Sovereigns, Governors-General and Prime Ministers

Australia's
Sovereigns, Governors-General
and Prime Ministers
Since Federation (1 January 1901 )
This article prepared by Nick Hobson

SOVEREIGNS

GOVERNORS-GENERAL

PRIME MINISTERS

Queen's Personal Flag

The Queen's Personal Flag For Australia

Governor-General's Flag

Australian National Flag

On 20 September 1962, Her Majesty the Queen gave her approval for the design of a personal flag for her use when in Australia. It consists of the Commonwealth's Arms, the six State Badges, on which is placed a large Commonwealth Star. The Queen's initial with the Royal Crown within a Chaplet of roses, are emblazoned on the star. The Queen's Personal flag is a royal standard, as it is flown only in the presence of Her Majesty.

In 1930, King George V approved a special flag for the Governor-General in each Dominion of the (then) Empire. In Australia The flag was adopted in June, 1936. It features the Royal Crest and a golden scroll bearing the words "Commonwealth of Australia". When this flag is flying it signifies that the Governor-General is present.

After federation on 1 January 1901 and on 3 September 1901, our flag of "Stars and Crosses", designed as a result of a competition, was flying for the first time. The flag features the constellation of the Southern Cross, indicating our geographic position; The Commonwealth Star represents the federation of the States and Territories; and the crosses of St. Patrick, St. Andrew and St George represents the beginning of our multicultural society.

SOVEREIGNS

GOVERNORS-GENERAL

PRIME MINISTERS

1901

Victoria (1837 - 1901)

Hope, the Rt Hon. John Adrian Louis, 7th Earl of Hopetoun, KT, GCMG, GCVO (afterwards 1st Marquis of Linlithgow)
1 Jan 1901 - 9 Jan 1903

Barton, Sir Edmund, PC, GCMG, KC
1 Jan 1901 - 24 Sep 1903

Edward VII (1901 - 1910)

1902

1903

Tennyson, the Rt Hon. Hallam, 2nd Baron Tennyson, GCMG
9 Jan 1903 - 21 Jan 1904

Deakin, Alfred
24 Sep 1903 - 27 Apr 1904

1904

Northcote, the Rt Hon. Henry Stafford, 1st Baron Northcote, GCMG, GCIE, CB
21 Jan 1904 - 9 Sep 1908

Watson, John Christian
27 Apr 1904 - 17 Aug 1904

Reid, George Houstoun, PC, KC (later Sir George)
18 Aug 1904 - 5 Jul 1905

1905

Deakin, Alfred
5 Jul 1905 - 13 Nov 1908

1906

1907

1908

Ward, the Rt Hon. William Humble, 2nd Earl of Dudley, GCB, GCMG, GCVO
9 Sep 1908 - 31 Jul 1911

Fisher, Andrew
13 Nov 1908 - 2 Jun 1909

1909

Deakin, Alfred
2 Jun 1909 - 29 Apr 1910

1910

George V (1910 -1936)

Fisher, Andrew
29 Apr 1910 - 24 Jun 1913

1911

Denman, the Rt Hon. Thomas, 3rd Baron Denman, GCMG, KCVO
31 Jul 1911 - 18 May 1914

1912

1913

Cook, Joseph (later Sir Joseph)
24 Jun 1913 - 17 Sep 1914

1914

Munro-Ferguson, the Rt Hon. Sir Ronald Craufurd, GCMG (afterwards 1st Viscount Novar)
18 May 1914 - 6 Oct 1920

Fisher, Andrew
17 Sep 1914 - 27 Oct 1915

1915

Hughes, William Morris
27 Oct 1915 - 9 Feb 1923

1916

1917

1918

1919

1920

Forster, the Rt Hon. Henry William, 1st Baron Foster, GCMG
6 Oct 1920 - 8 Oct 1925

1921

1922

1923

Bruce, Stanley Melbourne, PC, CH, MC
9 Feb 1923 - 22 Oct 1929

1924

1925

Baird, the Rt Hon. John Lawrence, 1st Baron Stonehaven, GCMG, DSO (afterwards 1st Viscount Stonehaven)
8 Oct 1925 - 22 Jan 1931

1926

1927

1928

1929

Scullin, James Henry, PC
22 Oct 1929 - 6 Jan 1932

1930

1931

Isaacs, the Rt Hon. Sir Isaac Alfred, GCB, GCMG, KC
22 Jan 1931 - 23 Jan 1936

1932

Lyons, Joseph Aloysius, PC, CH
6 Jan 1932 - 7 Apr 1939

1933

1934

1935

1936

Edward VIII (Jan - Dec 1936)

Hore-Ruthven, Brigadier General the Rt Hon. Alexander Gore Arkwright, 1st Baron Gowrie, VC, GCMG, CB, DSO (afterwards 1st Earl of Gowrie)
23 Jan 1936 - 30 Jan 1945

George VI (1936 - 1952)

1937

1938

1939

Page, Sir Earle Christmas Grafton, PC, GCMG
7 Apr 1939 - 26 Apr 1939

Menzies, Robert Gordon, PC, KC
26 Apr 1939 - 29 Aug 1941

1940

1941

Fadden, Arthur William (later Sir Arthur, PC, GCMG)
29 Aug 1941 - 7 Oct 1941

Curtin, John, PC
7 Oct 1941 - 5 Jul 1945

1942

1943

1944

1945

HRH Prince Henry William Frederick Albert, Duke of Gloucester, Earl of Ulster and Baron Culloden. KG, KT, KP, GCB, GCMG, GCVO
30 Jan 1945 - 11 Mar 1947

Forde, Francis Michael, PC
6 Jul 1945 - 13 Jul 1945

Chifley, Joseph Benedict, PC
13 Jul 1945 - 19 Dec 1949

1946

1947

McKell, the Rt Hon. Sir William John, GCMG, QC
11 Mar 1947 - 8 May 1953

1948

1949

Menzies, Robert Gordon, PC, KC (later Sir Robert, PC, KT, CH, QC)
19 Dec 1949 - 26 Jan 1966

1950

1951

1952

Elizabeth II (1952 - Present)

1953

Slim, Field Marshal Sir William Joseph, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DSO, MC (afterwards 1st Viscount Slim)
8 May 1953 - 2 Feb 1960

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

1960

Morrison, the Rt Hon. William Shepherd, 1st Viscount Dunrossil, GCMG, MC, QC - Died in office
2 Feb 1960 - 3 Feb 1961

1961

Brooks, General Sir Reginald Alexander Dallas, KCB, KCMG, KCVO, DSO
Administrator - Note 1
4 Feb 1961 - 3 Aug 1961

Sidney, the Rt Hon. William Philip, 1st Viscount De L'Isle, VC, KG, GCMG, GCVO
3 Aug 1961 - 22 Sep 1965

1962

1963

1964

1965

Casey, the Rt Hon. Richard Gardiner, Baron Casey, KG, GCMG, CH, DSO, MC
22 Sep 1965 - 30 Apr 1969

1966

Holt, Harold Edward, PC, CH
26 Jan 1966 - 19 Dec 1967

1967

McEwen, John, PC (later Sir John)
19 Dec 1967 - 10 Jan 1968

1968

Gorton, John Grey, PC (later Sir John, PC, AC)
10 Jan 1968 - 10 Mar 1971

1969

Hasluck, the Rt Hon. Sir Paul Meernaa Caedwalla, KG, GCMG, GCVO
30 Apr 1969 - 11 Jul 1974

1970

1971

McMahon, William, PC, CH (later Sir William)
10 Mar 1971 - 5 Dec 1972

1972

Whitlam, Edward Gough, QC
5 Dec 1972 - 11 Nov 1975

1973

1974

Kerr, the Rt Hon. Sir John Robert, AK, GCMG, GCVO, QC
11 Jul 1974 - 8 Dec 1977

1975

Fraser, John Malcolm, PC, CH (later AC)
11 Nov 1975 - 11 Mar 1983

1976

1977

Cowen, the Rt Hon. Sir Zelman, AK, GCMG, GCVO, QC
8 Dec 1977 - 29 Jul 1982

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

Stephen, the Rt Hon. Sir Ninian Martin, AK, GCMG, GCVO, KBE
29 Jul 1982 - 16 Feb 1989

1983

Hawke, Robert James Lee, AC
11 Mar 1983 - 20 Dec 1991

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

Hayden, the Hon. William George, AC
16 Feb 1989 - 16 Feb 1996

1990

1991

Keating, Paul John
20 Dec 1991 - 11 Mar 1996

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

Deane, the Hon. Sir William Patrick, AC, KBE
16 Feb 1996 - 29 Jun 2001

Howard, John Winston
11 Mar 1996 - 3 Dec 2007

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

Hollingworth, the Right Reverend Dr Peter, AC, OBE - Resigned from Office.
29 Jun 2001 - 29 May 2003

2002

2003

Green, Sir Guy Stephen Montague, AC, KBE, CVO
Administrator - Note 2
29 May 2003 - 11 August 2003

Jeffrey, Major General Michael, AC, CVO, MC
11 August 2003 - Present

2004

2005

2006

2007

Rudd, Kevin Michael
3 Dec 2007 - Present

SOVEREIGNS

GOVERNORS-GENERAL

PRIME MINISTERS

NOTES: Only the names of the principal officer-holders have been annotated. Names of Administrators have not been included unless they have assumed the administration of the Government of the Commonwealth when a Governor-General has not been appointed or when the Governor-General has absented himself/herself temporarily from office for any reason.

1. Sir Dallas Brooks assumed the administration of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia for the period 4 Feb 61 to 3 Aug 61 on the death of Viscount Dunrossil. (return)

2. Sir Guy Green assumed the administration of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia for the period 29 May 2003 to 11 August 2003 on the resignation of Dr Peter Hollingworth. (return)