed that Bryce intended to replace Malcolm Hazell, who had been the Official Secretary for both Major General Michael Jeffery and Dr. Peter Hollingworth, with Stephen Brady. Kevin Rudd defended Bryce's decision, arguing that she had the right to appoint a new Official Secretary.
Bryce was sworn in on 5 September 2008. On 23 September 2008 she granted her first interview as Governor-General with Kerry O'Brien for The 7.30 Report on ABC1.


Bryce has not escaped criticism in her role as Governor-General. Greg Sheridan in the national newspaper, The Australian suggested that Bryce is risking "politicising and misusing the office".[36] Sheridan was commenting on Bryce's planned trip to Africa, on behalf of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, to lobby for a seat for Australia in the United Nations Security Council.[36] He further stated that Bryce's "feigned interest in Africa will be seen cynically by Africans". Sheridan added that the Governor-General should travel overseas "only rarely and for ceremonial purposes" and "they have no right to engage in foreign policy debate, at home or abroad".
Professor David Flint, National Convenor of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, said any criticiasm of the South African tour shoud be directed to the government and not the Governor-General. He stated: "The Governor-General must act on advice, except in relation to her most important role, that of constitutional guardian. She may advise against a state visit, but if ministers insist, must go. In that event, she must not of course act as an advocate, although she may inform the foreign government of the Australian government's policy". He said that a Governor-General must be seen to be above politics.


23 December 1942 – 11 December 1964: Miss Quentin Strachan
12 December 1964 – 25 January 1988: Mrs Quentin Bryce
26 January 1988 – 29 April 2003: Mrs Quentin Bryce AO
30 April 2003 – 28 July 2003: Mrs Quentin Bryce AC
29 July 2003 – 29 July 2008: Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor of Queensland
5 September 2008 – 25 October 2011: Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
26 October 2011 – present: Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia


On 26 January 1988, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) "In recognition of service to the community, particularly to women and children".
On 30 April 2003, Bryce was elevated as a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)
In November 2003, Bryce was invested as a Dame of Grace of The Most Venerable Order of The Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.
In October 2010 His Majesty, King George Tupou V, The King of Tonga invested Bryce with the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Crown.
On 26 October 2011 Bryce was invested as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II during her Royal Visit.


On 5 December 2000, Bryce was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for "Services to Women's Cricket".
On 1 January 2001, she was awarded the Centenary Medal "For service to Australian society in business leadership".
On 30 July 2010 she was awarded the Commemorative Medal for the 30th Anniversary of Vanuatu 


2008 – Incumbent: Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps
[edit]Honorary degrees
In 1998, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by Macquarie University (Hon.LLD).
In 2002, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by Charles Sturt University (Hon.DLitt).
Bryce was conferred with the degree of Honorary Doctor of the University (Hon.DUniv) by Griffith University in 2003.
Honorary Doctor of the James Cook University (Hon.DUniv (JCU))
In 2004, Bryce was made an Honorary Doctor of the University (Hon.DU) by the Queensland University of Technology.
In 2006 Bryce was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws (Hon.LLD) by The University of Queensland.
In 2010,Bryce was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws (Hon.LLD) by The University of Sydney,where she was the principal of The Women's College, University of Sydney from 1997 to 2003.

Governor-General of Australia

Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch (currently Queen Elizabeth II). He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth. The functions and roles of the Governor-General include appointing ambassadors, ministers and judges, giving Royal Assent to legislation, issuing writs for elections and bestowing honours. The Governor-General is President of the Federal Executive Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force. All these things are done and all these posts are held under the authority of the Australian Constitution. Further, the Governor-General acts as vice-regal representative to the Australian Capital Territory.
The Constitution provides that a "Governor-General appointed by the Queen shall be Her Majesty's representative in the Commonwealth . . ." The Constitution grants the Governor-General a wide range of powers, but in practice he or she follows the conventions of the Westminster system and (with rare exceptions) acts only on the advice of the Prime Minister of Australia or other ministers. Even in the appointment of the prime minister, the Governor-General rarely exercises any discretion, usually appointing the leader of the largest party or coalition of parties in the House of Representatives.
Beyond constitutional functions, the Governor-General has an important ceremonial role. He or she travels widely throughout Australia to open conferences, attend services and commemorations and generally provide encouragement to individuals and groups who are contributing to their communities. When travelling abroad, the governor-general is seen as the representative of Australia, and of the Queen of Australia, and is treated as a head of state.
The main official residence of the Governor-General is Government House, Canberra. There is a second official residence, Admiralty House in Sydney. When visiting the other states, the Governor-General is usually a guest at the Government Houses in the state capitals.
The current Governor-General and the first female to hold the role is Quentin Bryce. The Governor-General is supported by a staff headed by the Official Secretary to the Governor-General; the current Official Secretary is Stephen Brady.
When a Governor-General is overseas on official duties or unable to perform their functions, or the office is vacant, the senior state governor is appointed as Administrator of the Commonwealth, and is effectively acting Governor-General.


Constitution describes the Parliament of the Commonwealth as consisting of the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Section 5 states that "the Governor-General may appoint such times for holding the sessions of the Parliament ... prorogue the Parliament [and] dissolve the House of Representatives." These provisions make it clear that the Queen's role in the parliament is in name only and the actual responsibility belongs to the Governor-General. Such decisions are usually taken on the advice of the Prime Minister, although this is not stated in the Constitution.
The Governor-General has a ceremonial role in swearing in and accepting the resignations of Members of Parliament. He or she appoints a deputy, to whom members make an oath of allegiance before they take their seats. On the day parliament opens, the Governor-General makes a speech, entirely written by the government, explaining the government's proposed legislative program.
The most important power is found in section 58: "When a proposed law passed by both Houses of Parliament is presented to the Governor-General for the Queen's assent, he shall declare ... that he assents in the Queen's name." This makes any proposed law effective.
Sections 58 to 60 allow the Governor-General to withhold assent, suggest changes, refer to the Queen or proclaim that the Queen has annulled the legislation. A number of Governors-General have reserved Royal Assent for particular legislation for the Queen. Such assent has usually been given during a scheduled visit to Australia by the Queen. On other occasions Royal Assent has been given elsewhere. Examples of this have been the Flags Act (1953), the Royal Styles and Titles Acts (1953 and 1973), and the Australia Act (1986).


At the start of Chapter 2 on executive government, the Constitution says "The executive power of the Commonwealth is vested in the Queen and is exercisable by the Governor-General as the Queen's representative". The Governor-General presides over a Federal Executive Council. By convention, the Prime Minister is appointed to this Council and advises as to which parliamentarians shall become ministers and parliamentary secretaries.
In the Constitution, the words "Governor-General-in-council" mean the Governor-General acting with the advice of the Council. Powers exercised in council, which are not reserve powers, include:
establishing government departments
appointing federal judges, and
appointing ambassadors and high commissioners.
All such actions are taken on the advice of ministers.
Section 68, says "command-in-chief of naval and military forces ... is vested in the Governor-General as the Queen's representative". In practice, this role is ceremonial, with actual authority in the hands of the Defence Minister and the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF).
In an administrative sense, the office of Governor-General is regulated by the Governor-General Act 1974.


In the United Kingdom, the reserve powers of the Crown are not explicitly stated in constitutional enactments and are the province of convention, but in Australia, the powers are explicitly given to the Governor-General in the Constitution but it is their use that is the subject of convention.
The reserve powers are:
The power to dissolve (or refuse to dissolve) the House of Representatives. (Section 5 of the Constitution)
The power to dissolve Parliament on the occasion of a deadlock. (Section 57)
The power to withhold assent to Bills. (Section 58)
The power to appoint (or dismiss) Ministers. (Section 64)
These powers are generally and routinely exercised on Ministerial advice, but the Governor-General retains the ability to act independently in certain circumstances, as governed by convention. It is generally held that the Governor-General may use their powers without ministerial advice in the following situations:
if an election results in a Parliament in which no party has a majority, the Governor-General may select the Prime Minister
if a Prime Minister loses the support of the House of Representatives, the Governor-General may appoint a new Prime Minister
if a Prime Minister advises a dissolution of the House of Representatives, the Governor-General may refuse that request, or request further reasons why it should be granted. It is worth noting that convention does not give the Governor-General the ability to dissolve either the House of Representatives or the Senate without advice.
The use of the reserve powers may arise in the following circumstances:
if a Prime Minister advises a dissolution of Parliament on the occasion of a deadlock between the Houses, the Governor-General may refuse that request
if the Governor-General is not satisfied with a legislative Bill presented to him/her, he or she may refuse Royal Assent
if a Prime Minister resigns after losing a vote of confidence, the Governor-General may select a new replacement contrary to the advice of the outgoing Prime Minister
if a Prime Minister is unable to obtain Supply and refuses to resign or advise a dissolution, the Governor-General may dismiss him or her and appoint a new Prime Minister.
The above is not an exhaustive list, and new situations may arise. The most notable use of the reserve powers occurred in November 1975 in the course of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis. On this occasion the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, dismissed the government of Gough Whitlam when the Senate withheld Supply to the government, even though Whitlam retained the confidence of the House of Representatives. Kerr determined that he had both the right and the duty to dismiss the government and commission a new government that would recommend a dissolution of the Parliament. Events surrounding the dismissal remain extremely controversial.