Australia swears in new Governor General

A former military officer and decorated war hero was sworn in today as the Queen’s new representative in Australia.

In a lavish ceremony at Parliament in Canberra, Michael Jeffery officially took over as governor general of Australia, replacing Peter Hollingworth who resigned three months ago amid two sex scandals that undermined public faith in his ability to perform the duties of the post.

Prime Minister John Howard picked Mr Jeffery, 65, as Mr Hollingworth’s replacement in June, hoping the career military officer would help restore the public’s confidence.

Despite a drizzle, a military band played Australia’s national anthem and a guard of honour greeted Mr Jeffery as he arrived at Canberra’s Parliament House.

Diplomats and other VIPs packed the public galleries, while politicians crammed inside the Senate chamber as Mr Jeffery was sworn in by Chief Justice Anthony Gleeson.

“I’m so very proud yet extremely humbled to be appointed your governor general,” Mr Jeffery said in a brief speech after receiving his commission. “I will do my best to fulfil the constitutional and public obligations of this high office, with dedication, dignity and integrity.”

Outside, army cannons erupted in a salute.

Although mostly a ceremonial post, the office holds potentially sweeping powers, including the ability to dismiss a government and the prime minister - something that happened once in 1975.

Mr Hollingworth was forced to resign in May after an Anglican Church inquiry found he had failed to take strong action against known paedophiles in the church when he was a senior archbishop in the early 1990s.

Mr Hollingworth acknowledged he had made “errors of judgment”. It later became public that he was also fighting a lawsuit over allegations that as a young priest over 40 years ago he had raped a woman at a church camp. A court later dismissed the case.

Mr Jeffery served from 1993 to 2000 as the Queen’s representative for Western Australia state.

He was awarded the Military Cross for courageous action in Vietnam and in 1976 became the first commanding officer of Australia’s special forces regiment.

He retired from the defence forces in the early 1990s.