by Johnson Leung reporting for AFANA from Melbourne
AFL Commissioner and former Family Court judge Linda Dessau will become the first female Governor of Victoria in July this year. A passionate Essendon fan, Dessau was the founding chair of the Essendon Women's Network in 1997 before joining the AFL Commission in 2008, and was involved in dealing with the Bombers' drugs scandal. She was a Justice of the Family Court of Victoria from 1995 to 2013, and had also been a Magistrate in the Children's Court, Coroner's Court and the Melbourne Magistrates' Court, a barrister at the Victorian Bar, and Senior Crown Counsel in Hong Kong. Dessau is a Patron of the Epilepsy Foundation and food recycling charity One Umbrella. She also serves on the board of the Melbourne Arts Festival and is a Trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2010 for her service to the judiciary and the community.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews praised Dessau as an honest voice of change who helped bring Australian family law and the AFL into the new century. He said "From the sporting and cultural icons that make our state liveable, to important family law work that keeps women and children safe, Ms Dessau has helped shape Victoria for the better."
Dessau said she was honored to become Governor as the sense of community that the role carries resonates strongly with her. She said "Particularly having spent all that time with people really at the coal face of the sorts of issues and problems that our community faces ... Social inclusion and respect for diversity and harmony and unity generally in our community will be very much at the forefront of the activities I will be doing."
AFL Commission Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said Dessau's appointment recognized her outstanding contribution to the community in various roles, including her legal career, and was a great honor for the wider football community. He said "While we are disappointed to lose her skills from the Commission, she will not be lost to football and her commitment to a better society for all will continue to see her as a leader in the community."
The roles of the Governor in Australia are different from those of the Governor in the US. As Australia is a constitutional monarchy, the State Governor is the British monarch's representative in the State and is the ceremonial head of the State Government. Each State Governor is appointed by the British monarch, on the advice of the Premier who is the political head of the State Government. The Governor appoints the Premier and has the rarely used power to sack the Premier as well as granting or declining requests for dissolutions of the State legislature. In the US, the Governor is both the ceremonial and political head of the State Government and is directly elected.
Dessau will leave the AFL Commission before becoming Victoria's 29th Governor on July 1, 2015, replacing Alex Chernov who has been Governor since 2011.
Sources: afl.com.au, theage.com.au, Premier of Victoria press release, Wikipedia
AFL Commissioner and former Family Court judge Linda Dessau will become the first female Governor of Victoria in July this year. A passionate Essendon fan, Dessau was the founding chair of the Essendon Women's Network in 1997 before joining the AFL Commission in 2008, and was involved in dealing with the Bombers' drugs scandal. She was a Justice of the Family Court of Victoria from 1995 to 2013, and had also been a Magistrate in the Children's Court, Coroner's Court and the Melbourne Magistrates' Court, a barrister at the Victorian Bar, and Senior Crown Counsel in Hong Kong. Dessau is a Patron of the Epilepsy Foundation and food recycling charity One Umbrella. She also serves on the board of the Melbourne Arts Festival and is a Trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2010 for her service to the judiciary and the community.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews praised Dessau as an honest voice of change who helped bring Australian family law and the AFL into the new century. He said "From the sporting and cultural icons that make our state liveable, to important family law work that keeps women and children safe, Ms Dessau has helped shape Victoria for the better."
Dessau said she was honored to become Governor as the sense of community that the role carries resonates strongly with her. She said "Particularly having spent all that time with people really at the coal face of the sorts of issues and problems that our community faces ... Social inclusion and respect for diversity and harmony and unity generally in our community will be very much at the forefront of the activities I will be doing."
AFL Commission Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said Dessau's appointment recognized her outstanding contribution to the community in various roles, including her legal career, and was a great honor for the wider football community. He said "While we are disappointed to lose her skills from the Commission, she will not be lost to football and her commitment to a better society for all will continue to see her as a leader in the community."
The roles of the Governor in Australia are different from those of the Governor in the US. As Australia is a constitutional monarchy, the State Governor is the British monarch's representative in the State and is the ceremonial head of the State Government. Each State Governor is appointed by the British monarch, on the advice of the Premier who is the political head of the State Government. The Governor appoints the Premier and has the rarely used power to sack the Premier as well as granting or declining requests for dissolutions of the State legislature. In the US, the Governor is both the ceremonial and political head of the State Government and is directly elected.
Dessau will leave the AFL Commission before becoming Victoria's 29th Governor on July 1, 2015, replacing Alex Chernov who has been Governor since 2011.
Sources: afl.com.au, theage.com.au, Premier of Victoria press release, Wikipedia
Article last changed on Tuesday, February 17, 2015 - 4:39 AM EST
