| Post: | Governor |
| Body: | Western Australia |
| Flag: | Flag of the Governor of Western Australia.svg |
| Flagsize: | 150px |
| Flagcaption: | Flag of the Governor |
| Insignia: | Logo for the Governor of Western Australia.svg |
| Insigniasize: | 100px |
| Insigniacaption: | Badge of the governor |
| Incumbent: | Chris Dawson |
| Incumbentsince: | 15 July 2022 |
| Department: | Viceregal |
| Style: | His Excellency the Honourable |
| Residence: | Government House, Perth |
| Seat: | Perth |
| Appointer: | Monarch |
| Appointer Qualified: | on the advice of the premier |
| Termlength: | At His Majesty's pleasure |
| Termlength Qualified: | (usually 5 years by convention) |
| Formation: | 6 February 1832 |
| First: | Captain James Stirling |
The governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of the monarch, King Charles III. As with the other governors of the Australian states, the governor of Western Australia performs constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:
Furthermore, all bills passed by the Parliament of Western Australia require the governor's signature before they become acts and pass into law. However, since convention almost always requires the governor to act on the advice of the premier and the cabinet, such approval is almost always a formality.
Until the appointment of Sir James Mitchell in 1948, all governors of Western Australia had been British officials. After Mitchell's appointment, a further three Britons served as governor: Mitchell's two immediate successors, and then, from 1980 to 1983, Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge who was the last non-Australian governor of any Australian state.[1]
The governor of Western Australia is styled "His Excellency" during his term in office (or Her Excellency for a female governor). In August 2014, three of the four living past governors – John Sanderson, Ken Michael and Malcolm McCusker – were given the style "The Honourable", on the recommendation of the premier.[2] The other living former governor, Michael Jeffery, already held the style in virtue of his later service as governor-general of Australia.
The governor's standard of Western 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 Western Australia, comprising a black swan in a yellow disc, is surmounted by the St. Edward's crown. If the standard is flying at Government House, on a vehicle or at an event, this indicates that the governor is present.
| No. | Portrait | Governor | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 February 1832 | 2 January 1839[3] | |||
| 2 | 3 January 1839 | 26 January 1846 | |||
| 3 | 27 January 1846 | 11 February 1847 | |||
| - | Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Irwin (acting Governor) | 12 February 1847 | 11 August 1848 | ||
| 4 | 12 August 1848 | 22 July 1855 | |||
| 5 | Sir Arthur Kennedy GCMG CB | 23 July 1855 | 27 February 1862 | ||
| 6 | Dr John Hampton | 28 February 1862 | 1 November 1868 | ||
| 7 | Sir Benjamin Pine[4] | 2 November 1868 | 29 September 1869 | ||
| 8 | The Hon. Sir Frederick Weld GCMG | 30 September 1869 | 10 January 1875 | ||
| 9 | 11 January 1875 | 11 November 1877 | |||
| 10 | Major General The Hon. Sir Harry Ord GCMG CB RE[5] | 12 November 1877 | 9 April 1880 | ||
| - | Sir William Robinson GCMG (2nd time) | 10 April 1880 | 1 June 1883 | ||
| 11 | 2 June 1883 | 19 October 1890 | |||
| - | Sir William Robinson GCMG (3rd time) | 20 October 1890 | 22 December 1895 | ||
| 12 | 23 December 1895 | 30 April 1901 | |||
| 13 | 1 May 1901 | 23 March 1903 | |||
| 14 | Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford KCB | 24 March 1903 | 30 May 1909 | ||
| 15 | 31 May 1909 | 16 March 1913 | |||
| 16 | 17 March 1913 | 8 April 1917 | |||
| 17 | 9 April 1917 | 8 April 1920 | |||
| 18 | 9 April 1920 | 27 October 1924 | |||
| 19 | 28 October 1924 | 8 June 1931 | |||
| N/A[6] | 1931 | 1948 | |||
| 20 | 5 October 1948 | 30 June 1951 | |||
| 21 | 6 November 1951 | 25 October 1963 | |||
| 22 | 25 October 1963 | 6 January 1974 | |||
| 23 | 7 January 1974 | 2 April 1975 | |||
| 24 | Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Hart Kyle GCB KCVO CBE DSO DFC | 24 November 1975 | 24 November 1980 | ||
| 25 | 25 November 1980 | 24 November 1983 | |||
| 26 | 2 July 1984 | 30 September 1989 | |||
| 27 | 20 March 1990 | 31 October 1993 | |||
| 28 | 1 November 1993 | 17 August 2000 | |||
| 29 | 18 August 2000 | 31 October 2005 | |||
| 30 | 18 January 2006 | 2 May 2011 | |||
| 31 | Malcolm McCusker AC CVO QC | 1 July 2011 | 30 June 2014 | ||
| 32 | Kerry Sanderson AC | 20 October 2014 | 1 May 2018 | ||
| 33 | Kim Beazley AC | 1 May 2018 | 30 June 2022 | ||
| 34 | Chris Dawson AC APM | 15 July 2022 | Current |
The lieutenant-governor serves as deputy to the governor, fulfilling the governor's functions in the governor's absence.[7]
Stirling was only commissioned as the governor of Western Australia on 4 March 1831, rectifying the absence of a legal instrument providing the authority detailed in Stirling's Instructions of 30 December 1828. Stirling had said of his own position:
I believe I am the first Governor who ever formed a settlement without Commission, Laws, Instructions and Salary.[8]
| No. | Portrait | Lieutenant-Governor | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 December 1828 | 5 February 1832 | |||
| ... | |||||
| N/A | Peter Quinlan | 27 November 2019 | Current |