DCM > Government > Commonwealth Precedence

Table of Precedence

For the Commonwealth of Australia

1. The Governor General
2. (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 Administrators of the Northern Territory and Norfolk Island within their own Territories
3. The Prime Minister
4. The Premier within his own State. The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory and the Chief Minister of Norfolk Island within their own Territories
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 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 the date of arrival in Canberra
   (b) Charges d’Affaires en pied or en titre according to the date of presentation of their Letters of Credence
   (c) Charges d’Affaires and Acting High Commissioners according to the date of assumption of duties
8. Members of the Federal Executive Council under summons
9. The Administrators of the Northern Territory and of Norfolk Island
10. The Leader of the Opposition
11. (a) Former Governor-Generals according to the date of leaving office
    (b) Former Prime Ministers according to the date of leaving office
    (c) Former Chief Justices of Australia according to the date of leaving office
12. The Premiers of the States according to the population of their respective State and then the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, The Australian Capital Territory and of Norfolk Island
13. The Lord Mayor within his City
14. Justice of the High Court according to seniority
15. (a) The Chief Judge of the Federal Court of Australia
    (b) The President of the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission
16. The Chief Justice of the State and, after him the other Chief Justices according to seniority
17. Privy Counsellors
18. The Chief of the Defence Force Staff
19. Chief Judges of Federal and Territory Courts according to the respective dates of first appointment to any one of those offices
20. Other Judges of Federal Courts and the Deputy Presidents of the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, according to the respective dates of first appointment to any one of those offices
21. Lord Mayors of Capital cities according to their population
22. Heads of religious communities according to the date of assuming office in Australia
23. Presiding officer or officers of the State Legislature and after him/her or them the presiding officers of the other State Legislatures according to the date of appointment, then the Presiding Officers of the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory and Norfolk Island Legislatures
24. Members of the State Executive Council under summons to the Council and, after them, the members of the other State Executive Councils according to the population of their States, then the Members of the Executive Council of the Northern Territory
25. The Leader of the Opposition in the State and, after him/her the Leaders of the Opposition in the other states according to the population of their States, then the Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory
26. Judges of State and Territory Supreme Courts according to seniority
27. Members of Federal Executive Council not under summons
28. Members of the State Legislature, and after them, members of the other State Legislatures according to the population of their States
29. Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory
30. Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
31. The permanent Heads of Departments of the Australian Public Service and their peers and the Chief’s of the Australian Naval, General and Air Staffs, according to the date of their first appointment to an office within this group
32. Consuls-General, Consuls and Vice-Consuls according to the date on which recognition was granted
33. Recipients of decorations and honours taking precedence over Knights Bachelor and Knights of the various Orders (including Knights Bachelor), all according to the precedence promulgated in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S187 of 31 August 1982

    Note: A person acting on behalf of any of the foregoing shall enjoy the precedence of the person for whom he 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 precedence after other persons in that class who are attending in their own right.

    A married couple shall enjoy the precedence of the spouse with the higher precedence and a husband or wife shall enjoy the precedence of the spouse.