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Australian Constitution – Chapter 1, Part 1

The Parliament – General

Sections 1-6

Section 1- Legislative Power
The legislative power of the Commonwealth shall be vested in a Federal Parliament, which shall consist of the Queen, a Senate, and a House of Representatives, and which is herein-after called “The Parliament,” or “The Parliament of the Commonwealth.”

Section 2 – Governor-General
A Governor-General appointed by the Queen shall be Her Majesty’s representative in the Commonwealth, and shall have and may exercise in the Commonwealth during the Queen’s pleasure, but subject to this Constitution, such powers and functions of the Queen as Her Majesty may be pleased to assign to him.

Section 3 – Salary of Governor-General
There shall be payable to the Queen out of the Consolidated Revenue fund of the Commonwealth, for the salary of the Governor-General, an annual sum which, until the Parliament otherwise provides, shall be ten thousand pounds.

The salary of the Governor-General shall not be altered during his continuance in office.

Section 4 – Provisions relating to Governor-General
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.

Section 5 – Sessions of Parliament – Prorogation and dissolution
The Governor-General may appoint such times for holding the sessions of the Parliament as he thinks fit, and may also from time to time, by Proclamation or otherwise, prorogue the Parliament, and may in like manner dissolve the House of Representatives.

After any general election the Parliament shall be summoned to meet not later than thirty days after the day appointed for the return of the writs.

The Parliament shall be summoned to meet not later than six months after the establishment of the Commonwealth.

Section 6 – Summoning Parliament
There shall be a session of the Parliament once at least in every year, so that twelve months shall not intervene between the last sitting of the Parliament in one session and its first sitting in the next session.

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  • Jerry

    To respond to Mr Callisters question.
    There is no mention of the GG as a female, because during the drafting of the Constitution, 1800′s; by Sir Edmund Barton, women did not have the right to vote or the right to sit, so it would be rather logical that a woman would not be considered in the Constitution at that time.
    But to change the Constitution now. would be economically ridiculous. The last referendum costs an astounding AUD$66 820 894 and that referendum was not approved. so to call a referendum regarding female status in the constitution would just be an economically bad decision for government to persue. Aslong as the Australian people have accepted female participation in political rights community outburst about the Constitution will remain as a mere speculation.

    • http://australianpolitics.com mfarnsworth

      Jerry isn’t correct on this.

      References to the Governor-General or the monarch are deemed to be male or female as the case may be. It does not require amendment of the Constitution.

  • Vincent

    Perhaps, at the time, the GG was a male. Perhaps the use of the term “he” or “him” or “she” or “her” is merely a colloquial measure. Maybe “he” or any such other male connotation was used simply because it was assumed that males are better than females! Who knows. It doesn’t refer to a female as being the GG so get over it. I think there are much worse things to occupy your mind rather than the preoccupation of whether the GG should be a female or not.

    If you read “Section 2″ you would see the Queen appointed the GG. If this was not the case, then either the constitution has been changed by the Federal Parliament or something illegal has happened.

    My opinion

    Vincent

    • Pacificproducts47

      The fact that the Government of Australia so blithely ignores the constitution with respect to the illegality of a Female GG demonstrates the contempt they hold for the document. Regardless of probable acceptance of the change to the constitution wording, by the people of Australia, this appointment should not be made without the change.

      Next time a person receives a traffic infringement notice, what is the basis of that issue? The point being that If one portion of the constitution is invalid, which other portions are also invalid? Or is the whole document invalid or can we choose to accept which part we will adopt?

      I don’t want any of it to apply to me!

      • http://australianpolitics.com Malcolm Farnsworth

        This is nonsense. References to the Queen in the Constitution also refer to heirs and successors regardless of gender. The same applies to the Governor-General. There’s nothing illegal about appointing a woman as GG.

  • Tim Callister

    The constitution refers to the Queen appointing a GG and powers and functions of the Queen as Her Majesty may be pleased to assign to him.
    It also states ‘The Governor-General may appoint such times for holding the sessions of the Parliament as he thinks fit.’

    The constituation refers to males as being appointed GG.

    Where does it refer to as a female being appointed as a GG and who authorised the current Aust GG?