How to Address the Governor General?

How do I address the Governor General of Australia? Is he an Excellency or a Right Honorable?
———————– MEH, Lowell, MA

Dear MEH:
The Governor-General of Australia is addressed as His/Her Excellency denoting his/her rank the vice-royal representative of the monarch to a Commonwealth nation.  The Governor-General is the chief-of-state when the monarch is not in Australia.

In writing, on an envelope or address block of an email:
—-—-His/Her Excellency
—-—-(Name) (post nominals decorations)
—-—-Governor General of Australia
—-—-(Address)

—-In a salutation or in conversation:
—-—-Your Excellency.

— Robert Hickey     How to Address Australian Officials

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

How to Address a Senator?

President of the Senate

—-Envelope or address block on an email:
—-—-Senator the Honourable
—-—-(Full name)
—-—-President of the Senate
—-—-The Senate
—-—-(Address)

—-Letter salutation:
—-—-Dear Mr./Madame President:

—-Conversation:
—-—-Mr./Madame President
—-—-President
—-—-—-or
—-—-Senator (surname)

  How to Address Australian Officials

Senator

—-Example:
—-—-(Full name), senator for (state)

—-Envelope, official:
—-—-Senator (full name)
—-—-(Address)

—-Letter salutation:
—-—-Dear Senator:
—-—-—-or
—-—-Dear Senator (surname):

—-Conversation, initially:
—-—-Senator (surname)
—-Conversation, subsequently:
—-—-Senator

– Robert Hickey

How to Address an Governor

Examples:
—-(Full name), AC
—-Professor (full name), AC
—-Dr. (full name), AM
—-Rear Admiral (full name), AO, CSC, RANR
—-The Honourable (full name), AC

NOTE: A former governor does not continue to use the courtesy title the Honourable after leaving office. Address with Mr./Mrs./etc., a rank or title as appropriate, and identify as a former governor of (state). Some former officeholders may be knighted: Use Sir/Dame before the name.

—-Envelope or address block of an email:
—-—-His/Her Excellency
—-—-(Honorific, rank or title) (full name), (post-nominals as appropriate)
—-—-Governor
—-—-(Address)

—-Letter salutation:
—-—-Your Excellency:

—-Conversation:
—-—-Your Excellency

—-Conversation, less formal:
—-—-(Honorific, rank or title) (surname)
—-——–or
—-—-Governor

Conversation, subsequently:
—-—-Sir
—-—-—-or
—-—-ma’am

  How to Address Australian Officials

How to Address an Australian Premier

Example:
—-(Full name), MLA
—-Sir (full name), MHA
—-Dr. (full name), MHA

NOTE 1: Outside of a legislative session, a premier may be addressed as Mr./Mrs./etc. (surname) and identified as a the premier.

NOTE 2: A former premier does not continue to be addressed as the Honourable because of his or her service as premier. However, a former premier may retain use of the Honourable on a case-by-case basis. Check for the individual situation. Otherwise, address as Mr./Mrs./etc. (name) and identify as the former premier of (state).

—-Envelope, official:
—-—-The Honourable
—-—-(Special honorific if provided) (full name), (post-nominals)
—-—-Premier
—-—-(Address)

—-Letter salutation:
—-—-Dear Premier:

—-Conversation, initially:
—-—-Premier (surname)
—-—-—-OR
—-—-Premier

—-Conversation, subsequently:
—-—-Sir
—-—-—-or 
—-—-ma’am”

  How to Address Australian Officials

Australian,  British and Canadian forms of address are related.
See note on use of British spelling in honourable and right honourable.

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?

You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing a letter, invitation, card or Email. (If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.)  The form noted in the salutation is the same form you say when you say their name in conversation or when you greet them.
___What I don’t cover on this site are many things I do cover in my book: all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions, etc. I hope you’ll get a copy of the book if you’d like the further detail.

Not Finding Your Answer?

—-#1)  At right on desktops, at the bottom of every page on tablets and phones, is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.

—-#2)  If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so (unless I am traveling.)  Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.

—-#3)  If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question  – but always change all the specifics.

— Robert Hickey 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

Recommended Resources:  The Protocol School of Washington (PSOW) and Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA)    For more information see the Protocol Resources page.