| Post: | Governor |
| Body: | South Australia |
| Flag: | Flag of the Governor of South Australia.svg |
| Flagsize: | 150px |
| Flagcaption: | Flag of the governor |
| Insignia: | Badge_of_the_Governor_of_South_Australia_(2023-).png |
| Insigniasize: | 100px |
| Insigniacaption: | Badge of the governor |
| Incumbent: | Frances Adamson |
| Incumbentsince: | 7 October 2021 |
| Department: | Viceregal |
| Style: | Her Excellency the Honourable |
| Residence: | Government House, Adelaide |
| Seat: | Adelaide |
| Appointer: | Monarch |
| Appointer Qualified: | on the advice of the premier |
| Termlength: | At His Majesty's pleasure |
| Termlength Qualified: | (usually 5 years by convention) |
| Formation: | 28 December 1836 |
| First: | Captain John Hindmarsh |
The governor of South Australia is the representative in South Australia of the monarch, currently King Charles III. The governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the governor-general of Australia 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 South Australia. Nevertheless, the governor retains the reserve powers of the Crown, and has the right to dismiss the premier. As from June 2014, Queen Elizabeth II, upon the recommendation of the premier, accorded all current, future and living former governors the title 'The Honourable' for life.[1] The first six governors oversaw the colony from proclamation in 1836, until self-government and an elected Parliament of South Australia was granted in the year prior to the inaugural 1857 election.
The first Australian-born governor of South Australia was Major-General Sir James Harrison (appointed 1968), and most subsequent governors have been Australian-born. The first South Australian-born governor was Sir Mark Oliphant (appointed 1971), and the first Aboriginal governor was Sir Douglas Nicholls (appointed 1976).
The current governor is diplomat Frances Adamson who was sworn in at Government House, Adelaide on 7 October 2021,[2] [3] replacing Hieu Van Le,[4] who held the role from 2014 to 2021.[5] [6]
The governor's official residence is Government House, in Adelaide, the state's capital.
Prior to self-government, the governor was responsible to the Government of the United Kingdom and was charged with implementing laws and policy. Currently, the governor is responsible for safeguarding the South Australian Constitution and facilitating the work of the Parliament and state government.
The governor exercises power on the advice of ministers, conveyed through the Executive Council. Constitutional powers bestowed upon the governor and used with the consent and advice of the Executive Council include:
The governor additionally maintains 'reserve powers' which can be used without the consent of the Executive Council. These powers relate to the appointment and dismissal of ministers and Parliament.[7]
The governor standard of South Australia is the same design as the British blue ensign with the Union Flag at the upper left quarter. On the right side, the State Badge of South Australia, comprising a piping shrike in a golden disc, is surmounted by a crown. In 2024, this representation changed from a St Edward's Crown to a Tudor Crown.[8]
If the standard is flying at Government House, on a vehicle or at an event, this indicates that the governor is present.
The governor of South Australia supports outstanding achievers within the South Australian community through the presentation of a number of annual awards:[9]
The governor also awards a series of commendations for excellence in the SACE year 12 exams, including:[11]
| No. | Portrait | Governor[12] | Term begin | Term end | Time in office | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor appointed by King William IV (1830–1837): | ||||||||
| 1 | 28 December 1836 | 16 July 1838 | ||||||
| Governors appointed by Queen Victoria (1837–1901): | ||||||||
| 2 | 17 October 1838 | 15 May 1841 | ||||||
| 3 | 15 May 1841 | 25 October 1845 | ||||||
| 4 | 25 October 1845 | 2 August 1848 | ||||||
| 5 | 2 August 1848 | 20 December 1854 | ||||||
| 6 | 8 June 1855 | 4 March 1862 | ||||||
| 7 | 4 March 1862 | 19 February 1868 | ||||||
| 8 | 16 February 1869 | 18 April 1873 | ||||||
| 9 | 9 June 1873 | 29 January 1877 | ||||||
| 10 | 2 October 1877 | 9 January 1883 | ||||||
| 11 | 19 February 1883 | 5 March 1889 | ||||||
| 12 | 11 April 1889 | 10 April 1895 | ||||||
| 13 | 29 October 1895 | 29 March 1899 | ||||||
| 14 | 10 April 1899 | 17 July 1902 | ||||||
| Governors appointed by King Edward VII (1901–1910): | ||||||||
| 15 | 1 July 1903 | 18 February 1909 | ||||||
| 16 | 18 February 1909 | 22 March 1914 | ||||||
| Governors appointed by King George V (1910–1936): | ||||||||
| 17 | 18 April 1914 | 30 April 1920 | ||||||
| 18 | 9 June 1920 | 30 May 1922 | ||||||
| 19 | 4 December 1922 | 4 December 1927 | ||||||
| 20 | 14 May 1928 | 26 April 1934 | ||||||
| 21 | 28 July 1934 | 23 February 1939 | ||||||
| Governors appointed by King George VI (1936–1952): | ||||||||
| 22 | 12 August 1939 | 26 April 1944 | ||||||
| 23 | 19 December 1944 | 19 June 1952 | ||||||
| Governors appointed by Queen Elizabeth II (1952–2022): | ||||||||
| 24 | 23 February 1953 | 7 March 1960 | ||||||
| 25 | 4 April 1961 | 1 June 1968 | ||||||
| 26 | 4 December 1968 | 16 September 1971 | ||||||
| 27 | 1 December 1971 | 30 November 1976 | ||||||
| 28 | 1 December 1976 | 30 April 1977 | ||||||
| 29 | 1 September 1977 | 28 March 1982 | ||||||
| 30 | 23 April 1982 | 5 February 1991 | ||||||
| 31 | 6 February 1991 | 21 July 1996 | ||||||
| 32 | 22 July 1996 | 3 November 2001 | ||||||
| 33 | 3 November 2001 | 31 July 2007 | ||||||
| 34 | 8 August 2007 | 7 August 2014 | ||||||
| 35 | 1 September 2014 | 31 August 2021 | ||||||
| 36 | 7 October 2021 | |||||||
These people administered the government in the absence of the official governor.[12]
| Administrator | Term | |
|---|---|---|
| 1838 | ||
| 1854–55 | ||
| 1868–69 | ||
| Major James Harwood Rocke | 1870 | |
| Hon. Sir Richard Davies Hanson, Chief Justice | 1872–73 | |
| Sir William Wellington Cairns, K.C.M.G | 1877 | |
| Hon. Samuel James Way, Chief Justice, Lt.-Gov. | 1877 to 1915 (on 65 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. James Penn Boucaut, Judge of Supreme Court | 1885, 1886, 1888, 1890, 1891, 1897 | |
| Hon. William Henry Bundey, Judge of Supreme Court | 1888 | |
| Hon. Sir George John Robert Murray, Chief Justice, Lt.-Gov. | 1916–24, 1926–42 (on 103 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. Thomas Slaney Poole, Judge of Supreme Court | 1925 (on 2 occasions) | |
| Hon. Sir Herbert Angas Parsons, Judge of Supreme Court | 1935 to 1942 (on 6 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. Sir John Mellis Napier, Chief Justice, Lt.-Gov. | 1942 to 1973 (on 179 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. Sir Herbert Mayo, Judge of Supreme Court | 1946 to 1965 (on 25 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. Sir Geoffrey Sandford Reed, Judge of Supreme Court | 1951 to 1957 (on 5 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. John Jefferson Bray, Chief Justice | 1968 to 1973 (on 8 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. David Stirling Hogarth, Judge of Supreme Court | 1971 | |
| Sir Walter Crocker, Lt.-Gov. | 1973 to 1982 (on 29 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. Sir Condor Laucke, Lt.-Gov. | 1982 to 1992 (on 43 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. Leonard James King, A.C., Chief Justice | 1987 | |
| Hon. Dr. Basil Hetzel, Lt.-Gov. | 1992 to 2000 (on 32 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. John Doyle, Chief Justice | 1999–2012 (on 10 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. Bruno Krumins, Lt.-Gov. | 2000–2007 (on 60 separate occasions) | |
| Hon. John William Perry, Judge of Supreme Court | 2002 | |
| Hon. Hieu Van Le, Lt.-Gov. | 2007–2014 | |
| Hon. Brenda Wilson, Lt.-Gov. | 2014–2022 | |
| Hon. Dr James Muecke AM, Lt.-Gov. | 2022–February 2024 | |
| Hon. Dr Richard Harris OAM, Lt-Gov.[13] | 9 February 2024– |