The Governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as the Governor-General of Australia does at the national level.
In accordance with the conventions of the Westminster system of parliamentary government, the Governor nearly always acts solely on the advice of the head of the elected government, the Premier of Tasmania. Nevertheless, the Governor retains the reserve powers of the Crown, and has the right to dismiss the Premier.
See Governors of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Governor.
The official residence of the Governor is Government House located at the Queens Domain.
Two internationally famous Governors of Tasmania were Captain Sir John Franklin (the British mariner who would later die trying to find the North West Passage), and former UNSCOM weapons inspector Richard Butler.
The first Australian-born Governor of Tasmania was Sir Stanley Burbury (appointed 1973). The first Tasmanian-born governor was Sir Guy Green (appointed 1995). Since Burbury, all Tasmanian governors have been Australian-born, except for the incumbent Peter Underwood, who was born in the United Kingdom but emigrated to Australia at an early age.
Read more about Governor Of Tasmania: Divided in Two, Living Former Governors
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