Government House
Canberra ACT 2600
31 August 2022
His Excellency the Governor-General directs it to be notified for general information that, acting on the advice of the Acting Prime Minister, he has approved the following updated Commonwealth Table of Precedence. The Table of Precedence notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 206, dated 5 October 1982, is hereby cancelled.
TABLE OF PRECEDENCE FOR THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
- The Governor-General.
- (a) The Governor of the State.
(b) Governors of the other States according to the date of appointment.
Note: A Lieutenant-Governor of a State who is not also Chief Justice shall, when not administering the Government of the State, have, within the State, precedence immediately after the Chief Justice of the State.
(c) The Administrator of the Northern Territory within their own Territory.
3. The Prime Minister of Australia.
4. The Premier within the Premier’s own State. The Chief Minister within the Chief Minister’s own Territory.
5. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives according to the date of appointment; if they are appointed at the same time, the President shall have precedence.
6. The Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.
7. (a) Ambassadors and High Commissioners according to the date of presentation of their Letters of Credence or Commission, or, in the case of High Commissioners who do not present Letters of Commission, according to their date of arrival in Canberra.
(b) Chargés d’Affaires en titre according to the date of presentation of their Letters of Credence.
(c) Chargés d’Affaires ad interim and Acting High Commissioners according to the date of assumption of duties.
8. Members of the Federal Executive Council under summons.
9. The Administrator of the Northern Territory.
10. The Leader of the Opposition.
11. (a) Former Governors-General according to the date of leaving office.
(b) Former Prime Ministers according to the date of leaving office.
(c) Former Chief Justices of the High Court of Australia according to the date of leaving office.
12. The Premiers of the States according to the population of their respective States and then the Chief Ministers of the Territories according to the population of their respective Territories.
13. The Lord Mayor within their jurisdiction.
14. Justices of the High Court of Australia according to seniority.
15. (a) The Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia.
(b) The Chief Justice of the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court of Australia (Division 1).
(c) The Chief Judge of the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court of Australia (Division 2).
16. The Chief Justice of the State or Territory Supreme Court and, after them, the other Chief Justices of Supreme Courts according to seniority.
17. Privy Counsellors.
18. The Chief of the Defence Force.
19. Chief Judges of State and Territory Courts according to the respective dates of first appointment to any one of those offices (includes Magistrate and County Courts).
20. Members of the Parliament of the Commonwealth.
21. (a) The President of the Fair Work Commission.
(b) The President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
22. Other Judges of Federal, State and Territory Courts according to the respective dates of first appointment to any of those offices.
23. Lord Mayors of jurisdictions according to population.
24. Heads of religious communities according to the date of assuming office in Australia.
25. Presiding Officer or Officers of the State legislature, then, the Presiding Officers of the other State legislatures according to the date of their appointment and, after them, the Presiding Officers of Territory legislatures according to the date of their appointment.
26. Members of the State Executive Council under summons to the Council, then the Members of the other State Executive Councils according to the population of their States and, after them, the Ministers of the Australian Capital Territory appointed under the Self Government Act and the Members of the Executive Council of the Northern Territory.
27. The Leader of the Opposition in the State, then the Leaders of the Opposition in the other States according to the population of their States and, after them, the Leaders of the Opposition in the Territories according to the population of their Territories.
28. Members of the Federal Executive Council not under summons.
29. Members of the State or Territory legislature, then members of the other State and/or Territory legislatures according to the population of their State or Territory.
30. The Permanent Heads of Departments of the Australian Public Service and their peers and the Chiefs of the Australian Navy, Army, and
Air Force, according to the date of first appointment to an office within this group.
31. Consuls-General, Consuls and Vice-Consuls according to the date on which recognition was granted.
32. Recipients of awards and honours at Knight Bachelor and above according to The Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards, as notified by the Governor-General from time to time, and recipients of equivalent awards according to the date on which the award was announced.
Note: A person acting on behalf of any of the foregoing shall enjoy the precedence of the person for whom he/she is acting with the understanding that, where there is more than one person in the class the person acting on behalf of another will take the precedence after other persons in that class who are attending in their own right.
A couple who both have a precedence entitlement shall enjoy the precedence of the spouse/partner with the higher precedence, and a person without an entitlement shall enjoy the precedence of his or her spouse/partner.
By His Excellency’s Command
Paul Singer MVO
Official Secretary to the Governor-General