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Order of precedence for events

This page lists the order for acknowledging and seating officials at an event or state occasion held in Victoria.

For federally funded events and occasions, refer to the Commonwealth Table of Precedence.

This table was approved by His Excellency the Governor in Council for the State of Victoria on 2 November 1983 (amending the table given effect on 26 September 1961).

  1. the Governor-General
    1. the Governor
    2. the Lieutenant-Governor if administering the Government
  3. the Premier
  4. the Prime Minister of Australia
  5. the Lieutenant-Governor (if not administering the government)
  6. the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria
  7. members of the Victorian Executive Council under Summons
  8. the President of the Legislative Council of Victoria
  9. the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria
    1. former Governors-General according to the date of leaving office
    2. former Governors according to the date of leaving office
    3. former Premiers according to the date of leaving office
    4. former Prime Ministers according to the date of leaving office
    1. Ambassadors and High Commissioners according to their seniority within the Diplomatic Corps in Australia
    2. Charge d'Affaires and Acting High Commissioners according to the date of assumption of duty
  12. the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia according to the date of appointment
  13. the Chief Justice of Australia
  14. members of the Federal Executive Council under summons
  15. the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Victoria
  16. the Leader of the Third Parliamentary Party in the Legislative Assembly of Victoria
  17. Privy Counsellors
  18. Justices of the Supreme Court of Victoria according to seniority
  19. Justices of the High Court of Australia according to seniority
  20. Chief Judges of the Federal Courts of Australia and the President of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission according to the date of appointment
  21. members of the Legislative Council of Victoria
  22. members of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria
  23. the Lord Mayor of Melbourne
  24. judges of the Federal Courts of Australia and Deputy Presidents of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission according to the dates of the first appointment to any one of those offices
  25. heads of Religious Communities according to the date of assuming office in Victoria
  26. the Chief Judge of the County Court of Victoria
  27. members of the Parliament of Australia
  28. Permanent Heads of State Government Departments, the Solicitor-General, the Chairman of the Public Service Board, the Auditor-General and the Ombudsman
  29. judges of the County Court of Victoria according to the date of appointment
  30. senior officers in local Command of the Navy, Military and Air Forces according to seniority of rank and date of appointment
  31. Consuls-General, Consuls and Vice-Consuls according to their seniority in the Consular Corps in Victoria
  32. members of the Victorian Executive Council not under summons
  33. recipients of Decorations and Honours taking precedence above an Officer of the Order of Australia in accordance with the order shown in the "Commonwealth Table of Precedence of Honours and Awards".

Notes

  • A person acting on behalf of any of the foregoing shall enjoy the precedence of the person for whom he is acting with the understanding that, where there is more than one person in the class the person acting on behalf of another will take precedence after other persons in that class who are attending in their own right. This means that for example, if a Minister represents the Premier at an occasion, the Minister will be given the same precedence as if the Premier were in attendance.
  • A married couple shall enjoy the precedence of the spouse with higher precedence and a husband or wife shall enjoy the precedence of the spouse.

Source: Extract from the Victoria Government Gazette, No. 116, 9 November 1983.

Official
Explainer
1. the Governor-General
His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd)
a. The Governor
The Honourable Linda Dessau AC CVO
b. The Lieutenant-Governor if administering the Government
James Angus AO FAA FAHMS (Hon)
1. The Premier
The Honourable Dan Andrews
2. The Prime Minister of Australia
The Honourable Anthony Albanese MP
3. The Lieutenant-Governor (if not administering the government)
James Angus AO FAA FAHMS (Hon)
4. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria
The Hon Anne Ferguson
5. Members of the Victorian Executive Council under Summons
The Premier and his or her Ministers who have been sworn into that office by the Governor, usually immediately after they have been sworn in as Ministers
6. The President of the Legislative Council of Victoria
The Hon. Shaun Leane MLC
7. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria
The Hon. Maree Edwards MP
a. Former Governors-General according to the date of leaving office
Please refer to: https://www.gg.gov.au/about-governor-general/former-governors-general
b. Former Governors according to the date of leaving office
The Hon. Alex Chernov, AC QC
Professor the Hon. David de Kretser, AC
c. Former Premiers according to the date of leaving office
Please refer to: https://australianpolitics.com/states/vic/victorian-premiers-since-1855
d. Former Prime Ministers according to the date of leaving office
Please refer to: https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/australias-prime-ministers
a. Ambassadors and High Commissioners according to their seniority within the Diplomatic Corps in Australia
b. Charge d'Affaires and Acting High Commissioners according to the date of assumption of duty
1. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia according to the date of appointment
President of the Senate: Senator the Hon Sue Lines
The Speaker: The Hon. Milton Dick MP
2. The Chief Justice of Australia
Susan Mary Kiefel AC
3. Members of the Federal Executive Council under summons
The Federal Executive Council is made up of all government ministers and the Governor-General
4. The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Victoria
Mr John Pesutto MP
5. The Leader of the Third Parliamentary Party in the Legislative Assembly of Victoria
Generally the leader of the Greens. Currently Ms Samantha Ratnam MP
6. Privy Counsellors
7. Justices of the Supreme Court of Victoria according to seniority
Please refer to: https://www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au/about-the-court/our-judiciary/judges
8. Justices of the High Court of Australia according to seniority
Please refer to: https://www.hcourt.gov.au/justices/about-the-justices
9. Chief Judges of the Federal Courts of Australia and the President of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission according to the date of appointment
This no longer exists. The Conciliation and Arbitration Commission is now the Australian Industrial Relations Commission
10. Members of the Legislative Council of Victoria
Please refer to: https://new.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/member-search/?member-house=20&page=1&pageSize=10&selectAll=false&sortType=2
11. Members of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria
Please refer to: https://new.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/member-search/?member-house=10&page=1&pageSize=10&selectAll=false&sortType=2
12. The Lord Mayor of Melbourne
Lord Mayor Sally Capp
13. Judges of the Federal Courts of Australia and Deputy Presidents of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission according to the dates of the first appointment to any one of those offices
This no longer exists. The Conciliation and Arbitration Commission is now the Australian Industrial Relations Commission
14. Heads of Religious Communities according to the date of assuming office in Victoria
Individuals such as priests, rabbis, monks, imams, pujaris, and other leaders of faith communities
15. The Chief Judge of the County Court of Victoria
His Honour Chief Judge Peter Kidd
16. Members of the Parliament of Australia
Please refer to: https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Members
17. Permanent Heads of State Government Departments, the Solicitor-General, the Chairman of the Public Service Board, the Auditor-General and the Ombudsman
Solicitor General: Rowena Orr KC
Secretary of the VPS: Mr Jeremi Moule
Victorian Auditor-General: Andrew Greaves
Victorian Ombudsman: Deborah Glass
18. Judges of the County Court of Victoria according to the date of appointment
Please refer to: https://www.countycourt.vic.gov.au/going-court/common-law-division/common-law-division-contacts
19. Senior officers in local Command of the Navy, Military and Air Forces according to seniority of rank and date of appointment
20. Consuls-General, Consuls and Vice-Consuls according to their seniority in the Consular Corps in Victoria
21. Members of the Victorian Executive Council not under summons
22. Recipients of Decorations and Honours taking precedence above an Officer of the Order of Australia in accordance with the order shown in the "Commonwealth Table of Precedence of Honours and Awards".

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