Royal Assent - Other Commonwealth Realms

Other Commonwealth Realms

In Commonwealth realms outside the UK, the Royal Assent is granted or withheld by the Governor-General, the representative of the Sovereign. In realms with federal systems, Assent is granted or withheld by the representatives of the Sovereign in each State, Province, or Territory. In Australia, this is the Governor (of a State) or Administrator (of the Northern Territory. A Governor of a State or Lieutenant Governor of a Province may defer to the Governor-General, who may in turn defer to the Sovereign. In some cases, when a royal visit to a Commonwealth realm is pending, Assent may be reserved so that the Sovereign may grant it in person.

In Canada the Governor General (Federal legislation), or Lieutenant Governor (for Provincial legislation) or Commissioner (for Territorial legislation). If the Governor General is unable to give assent it can be done the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada or another Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada

In Australia, at both State and Federal level, assent is used as the means of enforcing a referendum that is required. This is done by providing that it will not be lawful to even submit the law for vice-regal assent unless and until it has been approved by the people at a referendum.

In New Zealand, section 16 of the Constitution Act 1986 states that "a Bill passed by the House of Representatives shall become law when the Sovereign or the Governor-General assents to it and signs it in token of such assent". This act also states in section 3 that royal assent can be given by the Sovereign in person or the Governor General on behalf of the Sovereign.