Administrator of the Government

An Administrator (Administrator of the Government, Officer Administering the Government) in the constitutional practice of some countries in the Commonwealth is a person who fulfils a role similar to that of a Governor or a Governor-General.

Temporary administrators

Usually, the office of administrator is a temporary appointment, for periods during which the governor is incapacitated, outside the territory, or otherwise unable to perform his/her duties. The process for selecting Administrators varies from country to country.

Canada

The Administrator is usually the Chief Justice of Canada. In the absence of the Chief Justice the senior puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Canada is appointed. Administrators can also be appointed to the Canadian provinces to perform the duties of the Lieutenant Governor, in which case a justice of a provincial superior court is appointed.

In Yukon the position of Administrator is a political appointment corresponding roughly to that of "deputy commissioner".

Australia

Main article: Administrator (Australia)

In the Commonwealth of Australia, the Administrator is usually called the Administrator of the Commonwealth. State Governors hold a dormant commission and by convention the longest-serving state Governor becomes Administrator.

In the states of Australia, the Administrator is usually the Chief Justice of the state's Supreme Court or the next most senior justice. In 2001, the Constitution of Queensland was amended to restore the office of Lieutenant-Governor in that state. Links:

• Governor-General of Australia
  • Role of the Administrator at the Governor-General of Australia site

New Zealand

Under letters patent issued in 1983 and revised in 2006, the Chief Justice of New Zealand will be Administrator, followed by the other Judges of the New Zealand judiciary in order of seniority.

See also: List of Governors-General of New Zealand

Links:

• Governor-General of New Zealand
• Administrators of the Government at the Governor-General of New Zealand site
• Patent Constituting the Office of Governor -General of New Zealand

Papua-New Guinea

As a former External Territory of Australia, the head of the Territory's administration was called the Administrator of Papua-New Guinea before independence in 1975. The appointment was by the Governor-General of Australia on the advice of the Australian Minister of External Territories. The Minister for External Territories consulted with the territory's Chief Minister as part of the appointment process.

Hong Kong

When Hong Kong was a British Crown colony the Chief Secretary (Colonial Secretary before 1976) would be the Acting Governor, followed by the Financial Secretary and the Attorney General. The practice has remained after the transfer of sovereignty to China. Rotation takes place between the Chief Secretary for Administration (formerly Chief Secretary), the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Justice (formerly Attorney General) as the Acting chief executive.

Rhodesia

When the self-governing colony of Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1965, the Government of Prime Minister Ian Smith ignored the Governor of Rhodesia, Sir Humphrey Gibbs, and instead appointed Deputy Prime Minister Clifford Dupont as Officer Administering the Government. Dupont remained administrator until 1970, when Rhodesia was declared a Republic, after which Dupont became President of Rhodesia. The country renamed itself Zimbabwe Rhodesia in 1979, returned to colonial status following the Lancaster House Agreement later that year, and achieved independence deemed acceptable by the international community in 1980, when it was granted independence by Britain under the name Zimbabwe.

Permanent Administrators

The term Administrator is also used for a permanent officer representing the Sovereign where the appointment of a Governor would be inappropriate; it is also used for the representative of a Governor.

United Kingdom overseas possessions

• The civil Administrator Akrotiri and Dhekelia Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus is traditionally the military Commander of British Forces in the areas.
• The Administrator of the British Indian Ocean Territory is the junior to a Commissioner (Chagos Archipelago, notably Diego Garcia. He mandates the Commander of British Naval forces on Diego Garcia as his representative and Justice of the Peace, alongside the American Commander US Navy Facility Diego Garcia
• The two dependencies of Saint Helena, both sparsely populated Atlantic islands, are responsible in the first instance to the Governor of St Helena :
  • Ascension Island (since June 1964; )
  • Tristan da Cunha (since 31 Jan 1950; )

Australia

Main article: Administrator (Australia)

• Northern Territory: In the Northern Territory, the office of Administrator is a permanent appointment, and since the territory was granted self-government in 1978, the office of Administrator has become a largely ceremonial appointment, like that of the Governor in each State. Unlike the Governors, who are appointed by The Sovereign on advice of the Premier, the Administrator is appointed by the Governor-General on advice of the Prime Minister after consultation with the Chief Minister.
• external territories such as Norfolk Island and Christmas Island
• historically also on Lord Howe Island

There is no administrator in the Australian Capital Territory and the Chief Minister is elected by the Legislative Assembly.

New Zealand

• Tokelau has been governed by an administrator since 1949, when it was attached to New Zealand (previously it was part of the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands)
• Historically in Samoa as a League of Nations and United Nations mandate. (See List of colonial governors of Samoa.)

Other

United States

In the United States, the rank of Administrator denotes a high-level civilian official within the United States federal government. An official of sub-Cabinet rank, Administrators are appointed by the President of the United States with the consent of the United States Senate and are assigned to run a specific US government agency. Administrators often manage major agencies housed within specific Cabinet Departments (e.g., Research and Innovative Technology Administration within the United States Department of Transportation) while others are stand-alone agencies (e.g., the United States Environmental Protection Agency).

Sources and references

• WorldStatesmen click on the present state