The Monarch and The Governor

The British monarch is the head of Queensland. The Monarch, who is Queen Elizabeth II in 2004, is represented legally in Queensland by a Governor who lives in Government House.

The Governor is determined on the recommendation by the Premier to the Monarch who makes the appointment.

The Governor signs all legislation or laws passed by Parliament.

First Parliament

The first Queensland Parliament met in 1860. There was an Upper House known as the Legislative Council and a Lower House of Legislative Assembly.

Queensland's Legislative Council (Upper House)

Existed from 1860 to 1922 when abolished. Queensland is the only State in Australia with a one-house Parliament.

The Council chamber is still maintained within Parliament House and in the Westminster tradition remains carpeted in red as the Royal House. It is now used for offical functions, visits from the monarch, award ceremonies and conferences.

Queensland's Legislative Assembly (Lower House)

In the Westminster tradition the carpets are of green to represent the grass of the commons. The Assembly is the people's house.

There are 89 members of parliament in the Legislative Assembly.

Electoral Processes

In the first elections only land owners could vote, but in 1872 all adult male British residents, who had lived in Queensland, could vote.

Women were granted the vote in 1905.

Premiers of Queensland Before 1911

Name	Appointed
R.G.W. Herbert	10 December 1859
A. Macalister	01 February 1866
R.G.W. Herbert	20 July 1866
R.R. Mackenzie	15 August 1867
C. Lilley	25 November 1868
A.H. Palmer	03 May 1870
A. Macalister	08 January 1874
G. Thorn	05 June 1876
J. Douglas	08 March 1877
T. McIlwraith	21 January 1879
S.W. Griffith	13 November 1883
T. McIlwraith	13 June 1888
B.D. Morehead	30 November 1888
S.W. Griffith	12 August 1890
T. McIlwraith	27 March 1893
T.J. Byrnes	13 April 1898
J.R. Dickson	01 October 1898
A. Dawson	01 December 1899
R. Philp	07 December 1899
A. Morgan	17 September 1903
W. Kidston	19 January 1906
R. Philp	19 November 1907
W. Kidston	18 February 1908

Governors in and over the State of Queensland and its Dependencies

• Lord Lamington (Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochran Baillie) 1 January 1901 - 19 December 1901


• Major-General Sir Herbert Charles Chermside 24 March 1902 - 10 October 1904


• Lord Chelmsford (Frederick John Napier Thesiger) 30 November 1905 - 26 May 1909


• Sir William Macgregor 2 December 1909 - 16 July 1914


• Major Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams 15 March 1915 - 3 February 1920


• The Right Honorable Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Mathew Nathan 3 December 1920 - 1 September 1925
  
• Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Herbert John Chapmin Goodwin 13 June 1927 - 7 April 1932


• Colonel Sir Leslie Orme Wilson 12 June 1932 16 May 1937


• Colonel Sir Leslie Orme Wilson 22 November 1937 - 23 April 1946


• Lieutenant-General Sir John Dudley Lavarack 1 October 1946 - 4 December 1957


• Colonel Sir Henry Abel Smith 18 March 1958 - 18 March 1966


• Sir Allan James Mansfield 21 March 1966 - 20 March 1972


• Air Marshall Sir Colin Thomas Hannah 21 March 1972 - 20 March 1977


• Commodore Sir James Maxwell Ramsey 2 April 1977 to 21 July 1985


• Sir Walter Benjamin Campbell 22 July 1985 to 29 July 1992


• Her Excellency Mrs Mary Marguerite Leneen Forde 29 July 1992 to 29 July 1997


• Major-General Peter Arnison 29 July 1997 to


• Ms Quentin Bryce, AC

Premiers of Queensland since 1911.

• D. F. Denham, appointed 7 February 1911 - Ministerialist


• T.J. Ryan, appointed 1 June 1915 - Labor


• E.G. Theodore, appointed 22 October 1919 - Labor


• W.N Gilles, appointed 26 February 1925 - Labor


• W McCormack, appointed 22 October 1925 - Labor


• A.E. Moore, appointed 21 May 1929 - Labor


• W. Forgan Smith, appointed 17 June 1932 - Labor


• F.A.Cooper, appointed 16 Sept 1942 - Labor


• E.M.Hanlon, appointed 7 March 1946 - Labor


• V.C. Gair, appointed 17 January 1952 - Labor


• G.F.R. Nicklin, appointed 12 August 1957 - Country Party


• Jack C. A. Pizzey, appointed 17 January 1968 - Country Party


• Gordan.W.W. Chalk, appointed 1 August 1968 - Country Party


• Johannes Bjelke-Petersen (Longest serving), appointed 8 August 1968 - Country / National Party


• M.J.Ahern, appointed 1 December 1987 - National Party


• T.R. Cooper, appointed 25 Sept 1989 - National Party


• Wayne Goss, appointed 7 December 1989 - Australian Labor Party


• Robert Borbidge, appointed 20 February 1996 - National Party


• Peter Beattie, appointed 26 June 1998 - Australian Labor Party

Early Queensland Governors

The first Governor was Sir George Ferguson Bowen and known as the Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of the Colony of Queensland and its Dependencies. He was in the position from 10 December 1859 to 4 January 1868.

The second Governor, Colonel Samuel Wensley, was known as the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony and its Dependencies. he was in the position from 14 August 1868 to 2 January 1871. He was followed by:

• Marquess of Normanby (George Augustus Constantine Phipps) 12 August 1871 - 12 November 1874


• William Wellington Cairns 23 January 1875 - 14 March 1877


• Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy 20 July 1877 - 2 May 1883


• Sir Anthony Musgrave 6 November 1883 - 9 November 1888


• General Sir Henry Wylie Norman 1 May 1889 - 31 December 1895


• Lord Lamington (Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochran Baillie) - 9 April 1896 - 31 December 1900.