Major General Michael Jeffery served as Australia’s Governor-General from 2003 to 2008, and in this role his key interests included youth, education and landscape regeneration.

Prior to this appointment he served as Governor of Western Australia from 1993 to 2000.

Major General Jeffery began his military career serving in Malaya, Borneo, Papua New Guinea and Vietnam, where he was awarded the Military Cross and the South Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

In 1976, he assumed command of the SASR in Perth and was then promoted to Colonel as the first Director of the Army’s Special Action Forces, for services to which he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia.

From 1981 to 1983 he headed Australia’s national counter-terrorist coordination authority in the rank of Brigadier, after which he was posted as Commander of the 1st Mechanized and Airborne Brigade in Holsworthy, Sydney. He was then promoted to Major General, and from 1986 commanded the Army’s 15,000-person 1st Division.

In 1990 he became Deputy Chief of the General Staff, responsible for the day-to-day running of a 65,000-person Army. In February 1991 he was appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff for Materiel, which involved the development and management of all Army equipment procurement and building construction projects.

MAJGEN Michael Jeffery AC AO

Governor-General, the Commonwealth of Australia (2003-2008)

• Chairman, Future Directions International (FDI)
• Deputy Chief of the General Staff (1990-1991)