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| Peter Cosgrove likely to become Australia’s next governor general | Peter Cosgrove likely to become Australia’s next governor general |
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| Speculation is growing that the former defence force chief, Peter Cosgrove, will be appointed as Australia’s next governor general. | Speculation is growing that the former defence force chief, Peter Cosgrove, will be appointed as Australia’s next governor general. |
| The formal announcement of Quentin Bryce’s replacement would likely be made in late January, the Australian newspaper reported on Thursday. It said the decision to appoint Cosgrove had been “taken but not finalised”, with the recommendation yet to be sent to Buckingham Palace for approval. | The formal announcement of Quentin Bryce’s replacement would likely be made in late January, the Australian newspaper reported on Thursday. It said the decision to appoint Cosgrove had been “taken but not finalised”, with the recommendation yet to be sent to Buckingham Palace for approval. |
| In 2008, Kevin Rudd appointed Bryce to a five-year term as Australia’s first female governor-general. Last year the Queen agreed to extend Bryce’s tenure to March 2014 on the advice of Julia Gillard, to avoid a decision on the sensitive appointment before the election. | In 2008, Kevin Rudd appointed Bryce to a five-year term as Australia’s first female governor-general. Last year the Queen agreed to extend Bryce’s tenure to March 2014 on the advice of Julia Gillard, to avoid a decision on the sensitive appointment before the election. |
| A spokeswoman for the prime minister, Tony Abbott, refused to confirm that the government planned to name Cosgrove as Bryce’s successor, characterising the reports as “speculation”. | A spokeswoman for the prime minister, Tony Abbott, refused to confirm that the government planned to name Cosgrove as Bryce’s successor, characterising the reports as “speculation”. |
| “We’ll make an appointment in due course with plenty of time before Ms Bryce leaves in March,” she said on Thursday. | “We’ll make an appointment in due course with plenty of time before Ms Bryce leaves in March,” she said on Thursday. |
| Abbott is currently on leave. The acting prime minister, Warren Truss, told reporters at a media conference on Thursday it would be "inappropriate to speculate" on the timing or details of the next governor general. | Abbott is currently on leave. The acting prime minister, Warren Truss, told reporters at a media conference on Thursday it would be "inappropriate to speculate" on the timing or details of the next governor general. |
| However, Truss subsequently praised Cosgrove's suitability for the job. "I'm sure Peter Cosgrove would be an excellent candidate but I'm sure there would be other people also who could do the job well," he said. | However, Truss subsequently praised Cosgrove's suitability for the job. "I'm sure Peter Cosgrove would be an excellent candidate but I'm sure there would be other people also who could do the job well," he said. |
| "We want somebody who can be a representative for our country that we will feel proud of as the head of state. We want someone who has obviously a proven record of personal achievement, that's admired and accepted by all Australians as a suitable person to do the job." | "We want somebody who can be a representative for our country that we will feel proud of as the head of state. We want someone who has obviously a proven record of personal achievement, that's admired and accepted by all Australians as a suitable person to do the job." |
| Cosgrove – the former commander of peace-keeping forces in East Timor and a previous Australian of the Year – has long been rumoured to be in line to serve as the Queen’s representative in Australia. | Cosgrove – the former commander of peace-keeping forces in East Timor and a previous Australian of the Year – has long been rumoured to be in line to serve as the Queen’s representative in Australia. |
| Several media reports in April quoted Coalition insiders nominating Cosgrove as the favourite to replace Bryce. At the time, Abbott rejected separate claims that former prime minister John Howard was in the frame for the position and made his preference for a military appointment clear: ''I'm on the record as saying that I think former military personnel and former judges, by and large, make the best vice-regal appointments.” | Several media reports in April quoted Coalition insiders nominating Cosgrove as the favourite to replace Bryce. At the time, Abbott rejected separate claims that former prime minister John Howard was in the frame for the position and made his preference for a military appointment clear: ''I'm on the record as saying that I think former military personnel and former judges, by and large, make the best vice-regal appointments.” |
| Cosgrove commanded an infantry platoon in Vietnam and was awarded the Military Cross for his work during an assault on enemy positions, according to an Australian War Memorial biography. | Cosgrove commanded an infantry platoon in Vietnam and was awarded the Military Cross for his work during an assault on enemy positions, according to an Australian War Memorial biography. |
| He gained a high public profile in 1999 when he was appointed commander of the International Forces East Timor to oversee the transition to independence. He subsequently became chief of the army and, in 2002, chief of the defence force. That role ended in 2005. In 2006 the then Labor premier of Queensland, Peter Beattie, appointed Cosgrove to oversee the rebuilding of communities devastated by Cyclone Larry. More recently, Cosgrove has served as the chancellor of the Australian Catholic University. | He gained a high public profile in 1999 when he was appointed commander of the International Forces East Timor to oversee the transition to independence. He subsequently became chief of the army and, in 2002, chief of the defence force. That role ended in 2005. In 2006 the then Labor premier of Queensland, Peter Beattie, appointed Cosgrove to oversee the rebuilding of communities devastated by Cyclone Larry. More recently, Cosgrove has served as the chancellor of the Australian Catholic University. |
| Bryce last month attracted controversy for appearing to endorse an Australian republic and same-sex marriage during her final Boyer lecture. The governor-general invited Australians to imagine a way to advance a fairer Australia and closed her speech by declaring: “My friends, in our imagining I suggest a nation where an ethic of care guides the way we lead; where the young, the elderly, the Indigenous, the newly arrived, people with disabilities are treated with dignity and respect, and able to be the best and healthiest they can be; where every child is given the opportunity of a good education from their very early years; where women’s contributions to civil society, the workplace, the economy, the family and home are valued equally with men’s; where streets, homes, schools, women and girls are spared violence; where people are free to love and marry whom they choose; and where, perhaps, my friends, one day, one young girl or boy may even grow up to be our nation’s first head of state.” | Bryce last month attracted controversy for appearing to endorse an Australian republic and same-sex marriage during her final Boyer lecture. The governor-general invited Australians to imagine a way to advance a fairer Australia and closed her speech by declaring: “My friends, in our imagining I suggest a nation where an ethic of care guides the way we lead; where the young, the elderly, the Indigenous, the newly arrived, people with disabilities are treated with dignity and respect, and able to be the best and healthiest they can be; where every child is given the opportunity of a good education from their very early years; where women’s contributions to civil society, the workplace, the economy, the family and home are valued equally with men’s; where streets, homes, schools, women and girls are spared violence; where people are free to love and marry whom they choose; and where, perhaps, my friends, one day, one young girl or boy may even grow up to be our nation’s first head of state.” |
| The appearance of a still-serving governor-general to endorse a republic infuriated monarchists, who accused her of politicising her office. Abbott, a strong monarchist, decided against criticising the governor general’s intervention, saying Bryce was entitled to voice her opinions as she approached the end of her term and she “did it in graceful style”. | The appearance of a still-serving governor-general to endorse a republic infuriated monarchists, who accused her of politicising her office. Abbott, a strong monarchist, decided against criticising the governor general’s intervention, saying Bryce was entitled to voice her opinions as she approached the end of her term and she “did it in graceful style”. |
| In October, the government revealed Bryce had offered to resign to avoid any appearance of bias after her daughter Chloe's husband, Bill Shorten, was elected to lead the Labor opposition. Abbott praised Bryce's "magnanimity" but rejected the offer, saying it was "fit and proper" for her to serve out the remaining five months of her term. | |
| In the lead-up to the September election Abbott warned the then Labor government against appointing the next governor-general, saying more broadly: “What we can’t have is a situation where an outgoing government attempts to reach out from the political grave to make decisions far after its political death.” | In the lead-up to the September election Abbott warned the then Labor government against appointing the next governor-general, saying more broadly: “What we can’t have is a situation where an outgoing government attempts to reach out from the political grave to make decisions far after its political death.” |
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