Sir Peter Cosgrove | |
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26th Governor-General of Australia | |
Assumed office 28 March 2014 | |
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Prime Minister | Tony Abbott Malcolm Turnbull |
Preceded by | Dame Quentin Bryce |
Personal details | |
Born | Peter John Cosgrove 28 July 1947 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
Spouse(s) | Lynne, Lady Cosgrove |
Children | Stephen Philip David |
Residence | Government House, Canberra |
Alma mater | Royal Military College, Duntroon |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Australia |
Branch/service | Australian Army |
Years of service | 1965–2005 |
Rank | General |
Commands | Chief of the Defence Force (2002–05) Chief of Army (2000–02) International Force for East Timor (1999–00) 1st Division (1998–99) 6th Brigade (1992–93) 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1983–84) |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War International Force for East Timor |
Awards | Knight of the Order of Australia Military Cross Complete list |
General Sir Peter John Cosgrove, AK, MC (born 28 July 1947) is a retired senior Australian Army officer who is the 26th and current Governor-General of Australia, in office since 2014.
A graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, Cosgrove fought in the Vietnam War, receiving the Military Cross in 1971. From 1983 to 1984, he was commander of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR), and he later served as commander of the 6th Brigade and the 1st Division. Cosgrove rose to prominence in 1999, when he served as commander of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET), which oversaw the peacekeeping mission in East Timor during its transition to independence.
Cosgrove was Australia's Chief of Army from 2000 to 2002, and then Chief of the Defence Force from 2002 to 2005, receiving corresponding promotions to lieutenant general and general. Cosgrove retired from active service following the end of his term as Chief of the Defence Force, and subsequently served as leader of a taskforce helping to rebuild communities in Queensland after Cyclone Larry in 2006. In January 2014, Cosgrove was named to succeed Dame Quentin Bryce as Governor-General of Australia. He was sworn in on 28 March 2014, and created a Knight of the Order of Australia on the same date.
Viceregal styles of Sir Peter Cosgrove (2014–present) | |
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Reference style | His Excellency the Honourable |
Spoken style | Your Excellency |
Cosgrove was born in Sydney, New South Wales, on 28 July 1947. He was educated at Waverley College in Sydney, then followed his father, a warrant officer, into the Australian Army by attending the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1965. Cosgrove's uncle, Bill Cosgrove, was a professional Australian rules football player, but was killed in action whilst serving with the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II.[2]
Lieutenant Peter Cosgrove was commissioned on 11 December 1968 and was allotted to the Royal Australian Infantry. He arrived in Vietnam on 3 August 1969 and was posted to 9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment on 20 August 1969. On 10 October 1969, Lieutenant Cosgrove was commanding 5 Platoon, B Company. The platoon located an occupied bunker system in an area where, because of the proximity of allied troops, indirect fire support was difficult to obtain. In spite of this, he led his platoon in an assault on the bunkers without indirect fire support, capturing the system and killing and wounding at least four enemy without sustaining any casualties. On 16 October 1969, 5 Platoon located another bunker system occupied by about a platoon of enemy. Lieutenant Cosgrove silently deployed his own platoon for an attack. His assault completely surprised the enemy causing them to flee, abandoning large quantities of food, stores and documents. The following day in the same bunker system a party of enemy approached his right forward section and was engaged by the sentry. Knowing that the remainder of the section was elsewhere on other tasks, Lieutenant Cosgrove ran to the contact area and personally conducted the fight against the enemy. As a result of his actions, two enemy were killed and three weapons and four packs containing rice were captured. He was awarded the Military Cross for these actions.[3][4]
In 1980 he was awarded the National Medal.[5] In the mid-1980s he commanded the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.[6]
Cosgrove came to national fame in 1999 when, as a major general, he led the international forces (INTERFET) in a peacekeeping mission to East Timor. The mission's success made him one of Australia's most respected and popular military leaders.[7] He was promoted in 2000 to lieutenant general as Chief of the Army and in 2002 to general as Chief of the Defence Force.[8]
In 2004, the Foreign Minister Alexander Downer queried the judgement of Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty.[9] Following a joint interview with the then Defence Minister Robert Hill, Cosgrove was accused of "playing politics" when he said that, on this occasion, he disagreed with Keelty's point of view. However, Cosgrove expressed strong support for the Police Commissioner in his Australian best selling autobiography, My Story, published in 2006.[10] On 3 July 2005, Cosgrove's three-year appointment as Chief of the Defence Force was completed, and he was succeeded by then-Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Angus Houston.
On 23 March 2006, Cosgrove was selected to lead the Queensland Government taskforce of rebuilding communities damaged by Cyclone Larry, a Category 5 tropical cyclone that devastated the Innisfail region of northern Queensland.[11] "In recognition of the important contribution General Cosgrove made to the community of North Queensland following Cyclone Larry", on 11 October 2008, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh announced that a new residential suburb in the Bohle Plains area of Townsville would be named Cosgrove, formally the site of an Abattoir for the cattle sale yards next to it.[12][13][14]
Cosgrove served on the board of Australia's main airline Qantas between July 2005[15] and January 2014[16] and is on numerous other boards as chairman or member.[citation needed] He served as Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University between November 2010[17] and January 2014;[1] and is Honorary Patron in Chief of the ACT Veterans Rugby Club[18] and the Rosies Youth Mission.[19] Peter Cosgrove was appointed as Patron to the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association in 2015.
On 28 January 2014, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that the Queen had accepted his advice to appoint Peter Cosgrove as the next Governor-General of Australia, to succeed Quentin Bryce in late March.[20] On 25 March, Abbott announced that the Queen had also approved the reinstatement of the grade of Knight or Dame in the Order of Australia (she had abolished it in 1986 on the advice of Bob Hawke), and that governors-general would be ex officio the Principal Knight or Dame of the Order.[21] The incumbent, Quentin Bryce, was immediately made the first new Dame of the Order. On 28 March Cosgrove succeeded Dame Quentin and was sworn in as Governor-General by Chief Justice Robert French,[22] becoming Sir Peter Cosgrove.[23]
Cosgrove married Lynne Payne in 1976;[24] they have three sons (Stephen, Philip and David)[25] and one grandson,[24] and lived in Sydney[citation needed] before taking up residence in Government House, Canberra. Cosgrove is a Roman Catholic and frequently attends Mass in the St Christopher's Cathedral parish in Canberra.
Cosgrove is a strong supporter and member of the Sydney Roosters. He is also a keen follower of cricket and rugby union.
28 Jul 1947 – 1965: | Mr Peter Cosgrove |
1965 – 1968: | Staff Cadet Peter Cosgrove |
1968 – 1970: | Lieutenant Peter Cosgrove |
1970 – 12 February 1971: | Captain Peter Cosgrove |
12 Feb 1971 – Dec 1971: | Captain Peter Cosgrove MC |
Dec 1971 – Dec 1972: | Captain Peter Cosgrove MC, ADC |
Dec 1972 – 1976: | Captain Peter Cosgrove MC |
1976 – 15 January 1983: | Major Peter Cosgrove MC |
15 Jan 1983 – 26 January 1985: | Lieutenant Colonel Peter Cosgrove MC |
26 Jan 1985 – Jul 1988: | Lieutenant Colonel Peter Cosgrove AM, MC |
Jul 1988 – Jul 1989: | Colonel Peter Cosgrove AM MC |
Jul 1989 – Mar 1998: | Brigadier Peter Cosgrove AM MC |
25 Mar 1998 – 25 March 2000: | Major General Peter Cosgrove AM MC |
25 Mar 2000 – 16 July 2000: | Major General Peter Cosgrove AC MC |
16 Jul 2000 – 4 July 2002: | Lieutenant General Peter Cosgrove AC MC |
4 July 2002 – 3 July 2005: | General Peter Cosgrove AC MC |
3 July 2005 – 28 March 2014: | General Peter Cosgrove AC MC (Ret'd) |
28 Mar 2014 – present: | His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK, MC (Ret'd), Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia |
Cosgrove's full title: His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter John Cosgrove, Principal Knight and Chancellor of the Order of Australia, Military Cross, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Knight of the Order of Australia (AK) | 28 March 2014 | [26] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) | 25 March 2000 (Military division) |
For eminent service to the Australian Defence Force as the Commander of the International Force East Timor[7] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) | 26 January 1985 (Military division) |
In recognition of service as Commanding Officer 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment[6] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Military Cross (MC) | 12 February 1971 | Infantry – 9 RAR – Vietnam[27][28] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Knight of the Order of St John | 28 March 2014 | [26][29] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975 | with Vietnam clasp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vietnam Medal | [30] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Active Service Medal | with East Timor clasp[30] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International Force East Timor Medal | (INTERFET)[30] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Service Medal 1945–1975 | [30] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Centenary Medal | 1 January 2001 | For service to Australian society as Chief of the Defence Force[8] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Defence Force Service Medal with Federation Star | 40–44 years service[30] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National Medal | 16 October 1980 | For diligent long service to the community in hazardous circumstances, including in times of emergency and national disaster, in direct protection of life and property[30] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Defence Medal | [30] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vietnam Campaign Medal | Republic of Vietnam[30] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) | 5 June 2000 | New Zealand[31] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Commander of the Legion of Merit | United States[30] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tong-il Medal of the Order of National Security Merit | South Korea[30] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Officer of the Legion of Honour | France[30] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry (GCIH) | 28 May 2002 | Portugal[32] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distinguished Service Order | 7 September 2004 | Singapore[33] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste | 30 August 2009 | Timor-Leste[34] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Gregory the Great (GCSG) | 7 February 2013 | Holy See[35] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Collar of the Order of the Liberator General San Martín | 9 August 2016 | Argentina[36] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Infantry Combat Badge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian of the Year | 26 January 2001 | He accepted his Australian of the Year award on behalf of all those Australians who served in East Timor: "I did a lot of the talking, they did all the working."[37] |
During a "doorstop" interview, Downer said Mr Keelty was "expressing a view which reflects a lot of the propaganda we're getting from al-Qaeda"
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Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee | ||
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Chief of Defence Force Staff |
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Chief of the Defence Force |
International | |
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National | |
People |