The lieutenant-governor of New South Wales is a government position in the state of New South Wales, Australia, acting as a deputy to the governor of New South Wales. The office was first created in October 1786, before the arrival of the First Fleet, to act as a deputy to the first governor, Arthur Phillip. At that time the lieutenant-governor, or its equivalent of "administrator of the government", was filled by military officers and was a position only created when needed or in times of long absences by the governor. Since 1872 this office has been held concurrently by the chief justice of New South Wales but the position may be retained by the chief justice after their retirement from the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
Role Originally, the lieutenant-governor had a legislative role with a seat on the first Legislative Council of New South Wales in 1824; this was later phased out due to the lessening of the powers of the state governor. The role of the governors are enshrined in part 2A of the New South Wales Constitution Act (1902). The office itself has no standing powers but holds a dormant commission to act in the governor's position when needed.
The current role of the lieutenant-governor is to take up the duties of the governor if the governor dies, resigns, or is absent such as in September 2008, when, in the absence of Governor Marie Bashir, the Lieutenant-Governor, James Spigelman, administered the swearing in of the new cabinet of the Nathan Rees government.
If the lieutenant-governor becomes incapacitated while serving in the office of governor or is absent when the governor is also absent, the next most senior judge of the Supreme Court is sworn in as the administrator. This occurred in May 1973 when Sir Leslie Herron died suddenly while the governor, Sir Roden Cutler was overseas. Sir John Kerr became the administrator until Cutler was able to return.Personal Details Sir John Kerr, State Records of NSW. Retrieved 4 January 2010
Lieutenant-governors and administrators of NSW Name Term start Term end Notes Major Robert Ross 7 February 1788 8 July 1792 Major Francis Grose 11 December 1792 12 December 1794 Lieutenant-Colonel William Paterson 13 December 1794 1 September 1795 Office vacant 20 September 1795 24 March 1806 Colonel William Paterson 24 March 1806 26 January 1808 David S. Macmillan, 'Paterson, William (1755–1810)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 2, Melbourne University Press, 1967, pp 317-319. . Retrieved 27 July 2009 Major George Johnston 26 January 1808 25 April 1808 Colonial Secretary Index, 1788-1825 , State Records of NSW. Johnston assumed the role on the arrest of William Bligh. Retrieved 27 July 2009 Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Foveaux 25 April 1808 9 January 1809 Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Maurice O'Connell 10 January 1810 12 February 1814 Colonel George Molle 13 February 1814 12 September 1817 Colonel James Erskine 12 September 1817 25 February 1823 Colonel William Stewart 26 February 1823 23 March 1827 Office vacant 24 March 1827 4 December 1837 Colonel Patrick Lindesay 22 October 1831 2 December 1831 Lieutenant-Colonel Kenneth Snodgrass 5 December 1837 23 February 1838 Office vacant 24 February 1838 12 July 1846 Sir Maurice O'Connell 12 July 1846 2 August 1846 Office vacant 2 August 1846 21 January 1861 Lieutenant-Colonel John Francis Kempt 22 January 1861 21 March 1861 Office vacant 22 March 1861 Major-General Sir Trevor Chute Office vacant Lieutenant-Governors held concurrently by the Chief Justice Sir Alfred Stephen 22 February 1872 26 November 1891 Sir Frederick Darley 26 November 1891 30 March 1910 George Bowen Simpson Sir William Cullen 30 March 1910 1 October 1930 Sir Philip Street 1 October 1930 17 October 1938 Sir Frederick Jordan 17 October 1938 4 November 1949 Sir Kenneth Street 27 February 1950 22 April 1972 Sir Leslie Herron 22 April 1972 3 May 1973 Sir John Kerr 30 August 1973 1 July 1974 Sir Laurence Street 1 July 1974 24 July 1989 Anthony Murray Gleeson 24 July 1989 18 June 1998 James Spigelman 18 June 1998 1 February 2012 Tom Bathurst 1 February 2012 5 December 2022 Andrew Bell 5 December 2022 present
References
External links
Official Website of the Governor of New South Wales