William Cox (governor)
Encyclopedia
William John Ellis Cox, AC, RFD
, ED
, QC
(born 1 April 1936) was Governor of Tasmania from 15 December 2004 to 2 April 2008, prior to which he was the state's Chief Justice
and Lieutenant Governor
.
Born in Hobart
to the Hon William Ellis Cox, CBE, MC (d. 1970) and Alice Mary Mulcahy Cox (d. 1983), William John Ellis Cox was educated at St. Virgil's College, Hobart, Xavier College, Melbourne
and the University of Tasmania
.
He graduated from the University of Tasmania
(BA, LLB) in 1960 and was admitted to the Bar, in the Supreme Court of Tasmania
in March 1960. He was appointed a magistrate in 1976, and became a Queen's Counsel
in 1978, during his term as the State's Crown Advocate (equivalent to Director of Public Prosecutions
).
He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Tasmania
in 1982, and was the state's Chief Justice
from 1995 until 2004. He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania in 1996. In 1999, Cox was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). He already held the Reserve Force Decoration (RFD) and the Army's Efficiency Decoration (ED) for service in the Royal Tasmania Regiment
, including service in Vietnam
.
Cox's most high profile court case was that of Martin Bryant
, who shot dead 35 people at Port Arthur
on 28 April 1996 and was brought before Cox for his trial six months later. Bryant admitted all 35 murders on 8 November 1996 and Cox sentenced him to life imprisonment fourteen days later, recommending that Bryant should stay in prison until he dies.
In August 2004, he became acting Governor upon the resignation of Richard Butler
, and in November the Premier, Paul Lennon
, announced that he had advised the Queen to appoint Cox as Governor of Tasmania. Cox is only the second Tasmanian-born Governor in the state's history. The first was Sir Guy Green.
During his term, Cox was the Honorary Colonel of the Royal Tasmania Regiment
and Honorary Air Commodore of the RAAF
No. 29 (City of Hobart) Squadron.
William Cox was succeeded as Governor on 2 April 2008 by Peter Underwood, Chief Justice of Tasmania.
Reserve Force Decoration
The Reserve Force Decoration is an Australian Military award given for long service by officers of the Reserve Forces. It is part of the suite of defence force service awards introduced in 1982, which also included the Defence Force Service Medal and the Reserve Force Medal The Reserve Force...
, ED
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born 1 April 1936) was Governor of Tasmania from 15 December 2004 to 2 April 2008, prior to which he was the state's Chief Justice
Chief Justice of Tasmania
The Chief Justice of Tasmania is the senior judge of the Supreme Court of Tasmania and the highest ranking judicial officer in the Australian state of Tasmania. The Chief Justice is both the judicial head of the Supreme Court as well as the administrative head...
and Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
.
Born in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
to the Hon William Ellis Cox, CBE, MC (d. 1970) and Alice Mary Mulcahy Cox (d. 1983), William John Ellis Cox was educated at St. Virgil's College, Hobart, Xavier College, Melbourne
Xavier College
Xavier College is a Roman Catholic, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, with its main campus located in Kew, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
and the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
.
He graduated from the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
(BA, LLB) in 1960 and was admitted to the Bar, in the Supreme Court of Tasmania
Supreme Court of Tasmania
The Supreme Court of Tasmania is the highest State court in the Australian State of Tasmania. In the Australian court hierarchy, the Supreme Court of Tasmania is in the middle level, and is able to both receive appeals from lower courts, and able to be appealed from.The ordinary sittings of the...
in March 1960. He was appointed a magistrate in 1976, and became a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1978, during his term as the State's Crown Advocate (equivalent to Director of Public Prosecutions
Director of Public Prosecutions
The Director of Public Prosecutions is the officer charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world...
).
He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Tasmania
Supreme Court of Tasmania
The Supreme Court of Tasmania is the highest State court in the Australian State of Tasmania. In the Australian court hierarchy, the Supreme Court of Tasmania is in the middle level, and is able to both receive appeals from lower courts, and able to be appealed from.The ordinary sittings of the...
in 1982, and was the state's Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
from 1995 until 2004. He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania in 1996. In 1999, Cox was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). He already held the Reserve Force Decoration (RFD) and the Army's Efficiency Decoration (ED) for service in the Royal Tasmania Regiment
Royal Tasmania Regiment
The Royal Tasmania Regiment is a Reserve infantry regiment within the Australian Army consisting of a single battalion. Formed in 1960 following a review of military formations in Australia, the Regiment can trace its lineage back the late 19th Century and as served Australia in a number of...
, including service in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
.
Cox's most high profile court case was that of Martin Bryant
Martin Bryant
Martin Bryant is an Australian who has been convicted of murdering 35 people and injuring 21 others in the Port Arthur massacre, a shooting spree in Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia, in 1996. He is currently serving 35 life sentences plus 1,035 years without parole in the psychiatric wing of...
, who shot dead 35 people at Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Tasmania
Port Arthur is a small town and former convict settlement on the Tasman Peninsula, in Tasmania, Australia. Port Arthur is one of Australia's most significant heritage areas and the open air museum is officially Tasmania's top tourist attraction. It is located approximately 60 km south east of...
on 28 April 1996 and was brought before Cox for his trial six months later. Bryant admitted all 35 murders on 8 November 1996 and Cox sentenced him to life imprisonment fourteen days later, recommending that Bryant should stay in prison until he dies.
In August 2004, he became acting Governor upon the resignation of Richard Butler
Richard Butler (diplomat)
Richard William Butler AC has served as an Australian diplomat, a United Nations weapons inspector and the Governor of Tasmania.-Life and career:...
, and in November the Premier, Paul Lennon
Paul Lennon
Paul Anthony Lennon is an Australian Labor Party politician. He was Premier of Tasmania from 21 March 2004 until his resignation on 26 May 2008. He was member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the seat of Franklin from 1990 until officially resigning on 27 May 2008...
, announced that he had advised the Queen to appoint Cox as Governor of Tasmania. Cox is only the second Tasmanian-born Governor in the state's history. The first was Sir Guy Green.
During his term, Cox was the Honorary Colonel of the Royal Tasmania Regiment
Royal Tasmania Regiment
The Royal Tasmania Regiment is a Reserve infantry regiment within the Australian Army consisting of a single battalion. Formed in 1960 following a review of military formations in Australia, the Regiment can trace its lineage back the late 19th Century and as served Australia in a number of...
and Honorary Air Commodore of the RAAF
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
No. 29 (City of Hobart) Squadron.
William Cox was succeeded as Governor on 2 April 2008 by Peter Underwood, Chief Justice of Tasmania.