FOR PRESS 14 JULY 1977
APPOINTMENT OF GORMNOR-GENERAL
I have the greatest pleasure in welcoming Her Majesty's
appointment of Sir Zelman Cowen, C. M. G. Q. C as Governor-
General to succeed Sir John Kerr. Sir elman s appointment
will be widely welcomed in Australia and on behalf of the
Government ana people of Australia I extend congratulations
to him and to Lady Cowen.
Sir Zelman will be sworn as Governor-General in December.
Sir Zelman is well known as Vice-Chancellor of the University
of Queensland and he is also the current Chairman of the
Australian Vice-Chancellor's Committee. His career has been
principally in academic learning and administration and in the
aw. He was formerly Vice-Chancellor of the University of
New England and Professor of Public Law and Dean of the
Faculty of Law at the University of Melbourne.
Sir Zelman's other interests include the arts and community
affairs. Amongst other appointments he is a member of the
Board of Directors of the Australian Opera, President of
the Australian Institute of Urban Studies, and Commissioner
of the Law Reform. Commission.
Sir Zelman was a Rhodes Scholar, served with the Royal
Australian Navy during World War II and is the author of a
number of books and papers on the law and public affairs,
amongst which is a biography of Sir Isaac Isaacs the first
Governor-General of Australia to be born in Australia.
Lady Cowen actively supports her husband in his various
activities and herself has a strong and active interest in
educational and social matters. Sir Zelman and Lady Cowen
have a family of four, Simon Nicholas Kte ( 18)
and Benjamin ( 11).
Canberra
BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL
Professor Sir Zelman Cowen
Zelman Cowen, Kt LL. M., LL. D.( Hon)( Melbourne);
D. C. L.( OxonS; LL. D.( Hon) ( Hong Kong); LL. D.( Hon)( Queensland);
F. A. C. E.
Born Melbourne, 7th October, 1919.
Educated Scotch College, Melbourne and University of Melbourne.
Wyselaskie Scholar and Dwight's Prizeman ( 1938); Supreme Court
Prizeman ( 1941); Rhodes Scholar for Victoria ( elected 1940).
Service with R. A. N. V. R. 1941-45; Lieut. R. A. N. V. R.
Vinerian Scholar, Oxford, 1947. Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford
1947-50. Professor of Public Law and Dean of the Faculty of Law,
University of Melbourne 1951-66. Vice-Chancellor, University of
New England, 1967-70. Vice-Chancellor, University of Queensland
1970-. Emeritus Professor, University of Melbourne.
Visiting Professor, University of Chicago ( summer 1949); Harvard Law
School and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, ( 1953-4); University
of Utah ( summer 1954); Geerge A. Miller Visiting Professor, University
of Illinois ( 1957-58); University of Washington ( winter quarter 1959);
Harvard Law School and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy ( 1963-64);
Tagore Law Professor for 1975, University of Calcutta.
Delivered Mitchell Lectures, University of Buffalo, 1954; Rosenthal
Lectures, Northwestern University, 1964; Harris Lecture, University
of Indiana, 1965; Macrossan Lectures, University of Queensland, 1965;
Boyer Lectures, A. B. C. Australia, 1969, Tagore Law Lectures, University
of Calcutta, 1975..
Of Gray's Inn, Barrister-at-Law, Member of Victorian and Queensland
Bars. Fellow of Academy of Social Sciences of Australia, 1972.
Fellow of Australian College of Education, 1972. Foreign Honorary
Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1965. Dominion
Liaison Officer to the British Colonial Office, 1951-66. Adviser
on the establishment of Legal education in Ghana, Hong Kong and West
Indies. President for Victoria of International Commission of Jurists,
1964-66.
Trustee, Sydney Opera House, 1969-70. Member, Development
Corporation of New South Wales, 1969-70. President, Adult Education
Association of Australia, 1968-70.
Member and Chairman ( at various times) of State Advisory Committee
to the A. B. C. ( Victoria, to 1966). Member of Regional Advisory
Committee for North-West 1967-70.
Academic Governor of the Board of Governors, Hebrew University of
Jerusalem 1969-. Member, Board of Directors, Australian Opera 1969-.
2.
Member of gueensland Regional Selection Committee, Winston Churchill
Memorial Trust 1970-.
Member, Board of International Association for Cultural Freedom
1970-75. Fellow, Royal Society of Arts 1971.
President, Australian Institute of Urban Studies 1973-. Member
of Club of Rome 1974-.
Chairman, Board of Governors, Utah Foundation 1975-.
Trustee Queensland Overseas Foundation 1976-.
Law Reform Commissioner, Commonwealth of Australia 1976-. Chairman
Australian Vice-Chancellor's Committee 1977-8.
Publications: Specialist Editor, Dicey: Conflict of Laws ( Lond., Stevens-6th ed.
1949);
Australia and the United States: Some Legal Comparisons ( Buffalo,
1954);
Essays on the Law of Evidence ( with P. B. Carter) ( Oxford, 1956);
American-Australian Private International Law ( Oceana, 1957);
Federal Jurisdiction in Australia ( Oxford, 1959);
Matrimonial Causes Jurisdiction ( with D. Mendes da Costa, Law Book
Co., 1961);
The British Commonwealth of Nations in a Changing World ( Northwestern,
1964, and Cheshire, 1965);
Sir John Latham and* Other Papers ( Oxford, 1965);
Sir Isaac Isaacs ( Oxford, 1967);
Introd.* to 2nd ed, Evatt: The King and His Dominion Governors
( Cheshire, 1967);
The Private Man Boyer Lectures, 1969);
Individual Liberty and the Law ( Tagore Law Lectures 1975) ( Eastern
Law House ( India), Oceana 1977
Chapters in books, articles and essays in journals in Australia,
United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Europe on legal, political,
social and university matters.