Administrator (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The title Administrator of the Government
(Administrator) has several uses in Australia
.
Following this provision, when the Governor-General
dies, resigns or is absent from Australia, an Administrator is appointed. The Administrator is styled either Administrator of the Commonwealth or, less commonly, Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth. On 11 May 2003 the Letters Patent
commissioning the Governor-General were amended to include revised circumstances in which an Administrator can be asked to take over.
By convention
, the Administrator is usually the longest-serving state Governor
, who holds a dormant commission
from the Sovereign (Elizabeth II) which comes into effect in these circumstances. For example, in May 2003 when Dr Peter Hollingworth
stood aside as Governor-General, Tasmania
n Governor Sir Guy Green was appointed Administrator.
directly representing the Queen, all Australian territories are possessions of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth of Australia and the sole direct representative of the Crown therefore remains the Commonwealth Governor-General
. Unlike the states, the territories fall within the exclusive legislative and administrative competence of the Commonwealth. In respect of several territories the Governor-General is represented in the territory by an Administrator appointed to administer the territory on his behalf. In those territories with an Administrator, the Administrator can be considered the indirect representative of the Queen in the territory.
, which is not a state and does not have a Governor, but which is self-governing with its own legislature and executive, the role of the Crown is filled by an Administrator of the Northern Territory
appointed by the Governor-General-in-Council—that is, the Governor-General
acting on the formal advice of the Federal Executive Council
—on the recommendation of the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
, in accordance with the provisions of the Northern Territory (Self Government) Act 1978 (Cth).
does not have an Administrator. As in all other Australian territories, the Governor-General of the Commonwealth
remains the direct constitutional representative of the Queen in the Territory; however, pursuant to the provisions of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (Cth) there is a Territory Executive consisting of the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
and any other Ministers admitted by them to the Executive. The Crown is therefore represented by the Governor-General of Australia in the Government of the ACT. However, reserve powers analogous to those vested in a State Governor are vested by the Act in the Federal Minister for Territories who may, e.g., dissolve the ACT Assembly in cases of corruption or deadlock.
(which enjoys a large degree of autonomy), the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
and the Territory of Christmas Island
have permanent populations and also have an Administrator appointed by the Governor-General-in-Council to administer the territory on their behalf. The remaining four external territories, the Australian Antarctic Territory
, the Coral Sea Islands Territory, the Territory of Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island
, and the Territory of Heard and McDonald Islands have no permanent population and do not have an Administrator as such but are administered directly by the Commonwealth Government
, currently under the auspices of the Attorney-General's Department.
In addition to the two self-governing internal territories and Australia's seven external territories, there is also the internal territory of Jervis Bay
. Prior to ACT
Self-Government in 1989 what is now the Jervis Bay Territory constituted part of the Australian Capital Territory. Upon ACT Self-Government it became a separate territory located on the Australian mainland; for the most part it is populated with Defence Force
personnel. The territory does not have an Administrator and is administered directly by the Commonwealth Government
.
Administrator of the Government
An Administrator in the constitutional practice of some countries in the Commonwealth is a person who fulfils a role similar to that of a Governor or a Governor-General...
(Administrator) has several uses in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Administrator of the Commonwealth
At the Commonwealth level, Section 4 of the Australian Constitution provides that:- The provisions of this Constitution relating to the Governor-General extend and apply to the Governor-General for the time being, or such person as the Queen may appoint to administer the Government of the Commonwealth; but no such person shall be entitled to receive any salary from the Commonwealth in respect of any other office during his administration of the Government of the Commonwealth.
Following this provision, when the Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
dies, resigns or is absent from Australia, an Administrator is appointed. The Administrator is styled either Administrator of the Commonwealth or, less commonly, Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth. On 11 May 2003 the Letters Patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
commissioning the Governor-General were amended to include revised circumstances in which an Administrator can be asked to take over.
By convention
Constitutional convention (political custom)
A constitutional convention is an informal and uncodified procedural agreement that is followed by the institutions of a state. In some states, notably those Commonwealth of Nations states that follow the Westminster system and whose political systems derive from British constitutional law, most...
, the Administrator is usually the longest-serving state Governor
Governors of the Australian states
The Governors of the Australian states are the representatives of the Queen of Australia in each of that country's six states. The Governors perform the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level...
, who holds a dormant commission
Dormant commission
A dormant commission is a commission which lies dormant or sleeping until it is triggered by a particular event. The concept appears in the constitutional affairs of Commonwealth realm nations....
from the Sovereign (Elizabeth II) which comes into effect in these circumstances. For example, in May 2003 when Dr Peter Hollingworth
Peter Hollingworth
Peter John Hollingworth AC, OBE is an Australian Anglican bishop. He served as the Archbishop of Brisbane for 11 years before becoming the 23rd Governor-General of Australia from 2001 until 2003....
stood aside as Governor-General, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
n Governor Sir Guy Green was appointed Administrator.
Administrator of a State
In the Australian states, when the Governor dies, resigns or is absent, the Lieutenant-Governor (appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Premier) performs the official duties of the Governor as Administrator until such time as the Crown appoints a new Governor. In the absence of both a Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of that State or the next most senior Puisne Judge, traditionally holding, ex officio, the position of Lieutenant-Governor, assumes his position as head of the executive until a Governor is appointed.Administrator of a Territory
Unlike the Australian states, each of which is a possession of the Crown in its own right and which therefore possesses a GovernorGovernors of the Australian states
The Governors of the Australian states are the representatives of the Queen of Australia in each of that country's six states. The Governors perform the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level...
directly representing the Queen, all Australian territories are possessions of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth of Australia and the sole direct representative of the Crown therefore remains the Commonwealth Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
. Unlike the states, the territories fall within the exclusive legislative and administrative competence of the Commonwealth. In respect of several territories the Governor-General is represented in the territory by an Administrator appointed to administer the territory on his behalf. In those territories with an Administrator, the Administrator can be considered the indirect representative of the Queen in the territory.
Northern Territory
In the Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
, which is not a state and does not have a Governor, but which is self-governing with its own legislature and executive, the role of the Crown is filled by an Administrator of the Northern Territory
Administrator of the Northern Territory
The Administrator of the Northern Territory is an official appointed by the Governor-General of Australia to exercise powers analogous to that of a state governor...
appointed by the Governor-General-in-Council—that is, the Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
acting on the formal advice of the Federal Executive Council
Federal Executive Council
The Federal Executive Council is the formal body holding executive authority under the Constitution of Australia. It is equivalent to the other Executive Councils in other Commonwealth Realms such as the Executive Council of New Zealand and is equivalent to the Privy councils in Canada and the...
—on the recommendation of the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory is appointed by the Administrator, who in normal circumstances will appoint the head of whatever party holds the majority of seats in the legislature of the territory...
, in accordance with the provisions of the Northern Territory (Self Government) Act 1978 (Cth).
Administrators of the Northern Territory since Self-Government
- John EnglandJohn England (Australian politician)John Armstrong England CMG was an Australian politician and Administrator of the Northern Territory.-Biography:...
: 1 June 1976 – 1 January 1981 - Commodore Eric JohnstonEric JohnstonEric Allen Johnston was a business owner, president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, a Republican Party activist, president of the Motion Picture Association of America , and a U.S. government special projects administrator and envoy for both Democratic and Republican administrations...
: 1 January 1981 – 1 July 1989 - James MuirheadJames MuirheadJames Henry Muirhead AC KStJ QC was an Administrator of the Northern Territory and a Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory.-Pre-Northern Territory:...
: 1 July 1989 – 1 March 1993 - Austin AscheAustin AscheKeith John Austin Asche, AC, QC is a former Administrator of the Northern Territory and was the third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory.-Early years, education and family:...
: 1 March 1993 – 17 February 1997 - Neil Conn: 17 February 1997 – 31 October 2000
- John AnictomatisJohn AnictomatisJohn Christopher Anictomatis AO . Administrator of Northern Territory 28 November 2000 to 30 October 2003. John Anictomatis was sworn in by William Deane, the Governor General of Australia...
: 31 October 2000 – 18 November 2003 - Ted EganTed EganEdward Joseph Egan AO is an Australian folk musician, and was a public servant who served as Administrator of the Northern Territory from 2003 to 2007.-Early life:...
: 18 November 2003 – 31 October 2007 - Tom PaulingTom PaulingThomas Ian "Tom" Pauling, AO, QC is an Australian lawyer who is currently serving as Administrator of the Northern Territory....
: from 9 November 2007
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
does not have an Administrator. As in all other Australian territories, the Governor-General of the Commonwealth
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
remains the direct constitutional representative of the Queen in the Territory; however, pursuant to the provisions of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (Cth) there is a Territory Executive consisting of the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
The Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory is the head of government of the Australian Capital Territory. The leader of party with the largest representation of seats in the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly usually takes on the role...
and any other Ministers admitted by them to the Executive. The Crown is therefore represented by the Governor-General of Australia in the Government of the ACT. However, reserve powers analogous to those vested in a State Governor are vested by the Act in the Federal Minister for Territories who may, e.g., dissolve the ACT Assembly in cases of corruption or deadlock.
Other Australian Territories
As well as the internal and largely self-governing territories of the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, Australia also possesses (or lays claim to—since Australia's Antarctic claims are not universally recognised) seven external territories, each of which falls within the sphere of influence of the Commonwealth and is administered by the Commonwealth Government. Three of these, Norfolk IslandNorfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
(which enjoys a large degree of autonomy), the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
The Territory of the Cocos Islands, also called Cocos Islands and Keeling Islands, is a territory of Australia, located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Christmas Island and approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka....
and the Territory of Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
have permanent populations and also have an Administrator appointed by the Governor-General-in-Council to administer the territory on their behalf. The remaining four external territories, the Australian Antarctic Territory
Australian Antarctic Territory
The Australian Antarctic Territory is a part of Antarctica. It was claimed by the United Kingdom and placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1933. It is the largest territory of Antarctica claimed by any nation...
, the Coral Sea Islands Territory, the Territory of Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
The Territory of the Ashmore and Cartier Islands is an external territory of Australia consisting of two groups of small low-lying uninhabited tropical islands in the Indian Ocean situated on the edge of the continental shelf north-west of Australia and south of the Indonesian island of...
, and the Territory of Heard and McDonald Islands have no permanent population and do not have an Administrator as such but are administered directly by the Commonwealth Government
Federal Executive Council
The Federal Executive Council is the formal body holding executive authority under the Constitution of Australia. It is equivalent to the other Executive Councils in other Commonwealth Realms such as the Executive Council of New Zealand and is equivalent to the Privy councils in Canada and the...
, currently under the auspices of the Attorney-General's Department.
In addition to the two self-governing internal territories and Australia's seven external territories, there is also the internal territory of Jervis Bay
Jervis Bay Territory
The Jervis Bay Territory is a territory of the Commonwealth of Australia. It was surrendered by the state of New South Wales to the Commonwealth Government in 1915 so that the Federal capital at Canberra would have "access to the sea"....
. Prior to ACT
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
Self-Government in 1989 what is now the Jervis Bay Territory constituted part of the Australian Capital Territory. Upon ACT Self-Government it became a separate territory located on the Australian mainland; for the most part it is populated with Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
personnel. The territory does not have an Administrator and is administered directly by the Commonwealth Government
Federal Executive Council
The Federal Executive Council is the formal body holding executive authority under the Constitution of Australia. It is equivalent to the other Executive Councils in other Commonwealth Realms such as the Executive Council of New Zealand and is equivalent to the Privy councils in Canada and the...
.