Maj-Gen Michael Jeffery and his wife Marlena in Canberra after his appointment as Governor General was announced. Photo by Alan Porritt/AAP Inset: Maj-Gen Jeffery in 1993 as Governor of Western Australia.

New post for Maj-Gen Michael Jeffery

Maj-Gen Michael Jeffery (rtd) has become the first career Australian Army soldier to be appointed to the position of Governor-General.

Prime Minister John Howard announced on June 22 that Maj-Gen Jeffery would be appointed as the 24th Governor-General of Australia. He will be sworn in on August 11.

In making the announcement, Mr Howard said Maj-Gen Jeffery would bring to the post a wealth of experience and a great ease of manner in dealing with Australians from every part of the country.

“He is a person who has held significant leadership positions in the past, has a great capacity to relate to people and I have no doubt that his appointment will be very warmly welcomed by the Australian people,” he said.

“Anybody who rises to the rank of Maj-Gen, is awarded a Military Cross in action and commands the SASR is, in every sense of the word, a leader, and I think those qualities will make him an excellent Governor-General.”

Maj-Gen Jeffery said he was looking forward to the job with great anticipation and felt very humbled and privileged to have been appointed.

“The role of Governor-General is a critically important one in terms of the workings of our democracy,” he said.

“I want to give my total commitment to the Australian people that I will endeavour to be a Governor-General of the people and for the people and to carry out the office with dignity and dedication.”

The term of the appointment has not been fixed but is expected to be three to four years.

Maj-Gen Jeffery had a long and distinguished career in the Army and served as Governor of Western Australia for seven years, acting as caretaker Governor-General for a period during that appointment.

Soldier to be our next G-G

• Born 1937 in Wiluna, Western Australia.
• Entered RMC Duntroon at age 16, graduating in 1958.
• Served with 17 National Service Training Coy and SASR.
• Posted to Malaya in 1962 for operational service with 2RAR and 3RAR.
• Appointed ADC to CGS in 1964, then seconded to British SAS for an operational tour in Borneo, returning to Australia as Adjt SASR.
• From 1966 to 1969 he served in PNG with 1RAR and the Pacific Islands Regt.
• Married Marlena Kerr in 1967.
• Served in Vietnam as company commander with 8RAR, winning the Military Cross and South Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.
• In 1972 he attended the British Army Staff College at Camberley, then was promoted to Lt-Col and appointed CO 2 Bn, Pacific Island Regt.
• Assumed command of SASR in 1975, then promoted to Col as the first Director of the Army’s Special Action Forces, for services to which he became a Member of the Order of Australia.
• Headed Australia’s national counter-terrorist co-ordination authority as a Brig from 1981 to 1983, then appointed commander of 1 Mechanised and Airborne Bde at Holsworthy.
• Attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in London in 1985.
• Promoted Maj-Gen and commanded 1 Div from 1986.
• In June 1988, he became an Officer of the Order of Australia.
• In 1989, he was appointed Assistant CGS – Logistics.
• Became Deputy CGS in January 1990.
• Appointed Assistant CGS for Materiel in February 1991.
• On November 1, 1993, he was sworn in as Governor of Western Australia, a post held until 2000.
• Became a Companion of the Order of Australia in June 1996.
• Currently Chairman of the not-for-profit public policy think-tank Future Directions International

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