Vice-President of the Executive Council

The Vice-President of the Executive Council is the minister in the Government of Australia who acts as the presiding officer of meetings of the Federal Executive Council when the Governor-General is absent. The Vice-President of the Executive Council is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister of Australia, and serves at the Governor-General's pleasure. The Vice-President is usually a senior minister in Cabinet, who may summon executive councillors and preside at council meetings when the Governor-General is not present. However, the Vice-President cannot sign Executive Council documents on behalf of the Governor-General. The current Vice President of the Executive Council is Senator Katy Gallagher, who was appointed on 23 May 2022. Duties and history The duties of the Vice-President of the Executive Council are not rigorous, and the position is usually held by a Member of the Cabinet, who is not paid additional salary or allowance. The position is usually not held by a 'Minister without portfolio', but the position has at times been held by persons who did not hold a Ministerial portfolio—such as Enid Lyons (1949–1951) in the Fourth Menzies Ministry and James Killen (1982–1983) in the Third Fraser Ministry. A small Department of the Vice-President of the Executive Council existed from 22 March to 31 May 1971, during the prime ministership of William McMahon. It was administered by Alan Hulme, who was also Postmaster-General. The department was recreated in 1982 and James Killen was controversially appointed to administer the office. Killen held no other Ministerial portfolio, but was nevertheless considered a member of the Fraser Ministry by virtue only of this office. The appointment was controversial because it was seen as a sinecure given that Killen held no Ministerial portfolio, as the cabinet appointment entitled him to receive a ministerial salary. The Department was again abolished in 1983 by incoming Prime Minister Bob Hawke.