The governor-general makes state visits on behalf of Australia , during which time an administrator of the government is appointed . The right of governors-general to make state visits was confirmed at the 1926 Imperial Conference , as it was deemed unfeasible for the sovereign to pay state visits on behalf of countries other than the United Kingdom . However , an Australian governor-general did not exercise that right until 1971 , when Paul Hasluck visited New Zealand . Hasluck 's successor John Kerr made state visits to eight countries , but Kerr 's successor Zelman Cowen made only a single state visit – to Papua New Guinea – as he wished to concentrate on travelling within Australia . All subsequent governors-general have travelled widely while in office and made multiple state visits . Occasionally governors-general have made extended tours visiting multiple countries , notably in 2009 when Quentin Bryce visited nine African countries in 19 days
1926 Imperial Conference
1926 Imperial Conference
Governor-General of Australia