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The 30th Governor of Victoria has acknowledged her nervousness at carrying the honour after she was sworn in at state parliament on Wednesday.
“I think one would be an unusual person if you didn’t feel nervousness,” Margaret Gardner said on Wednesday morning after the inauguration. “There’s that point at which you’re standing outside yourself and saying, ‘is this really me?’”
Governor Margaret Gardner and Premier Daniel Andrews after her inauguration on Wednesday.Credit: Joe Armao
Gardner, a professor and the former vice chancellor of Monash University, was appointed in June when she conceded she was a republican – despite now representing King Charles in Victoria and pledging allegiance to him on Wednesday.
“But I recognise that we are living currently in a constitutional monarchy and will do so until such time as people decide otherwise,” she said in June.
Asked on Wednesday how she reconciled being the King’s representative in Victoria despite those beliefs, she said she would perform her role in accordance with the constitution.
“I believe that the role of governor, as I said, is to engage with all the people of Victoria, and that includes the First Peoples,” she said.
Former premiers Jeff Kennett, Ted Baillieu and John Brumby were among the guests, along with former governors David de Kretser and Alex Chernov, and former governor-general Peter Hollingworth.
Chief Justice Anne Ferguson, Lieutenant-Governor James Angus, cabinet ministers, upper house president Shaun Leane and lower house speaker Maree Edwards were among those present.
Gardner acknowledged the new co-chairs of the First Peoples Assembly, Gunditjmara man Rueben Berg and Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dhudhuroa and Dja Dja Wurrung woman Ngarra Murray, who were also present for the inauguration.
Andrews thanked Linda Dessau, who became the first woman Governor of Victoria in 2015, for her service.
Gardner has also chaired the Group of Eight University, was vice chancellor of RMIT University for nine years, and served on the boards of Infrastructure Victoria, Museums Victoria and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government.
The Victorian governor was paid $485,000 in 2022.
After the formal ceremony in the Legislative Council, proceedings then continued with Gardner’s first official arrival at Government House on Wednesday afternoon.
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