Contents

1............ Short title [see Note 1] ........................................................................ 1

2............ Commencement [see Note 1] .............................................................. 1

2A......... Interpretation ....................................................................................... 1

2B......... Marital or couple relationship .............................................................. 2

2C......... Spouse of a deceased person ............................................................... 3

3............ Salary of Governor-General ................................................................ 3

4............ Allowances ......................................................................................... 4

4A......... Allowance payable when there is more than one spouse ..................... 4

4AA...... Benefit payable where Governor-General or surviving spouse dies on or after 1 July 2006     5

4B......... Application for review ........................................................................ 7

5............ Appropriation ...................................................................................... 7

6............ Official Secretary ................................................................................ 8

7............ Terms and conditions of appointment ................................................. 8

8............ Remuneration of Official Secretary ..................................................... 8

10.......... Resignation ......................................................................................... 8

11.......... Termination of appointment ................................................................ 8

12.......... Acting Official Secretary ..................................................................... 9

13.......... Official Secretary may employ staff .................................................... 9

14.......... Remuneration and other conditions of employees ............................... 9

15.......... Termination of employment ................................................................ 9

16.......... Delegation by the Finance Secretary ................................................... 9

19.......... Annual Report ................................................................................... 10

20.......... Regulations ....................................................................................... 10

Notes                                                                                                                                              11

4............ Entitlements from 1 July 2008 .......................................................... 18

 

 

Notes to the Governor-General Act 1974

Note 1

The Governor-General Act 1974 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 16, 1974 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

All relevant information pertaining to application, saving or transitional provisions prior to 28 June 2001 is not included in this compilation. For subsequent information see Table A.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
Governor-General Act 1974	16, 1974	11 Apr 1974	11 Apr 1974
Governor-General Amendment Act 1977	118, 1977	10 Nov 1977	10 Nov 1977		S. 2
Governor-General Amendment Act 1982	44, 1982	9 June 1982	9 June 1982		S. 2
Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No. 1) 1983	39, 1983	20 June 1983	S. 3: 9 June 1982 (a)		S. 7(1)
Public Service Reform Act 1984	63, 1984	25 June 1984	S. 138: Royal Assent (b) Ss. 139-141: 24 Dec 1984 (see Gazette 1984, No. S539) (b)		--
as amended by
Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No. 2) 1984	165, 1984	25 Oct 1984	S. 3: (c)		S. 6
Governor-General Amendment Act 1988	83, 1988	19 Oct 1988	19 Oct 1988		S. 2
Prime Minister and Cabinet Legislation Amendment Act 1991	199, 1991	18 Dec 1991	18 Dec 1991		S. 3(2)
Superannuation Legislation (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 1992	94, 1992	30 June 1992	S. 3: 1 July 1990 Remainder: Royal Assent		--
Commonwealth Superannuation Schemes Amendment Act 1992	185, 1992	17 Dec 1992	25 June 1993		S. 5
Governor-General Amendment Act 1995	122, 1995	2 Nov 1995	2 Nov 1995		Sch. (item 2)
Statute Law Revision Act 1996	43, 1996	25 Oct 1996	Schedule 4 (item 79) and Schedule 5 (items 65-67): Royal Assent (d)		--
Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Superannuation Contributions Tax) Act 1997	187, 1997	7 Dec 1997	Schedule 4: Royal Assent (e)		--
Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999	146, 1999	11 Nov 1999	Schedule 1 (items 496-499): 5 Dec 1999 (see Gazette 1999, No. S584) (f)		--
Governor-General Legislation Amendment Act 2001	57, 2001	28 June 2001	28 June 2001		Sch. 1 (items 2, 14) [see Table A]
Governor-General Amendment Act 2003	68, 2003	3 July 2003	3 July 2003		--
Superannuation (Consequential Amendments) Act 2005	81, 2005	29 June 2005	Schedule 5: 1 July 2005		--
Governor-General Amendment (Salary and Superannuation) Act 2008	62, 2008	30 June 2008	30 June 2008		Sch. 1 (items 2, 17) [see Table A]
Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws--Superannuation) Act 2008	134, 2008	4 Dec 2008	S. 4: Royal Assent Schedule 5: 1 Jan 2009 (see F2008L04609)		S. 4 and Sch. 5 (item 9) [see Table A]
Acts Interpretation Amendment Act 2011	46, 2011	27 June 2011	Schedule 2 (items 655-660) and Schedule 3 (items 10, 11): 27 Dec 2011		Sch. 3 (items 10, 11) [see Table A]
Superannuation Legislation (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2011	58, 2011	28 June 2011	Schedule 1 (items 94-101): (g)		--

(a)     The Governor-General Act 1974 was amended by section 3 only of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No. 1) 1983, subsection 2(10) of which provides as follows:

               (10)   The amendment of the Governor-General Act 1974 made by this Act shall be deemed to have come into operation on 9 June 1982.

(b)     The Governor-General Act 1974 was amended by sections 138-141 only of the Public Service Reform Act 1984, subsections 2(1) and (4) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7, subsections 29(1) and (3), sections 107 and 108, Parts III and IV and sections 125, 138, 142, 144 and 149 shall come into operation on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.

                 (4)   The remaining provisions of this Act shall come into operation on such day as is, or on such respective days as are, fixed by Proclamation.

(c)     The Public Service Reform Act 1984 was amended by section 3 only of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No. 2) 1984, subsections 2(1) and (21) of which provide as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to this section, this Act shall come into operation on the twenty-eighth day after the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

               (21)   The amendments of the Public Service Reform Act 1984 made by this Act shall:

                              (a)   in the case of the amendments of paragraph 5(5)(a), subsections 5(8), 11(1) and 12(1) and (4), paragraph 18(b), sections 19 and 21, paragraph 67(j), subsection 130(3), section 141 and subsections 151(5) and 152(2), (3), (4) and (5) of the first-mentioned Act--come into operation, or be deemed to have come into operation, as the case requires, on the commencement of, or on the respective days of commencement of, those provisions of that Act; and

                              (b)   in the case of the amendments of Items 1 and 3 of Schedule 4 to the first-mentioned Act--be deemed to have come into operation on 1 July 1984.

(d)     The Governor-General Act 1974 was amended by Schedule 4 (item 79) and Schedule 5 (items 65-67) only of the Statute Law Revision Act 1996, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to subsections (2) and (3), this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(e)     The Governor-General Act 1974 was amended by Schedule 4 only of the Superannuation Legislation Amendment (Superannuation Contributions Tax) Act 1997, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

                 (1)   Subject to subsection (2), this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(f)      The Governor-General Act 1974 was amended by Schedule 1 (items 496-499) only of the Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999, subsections 2(1) and (2) of which provide as follows:

                 (1)   In this Act, commencing time means the time when the Public Service Act 1999 commences.

                 (2)   Subject to this section, this Act commences at the commencing time.

(g)     Subsection 2(1) (item 2) of the Superannuation Legislation (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2011 provides as follows:

                 (1)   Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Commencement information
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Provision(s)	Commencement	Date/Details
2.  Schedules 1 and 2	Immediately after the commencement of section 2 of the Governance of Australian Government Superannuation Schemes Act 2011.	1 July 2011

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted     am. = amended     rep. = repealed     rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Title.....................................	am. No. 63, 1984; No. 185, 1992
S. 2A...................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
	am. No. 185, 1992; No. 187, 1997; No. 57, 2001; Nos. 62 and 134, 2008; No. 58, 2011
Heading to s. 2B................	rs. No. 134, 2008
S. 2B...................................	ad. No. 185, 1992
	am. No. 134, 2008; Nos. 46 and 58, 2011
S. 2C...................................	ad. No. 185, 1992
	am. No. 134, 2008; No. 58, 2011
S. 3......................................	rs. No. 118, 1977; No. 44, 1982
	am. No. 39, 1983
	rs. No. 83, 1988
	am. No. 122, 1995; No. 57, 2001; No. 68, 2003; No. 62, 2008
S. 4......................................	am. No. 199, 1991; No. 185, 1992; No. 43, 1996; No. 187, 1997; No. 57, 2001; No. 62, 2008
S. 4A...................................	ad. No. 185, 1992
	am. No. 187, 1997; No. 62, 2008; No. 58, 2011
S. 4AA.................................	ad. No. 81, 2005
S. 4B ..................................	ad. No. 185, 1992
	am. No. 58, 2011
S. 5A ..................................	ad. No. 187, 1997
	rep. No. 62, 2008
S. 6......................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
	am. No. 146, 1999
S. 7......................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
S. 8......................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
	am. No. 43, 1996
S. 9......................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
	rep. No. 94, 1992
Ss. 10, 11............................	ad. No. 63, 1984
S. 12....................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
	am. No. 46, 2011
Note to s. 12.......................	ad. No. 46, 2011
S. 13....................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
S. 14....................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
	am. No. 199, 1991
	rs. No. 146, 1999
S. 15....................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
S. 16....................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
	rep. No. 146, 1999
	ad. No. 58, 2011
S. 17....................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
	rep. No. 146, 1999
S. 18....................................	ad. No. 63, 1984 (as rep. by No. 165, 1984)
S. 19....................................	ad. No. 63, 1984
	am. No. 43, 1996
S. 20....................................	ad. No. 63, 1984

Table A

Application, saving or transitional provisions

Governor-General Legislation Amendment Act 2001 (No. 57, 2001)

Schedule 1

2  Transitional provision

The amendment made by this Part does not have effect during the continuance in office of the person holding office as Governor-General immediately before the commencement of this Act.

14  Application provision

The repeals and amendments made by this Schedule do not apply to a person who held office as Governor-General before 20 August 1996.

Governor-General Amendment (Salary and Superannuation) Act 2008
(No. 62, 2008)

Schedule 1

2  Transitional

The amendment made by this Part does not have effect during the continuance in office of the person holding office as Governor-General immediately before the commencement of this Part.

17  Application

The repeals and amendments made by this Part do not apply in relation to a person who held office as Governor-General at any time after 29 June 2001 and before the commencement of this Part.

Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws--Superannuation) Act 2008 (No. 134, 2008)

4  Entitlements from 1 July 2008

             (1)  If:

                     (a)  a person would have been entitled to one or more payments (the lost payments) under an Act that is amended by Schedule 1, 2, 3 or 5 to this Act if the relevant Schedule had commenced on 1 July 2008; and

                     (b)  because the Schedule did not commence until after 1 July 2008, the person is not entitled to the payment or payments; and

                     (c)  the person makes an application to the Finance Minister for one or more payments (the replacement payments) to compensate the person for the lost payments;

the Finance Minister must make a determination, in accordance with subsection (4), to fully compensate the person.

             (2)  If:

                     (a)  a person would have been entitled to one or more payments (the lost payments) under the Military Superannuation and Benefits Act 1991 if the first amendment of the Trust Deed under that Act that is made after the commencement of this section had commenced on 1 July 2008; and

                     (b)  because that amendment did not commence until after 1 July 2008, the person is not entitled to the payment or payments; and

                     (c)  the person makes an application to the Finance Minister for one or more payments (the replacement payments) to compensate the person for the lost payments;

the Finance Minister must make a determination, in accordance with subsection (4), to fully compensate the person.

             (3)  If:

                     (a)  a person would have been entitled to one or more payments (the lost payments) under the Superannuation Act 1990 if the first amendment of the Trust Deed under that Act that is made after the commencement of this section had commenced on 1 July 2008; and

                     (b)  because that amendment did not commence until after 1 July 2008, the person is not entitled to the payment or payments; and

                     (c)  the person makes an application to the Finance Minister for one or more payments (the replacement payments) to compensate the person for the lost payments;

the Finance Minister must make a determination, in accordance with subsection (4), to fully compensate the person.

             (4)  A determination by the Finance Minister under this subsection must:

                     (a)  be in writing; and

                     (b)  set out:

                              (i)  the amount and timing of the replacement payments; or

                             (ii)  the method of determining the amount and timing of the replacement payments.

             (5)  An application must be in writing in the form approved by the Finance Minister.

             (6)  To avoid doubt, a determination of the Finance Minister that a person is entitled to one or more replacement payments does not affect the entitlements of any other person under an Act amended by Schedule 1, 2, 3 or 5 to this Act, the Military Superannuation and Benefits Act 1991 or the Superannuation Act 1990.

             (7)  Replacement payments are to be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is appropriated accordingly.

             (8)  A determination made under this section is not a legislative instrument.

             (9)  In this section:

Finance Minister means the Minister who administers the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

Schedule 5

9  Application of amendments of the Governor-General Act 1974

The amendments of the Governor-General Act 1974 made by this Schedule apply in relation to a person who is appointed as Governor-General on or after the commencement of this Schedule.

Acts Interpretation Amendment Act 2011 (No. 46, 2011)

Schedule 3

10  Saving--appointments

The amendments made by Schedule 2 do not affect the validity of an appointment that was made under an Act before the commencement of this item and that was in force immediately before that commencement.

11  Transitional regulations

The Governor-General may make regulations prescribing matters of a transitional nature (including prescribing any saving or application provisions) relating to the amendments and repeals made by Schedules 1 and 2.