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An Administrator (Administrator of the Government, Officer Administering the Government) in Commonwealth constitutional practice is a person who fulfils a role similar to that of a Govenor or a Governor-General.
Temporary Administrators
Usually, the office of administrator is a temporary appointment, for periods during which the governor is incapacitated, outside the territory, or otherwise unable to perform his/her duties. The process for selecting Administrators varies from country to country.
Canada
The Chief Justice of Canada is usually made Administrator, or in his absence the senior puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.Links:
- Governor General of Canada
- Governor General's Act 1985 (Canada) at Canadian Department of Justice site
Australia
Main article: Administrator (Australia)In the Commonwealth of Australia, the Administrator, usually called the Administrator of the Commonwealth, is by convention the longest-serving state Governor.
In the states of Australia, executive authority generally passes to an Administrator, who is usually by default the Chief Justice of the states Supreme Court or the next most senior justice.
In the Northern Territory, the office of Administrator is a permanent appointment, and since the territory was granted self-government in 1978, the office of Administrator has become a largely ceremonial appointment, like that of the Governor in each State. Unlike the Governors, who are appointed by the Sovereign on advice of the Premier, the Administrator is appointed by the Governor-General on advice of the Prime Minister after consultation with the Chief Minister. There is no administrator in the Australian Capital Territory and the Chief Minister is elected by the Legislative Assembly.
Links:
New Zealand
Customarily, the Chief Justice of New Zealand is made Administrator, followed by the President of the Court of Appeal, and then the Senior Judge of that same court.Links:
Hong Kong
When Hong Kong was a British crown colony the Chief Secretary (Colonial Secretary before 1976) would be the Acting Governor in the absence of the Governor, followed by the Financial Secretary and the Attorney General. The practice has remained after the transfer of sovereignty to the People's Republic of China. Rotation takes place between the Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Justice as the Acting Chief Executive.Rhodesia
When the colony of Southern Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1965, the Government of Prime Minister Ian Smith ignored the Governor of Rhodesia, Sir Humphrey Gibbs, and instead appointed Deputy Prime Minister Clifford Dupont as Officer Administrating the Government. Dupont retained the administrator title until 1970, when Rhodesia was declared a Republic, after which the same Dupont became President of Rhodesia; only later in 1980 was the country officially decolonised and became Zimbabwe.Permanent Administrators
The term Administrator is also used for a permanent officer representing HM where appointment of a Governor would be inappropriate, and also for representatives of a Governor (almost like a Lieutenant-Governor). Examples of such territorial administrations:
United Kingdom overseas possessions
- Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus, since the 16 August 1960 Treaty of Establishment of the Republic of Cypruswhich made the rest of the island a sovereign republic; traditionally filled by the military Commander of British Forces, for a 1 to 3 years term, about half were knighted, mostly before this appointment
- The British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago, notably Diego Garcia island, where ) since 1965; however here he is the junior to a Commissioner (both always resided in London), who since 1990 has a flag, and mandates the Commander of British Naval forces on Diego Garcia as his Commissioner's Representative and Justice of the Peace, alongside the American Commander U.S. Navy Facility Diego Garcia
- two sparsely populated Atlantic islands, both under the Governor of Saint Helena:
- Ascension Island (since June 1964; )
- Tristan da Cunha (since 31 Jan 1950; )
Australia
- Northern Territory
- external territories such as Norfolk Island and Christmas Island
- historically also on Lord Howe Island
New Zealand
- Tokelau since 1949, when it was attached to the dominion (previously -as Union Group until 1946- it was part of the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands)
Sources and references
- WorldStatesmen click on the present state
"Administrator of the Government"