EDITORIAL –
Today, the 46th Parliament of Australia will open. But yesterday, can you name what major event happened in Australia? If you said celebrities from the Logies awoke to massive migraines caused by hangovers, you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. Yet, you wouldn’t be entirely right. Yesterday marked a significant day as David Hurley was invested as Australia’s 27th Governor General. The pomp and circumstance of the 13-minute ceremony in the Senate is often forgotten by Australians. Nevertheless, Governor-General Hurley will serve in the Vice Regal position for five-years, and hold all the powers and entitlements that office is granted. You may think that is minor and although it is supposed to be purely ceremonial, its power has and can be tested.
WHO IS DAVID HURLEY?
General David John Hurley, AC, DSC, FTSE, born and raised in Wollongong and father of three, had a distinguished military career spanning 42 years. Entering the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1972, he served in various capacities until being made Chief of the Defence Forces in 2011. At the end of his term, then-Premier Mike Baird announced Hurley as the next Governor of New South Wales, succeeding the 13-year term of Dame Marie Bashir. Just over four years after the commencement of his term, the General was announced by PM Scott Morrison as the next Governor-General, succeeding Sir Peter Cosgrove.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
Although they rarely get media coverage, our Governors-General (yes that is the correct plural) are the Sovereign’s representative and exercise the Monarch’s power. You may think in this twenty-first century modern democracy that is merely just handing our honours and doing whatever the PM wants. If that is the case, you are wrong and history will disagree with you.
We only have to look at what happened in 1975 to remember the limits of our Constitution. While we live in a Westminster system, a parliamentary democracy which delegates most power to a Prime Minister and Cabinet, the influence of US federalism means that there is a conflict in the operation of power. The 1975 Constitutional Crisis, which culminated in the dismissal of Gough Whitlam, elucidated the prevalence of the written constitution. With the Office of Prime Minister not mentioned, all executive power centres around the Governor-General as the President of the Federal Executive Council. Although they are supposed to follow what their ministers say by convention, it is merely convention and not the law.
Technically, the Governor-General has the power to dismiss the federal government, any minister and dissolve parliament. Yes, it would be an abuse of power and against Westminster Convention if they did so for no reason or to consolidate power, there are very few limits that the High Court could enforce against them.
NATIONAL SYMBOLS
When you ask most Australians what they want in a leader, they say someone who would gracefully represent Australian values across the country and world without being marred by politics. This perfectly encompasses the role of the Governor-General. Look to General Hurley’s predecessor Sir Peter Cosgrove. Sir Peter, another former Chief of the Defence Force, was the former leader of the Queensland Government task force to rebuild communities damaged by Cyclone Larry in 2006. He has visited 200 local communities, hosted 25,000 school kids and represented Australia at key moments such as the when he received the bodies of the MH17 survivors. Although he didn’t receive much press or care about the media, he along with his predecessors aimed to unify the country and transcend politics.
TRANSCENDING POLITICS
Republican or monarchist, we must remember the magnitude of the office they serve. It is an office that should not be overlooked. Today, General Hurley will commence his second day as Governor-General by opening the 46th Parliament. The past year has been one of great political change. Both major parties have new leaders, seasoned politicians have left our parliament, and great former leaders have departed. But even so, our Governor-General continues to transcend the bounds of politics.
Good luck Governor-General Hurley and Mrs. Linda Hurley on the task before you both.
