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Finally, Australia has a female Governor General.

I can only say it’s about time. That, of course, is not to say there have not been some excellent people in the job. I really like Major General Michael Cosgrove , the out-going Governor General but I truly, madly, deeply feel the time was overdue for a woman to represent the Queen. It would never have occurred under the terms of the last Prime Minister, who made Margaret Thatcher seem like Leonid Brezhnev by his immovable conservatism.

Certainly there are a lot of Australians who would prefer a president to a Governor General, but I’m not so sure myself. I find some relief knowing the top job in the country is not another politician who is so indoctrinated by his or her life in their chosen political party they are unable to think outside that square. I feel it’s better having someone impartial whose first concern is looking out for the tribe, rather than ‘the party’.

Quentin Bryce has some big shoes to fill but she looks fit and healthy and knows the ropes after being Governor of Queensland.