Overstepping her role

The Westminster System is based on a simple bargain: the monarch lets Parliament run the country, and we don't cut off their head (or their sock budget, since we're civilised now). Translated to former colonies with responsible government such as New Zealand and Australia, this means the monarch's representative - the Governor-General - acts only on the advice of Ministers who hold the confidence of the elected Parliament, signs whatever is put in front of them, and above all, keeps out of politics.

Unfortunately, it seems someone forgot to brief Australia's new Governor-General on the latter point when she was appointed. And so she's just spent her first official trip - designed to "symbolise the issues of most concern to her" - advocating for policy:

While the conflicting needs of remote and rural Australia are the Governor General, Quentin Bryce's top priority, the first woman in the role has said she will continue the push for paid parental leave, calling it crucial to women's health and the preservation of strong families.

Outlining her goals in an interview today with the Herald in Menindee, a small town near Broken Hill, Her Excellency spoke about the enormous pressures bearing down on the bush. She said she deliberately tackled the Murray Darling Basin on her first official trip to symbolise the issues of most concern to her - among them, the scarcity of water and its effect on farming, indigenous communities and the environment.

(Emphasis added; barbarous grammar courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald)

As much as I might agree with that policy, Bryce is wildly overstepping her role. The Governor-General is supposed to be a figurehead, nothing more. They are supposed to be "above politics". They are not supposed to have "goals" or "issues of concern". And they are certainly not supposed to try and tell the elected government what to do, or push for any particular policy. If Bryce wants to do that, she should resign and run for election. Otherwise, she should remember her place, STFU, and leave the politics to the politicians.

As for New Zealand, this is one reason why we've made a habit recently of appointing judges to the figurehead spot: because they know their place.