Administrator of the Northern Territory

In accordance with the provisions of the "Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978 (Cth)", [http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/nta1978425/] the Northern Territory received self-government in 1979 under its own Administrator of the Northern Territory appointed by the Governor-General of Australia. Formally speaking the appointment of Administrator is made by the Governor-General-in-Council, that is the Governor-General acting on the "advice" of the Commonwealth Government and not the advice of the Government of the Northern Territory. However, the practice has arisen that in making his appointment the Governor-General-in Council will act on the "recommendation" of the Northern Territory Government. Unlike an Australian State Governor, the Administrator is not the "direct" representative of the Queen in the Territory but is instead appointed by the Queen's representative in the Commonwealth, the Governor-General, to administer the Territory in accordance with the Act. Actually, however, the Administrator performs a similar constitutional role to that of a State Governor and can be considered the Queen's "indirect" representative in the Territory.

The office of the "Deputy of the Administrator" was created in 1997.

The present Administrator is Tom Pauling, QC.

South Australia (1846 to 1912)

Government Residents of the Northern Territory when annexed to the colony (later state) of South Australia:

Government Resident (1846 to 1912)

*Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy; 21 February 1846
*Boyle Travers Finniss; 3 March 1864
*William Bloomfield Douglas; 27 April 1870
*George Byng Scott; 6 October 1873
*Edward William Prince; 1 July 1876
*John Langdon Parsons; 19 March 1884
*John George Knight; 16 July 1890
*Charles James Dashwood; 24 February 1892
*Charles Edward Herbert; 1 February 1905
*Samuel James Mitchell; 1 April 1910

=Commonwealth of Australia (1912 to present)=

Administrators and Government Residents of the Northern Territory after transfer of control to the Commonwealth Government:

Administrator (1912 to 1919)

*John Anderson Gilruth; 25 March 1912

Director (1919 to 1921)

*Henry Earnest Carey; 1 August 1919

Administrator (1921 to 1927)

*Frederic Charles Urquhart; 17 January 1921

Government Resident (1927 to 1931)

There was a brief experiment splitting government with an additional Government Resident (Centre Australia) in Alice Springs.
*John Charles Cawood (Government Resident for Centre Australia); 1 March 1927
*Robert Hunter Weddell (Government Resident for North Australia); 1 March 1927
*Victor George Carrington (Government Resident for Centre Australia); 11 December 1929

Administrator (1931 to present)

*Robert Hunter Weddell; (12 June 1931 - 1937)
*Charles Lydiard Aubrey Abbott; (29 March 1937 - 1946)
*L. H. A. Giles; (1946, acting)
*Arthur Robert Driver; (1 July 1946 - 1951)
*Frank Joseph Scott Wise; (1 July 1951 - 1956)
*James Clarence Archer; (1 July 1956 - 1961)
*Roger Bede Nott; (1 April 1961 - 1964)
*Roger Levinge Dean; (1 October 1964 - 1970)
*Sir Frederick Chaney; (4 March 1970 - 1973)
*T. A. O'Brien; (1973, acting)
*John Norman Nelson; (10 December 1973 - 1975)
*E. F. Dwyer; (1975 - 1978, acting)
*John England; (1 June July 1, 1978 - January 1, 1981)
*Commodore Eric Eugene Johnston; (January 1, 1981 - July 1, 1989)
*James Muirhead; (July 1, 1989 - 1993)
*Austin Asche; (1 March 1993 - 1997)
*Neil Raymond Conn; (17 February 1997 - 2000)
*John Anictomatis; (28 November 2000 - 30 October 2003)
*Edward (Ted) Joseph Egan; 31 October 2003 - 31 October 2007
*Tom Pauling; 31 October 2007 - present

Deputy of the Administrator (1997 to present)

The office of the "Deputy of the Administrator" was established in 1997.
*Minna Lydia Ruth Sitzler; (17 February 1997 - 30 November 2001)
*Pat Miller; (20 September 2002 - present)

See also

* Governors of the Australian states
* Darwin Rebellion
* James Millner

External links

* [http://www.nt.gov.au/administrator/ Government House, Northern Territory, Office of the Administrator - official site]