Who is our Governor-General?
What does the Governor-General do?
Who is our Governor-General?
The Governor-General is appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister to serve as a representative of Queen Elizabeth II, the Head of State. Sometimes he is referred to as the de facto Head of State, meaning he fulfils some of the role of the Queen as Head of State. Our current Governor-General is Sir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO, who previously worked as a lawyer, judge and ombudsman. Sir Anand's five-year term ends in August 2011 and he will be succeeded by former chief of the Defence Force, Jerry Mateparae.
What does the Governor-General do?
As the de facto Head of State, the Governor-General fills in for the Queen in her absence. Some of the duties of a Governor General are
- appointing ministers and judges
- summoning and ending Parliament for the year,
- making State visits
- bestowing honours
- receiving ambassadors
A general term as Governor General lasts for at least five years, but the Queen can end or extend their term (acting on the advice of the Prime Minister).