Posted on 11/13/2009 6:32:28 PM PST by naturalman1975
I can't find an online news story on this or I would post it.
Back in January, Australia awarded its first Victoria Cross - Australia and the Commonwealth of Nation's as a whole, highest award for valour in the face of the enemy - to Trooper Mark Donaldson of the Special Air Service.
He was decorated by Her Excellency Quentin Bryce AC, Governor General of Australia, appointed by the Queen on the advice of Australia's Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and the first woman to hold the role as Australia's de facto Head of State as the Queen's representative. She is a socialist who came to prominment as a human rights activist (specifically women's rights) and I have no time for her politically, though I respect her constitutional role.
It has just become public knowledge here that at the time he was decorated at Government House in Canberra, Trooper Donaldson was on leave after returning from Afghanistan. He was on holiday with his family. The Governor General is the Commander-In-Chief of the Australian Defence Force and so naturally when she called for him and his family to come to Canberra, he cut short his holiday and did so.
This is the bit that has impressed me. The Governor General found out he was on holiday, found out she'd basically forced him to interrupt it - and what she did then was arrange for him and his family to spend a week as her guests at Admiralty House in Sydney. This is the Governor General's official Sydney residence.
It is a mansion. It is close to being a palace, in fact, overlooking some of the most impressive views of Sydney Harbour imaginable. It's normal guests are people like members of the Royal Family - the Pope stayed there on his most recent village to Australia.
It is an impressive gesture on the part of the Governor General to make it available to the Donaldson's for their holiday and makes me feel much better about her being in the role. I may not agree with her politics, but at least she seems to have some idea of what her duty is and her role should be.
This is the type of views you get there.
Oh wow.
Lookin’ pretty good today for an ‘island’ that was once a penal colony of the British. :)
You might find this article interesting regarding the Canadian Governor General. http://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/archive/00329/Governor-General_329182artw.JPG
oops that was a link to the image...here is the article link http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/governor-general-embraces-military-uniform/article1360150/
Classy on the part of the G.G.
Thank you - yes, I did find that interesting.
I’m embarassed to say that as somebody who once served as a protocol expert in the Australian Defence Force, I have no idea if there’s any similar tradition here, but I think it’s a good one (Australian Governors General who are retired officers (and many have been) have often worn their uniform, and others used to wear a British style uniform many years ago, but I’ve no idea if we’ve ever had an Australian uniform specifically for a GG. I inetend to ask - they are the Commander-In-Chief and there are situations where it would be appropriate).
“She’s a good Sheila, Bruce, and not at all stuck up.”
Cheers - all information gratefully received.
It’s not something that ever came up - not that I was ever doing much at the vice regal level.
It’s extremely rare, but occasionally politically wrongheaded people can be decent sorts otherwise.
Good for her doing what’s right to correct an unfortunate situation.
It's from an Army instruction but the Rank slide would be the same regardless of the service uniform worn.
Thank you.
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