Administrator (Australia) - Administrator of The Commonwealth

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 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 (currently Elizabeth II), which comes into effect in these circumstances. For example, in May 2003 when Dr Peter Hollingworth stood aside as Governor-General, Tasmanian Governor Sir Guy Green was appointed Administrator until Hollingworth's permanent replacement (Major-Gen Michael Jeffery) was appointed and sworn in.