Flags of the Governors of the Australian states
Encyclopedia
The Governors of the Australian states
, who represent their respective Head of State (the Queen of Australia), have a personal flag in that role. With the exception of Queensland
’s, these flags originate from the 1970s and 1980s.
defaced in the centre with a local badge or coat of arms to represent their status as vice-regal representative in that colony. In the then Australasian colonies, the Governors used the Colonial badge encircled in a laurel wreath. After Federation, when the Australian colonies became states of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Governors continued using their earlier flags.
During the 1970s and 80s, the states, with the exception of Queensland
, moved away from the British colonial model. This was in line with the constitutional developments of the time, which culminated in the Australia Act 1986
, which ended the states' constitutional status as individual colonies of the United Kingdom
. Since the passing of the Act, the governors of the Australian states have ceased to have any constitutional relationship with the Government of the United Kingdom, and represent the Queen
in her capacity of head of state of each of the individual states.
and Queensland
already contain a crown, and so these States use different models: the Governor of Victoria’s flag uses a gold ensign with the stars of the Southern Cross in red, whereas the Governor of Queensland’s flag maintains the old defaced Union Jack.
Governors of the Australian states
The Governors of the Australian states are the representatives of the Queen of Australia in each of that country's six states. The Governors perform the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level...
, who represent their respective Head of State (the Queen of Australia), have a personal flag in that role. With the exception of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
’s, these flags originate from the 1970s and 1980s.
History
The Governors of British colonies have historically used as their personal flag the Union FlagUnion Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
defaced in the centre with a local badge or coat of arms to represent their status as vice-regal representative in that colony. In the then Australasian colonies, the Governors used the Colonial badge encircled in a laurel wreath. After Federation, when the Australian colonies became states of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Governors continued using their earlier flags.
During the 1970s and 80s, the states, with the exception of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, moved away from the British colonial model. This was in line with the constitutional developments of the time, which culminated in the Australia Act 1986
Australia Act 1986
The Australia Act 1986 is the name given to a pair of separate but related pieces of legislation: one an Act of the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia, the other an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
, which ended the states' constitutional status as individual colonies of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Since the passing of the Act, the governors of the Australian states have ceased to have any constitutional relationship with the Government of the United Kingdom, and represent the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in her capacity of head of state of each of the individual states.
Current Standards
The State Governors’ flags of most States is the same as the State’s flag but with a St Edward’s crown above the badge. The flags of VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
already contain a crown, and so these States use different models: the Governor of Victoria’s flag uses a gold ensign with the stars of the Southern Cross in red, whereas the Governor of Queensland’s flag maintains the old defaced Union Jack.