Sir Peter Cosgrove sworn in as Australia's 26th Governor-General

[nero_bolt]

 Fantastic choice as our new GG 

Sir Peter Cosgrove has been sworn in as Australia's 26th Governor-General, declaring it "the greatest honour" of his family's "fortunate lives".

The former Defence chief is the first man to be knighted under Prime Minister Tony Abbott's revived honours system.

He used his swearing-in address in the Senate today to pay tribute to Indigenous Australians, his predecessor Dame Quentin Bryce, and Cameron Corporal Baird - the special forces commando who was posthumously awarded a Victoria Cross in February this year.

"We hail and salute Cameron Baird," he said. "He lives in the injured hearts of those he left too soon."

His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove, as he is now known, wore his string of military medals when he arrived at Parliament House in a motorcade.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-28/peter-cosgrove-sworn-in-governor-general/5351436

[lakeland27]

''how dare he!  that the leftards now hop into a decent man.''

i think this term offensive.  not  to me, but to those with an intellectual disability.  i know its fine in the andrew comments section.. but not away from boltville. and Bolt and his fawning sycophants in their permanent state of faux outrage need to think before they open their vacuous cakeholes. . so please do.

[polksaladallie]

I had to look that up, and had to find who said it.  What a surprise, not.

[lakeland27]

[just_me_karen]

That sums up its general attitude to life. What a dreadful word.

I don't mind Cosgrove but if I ever happen to meet him I won't be calling him sir. I think he has reasonably open attitudes and the ability to relate to people. We all knew abbott would anoint an old, white male so I guess he's better than others on his short list. Bolt, for example. Or Murdoch.

Someone asked back there whether pollies write their own speeches. Abbott obviously did, when he welcomed the new GG. He managed to insult both Cosgrove and the wider Australian public in one paragraph, when he said GGs travel to places not important enough for prime ministers to go.

[polksaladallie]

HIs appointment was a reward for past services.  

[lurker17260]

OMG jmk, I had to go and look that up. I thought it might be out of context or something. But no, there it is, on the PM website

"As Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Lynne travel the length and breadth of our country, visiting all the places that aren’t important enough for Prime Ministers, ...."

http://www.pm.gov.au/media/2014-03-28/remarks-reception-following-swearing-26th-governor-general-aus...

[monman12]

"Sir Peter Cosgrove sworn in as Australia's 26th Governor-General"
It would be so good to see the correct form of address used for  the Governor General:
General Sir Peter Cosgrove (His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd).

I have far more respect for someone who has achieved the rank of a general staff officer through years of dedication advancement, promotion, and scrutiny in the Australian Army (ADF), than I ever would for an individual sporting a "sir" title awarded often for less than what would be considered exemplary backgrounds, and more for political history!.

Anybody remember the "Cash for Honours" during 2006-2007 in the UK?
"Under changes brought in in 2012 by David Cameron, the Prime Minister, MPs are now regularly given knighthoods at the New Year and Queen's birthday honours"

2014
Three MPs who have been criticised over their use of the Parliamentary expenses system are knighted in the New Year Honours List.

Our new Governor-General is a worthy choice, but if we wish to tug our forelocks and hang on to mummies apron strings we should at least use the correct form of address that mummy prefers,  lest we appear to be ignorant antipodean forelock tuggers.

"In the case of a military officer who is also a knight, the appropriate form of address puts the professional military rank first, then the correct manner of address for the individual, then his name"

nɥºɾ

[fourandsixpants]

to monman.

You should address me as Ma'am then monman, not as P007

[i-need-a-martini]

OMG. That speech is unbelieveable.

Refers to Bryce as "she". My kids get disciplined for calling anyone a "she". It's so disrespectful.

And then the remarks pretty much saying the public holds politicians in low regard. And THEN! To say something as dumb as "unimportant enough.". Aside from the obvious slur on various countries, what does this mean if you are a GG? That your role is so nothing that you are reduced to visiting "unimportant" countries.

 Are you sure that speech isn't a hoax?

[just_me_karen]

Dear Leader himself wrote the speech, then got one of his 61 spin doctors to impersonate him on twitter to promote it, then another spin doctor added it to Dear Leader's website, after receiving written permission from Peta 🙂

and I think he meant unimportant places in Australia...or maybe anywhere Dear Leader doesn't deem important enough for his knightship's visits.