23 Facts About David Hurley

David Hurley was previously the 38th governor of New South Wales, serving from 2014 to 2019.

David Hurley's career culminated with his appointment as Chief of the Defence Force on 4 July 2011, in succession to Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston.

David Hurley retired from the army in June 2014, and succeeded Dame Marie Bashir as Governor of New South Wales on 2 October 2014.

David John Hurley was born on 26 August 1953 in Wollongong, New South Wales, to Norma and James Hurley.

David Hurley's father was an Illawarra steelworker and his mother worked in a grocery store.

David Hurley grew up in Port Kembla and attended Port Kembla High School, where he completed his Higher School Certificate in 1971.

David Hurley subsequently graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon with a Graduate Diploma in Defence Studies, and from Deakin University with a Bachelor of Arts.

David Hurley is married to Linda and has three children.

David Hurley entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon, as an officer cadet in January 1972.

David Hurley's initial posting was to the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

David Hurley was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his service during this deployment.

David Hurley went on to be Director General Land Development within Capability Systems in January 2001.

David Hurley was promoted to major general in 2001 and served as Head Capability Systems Division from July 2001, and as Land Commander Australia from December 2002.

David Hurley was promoted to general and succeeded Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston as Chief of the Defence Force on 4 July 2011.

In January 2012 David Hurley completed 40 years service to the Australian Defence Force, and on 20 January while in Paris, he was presented with the insignia for Officer of the Legion of Honour by the French CDF.

David Hurley retired from the Australian Army on 30 June 2014, and was succeeded as CDF by Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin.

On 5 June 2014, New South Wales Premier Mike Baird announced that David Hurley would replace Dame Marie Bashir as Governor of New South Wales: he was sworn in on 2 October 2014 after Bashir's term as governor had expired.

On 16 December 2018, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Queen Elizabeth II had approved the appointment of David Hurley as the next Governor-General of Australia commencing on 1 July 2019 marking him as the first representative of the monarch who had been born during the latter's reign.

David Hurley was sworn in as the 27th Governor-General at Parliament House, Canberra, on 1 July 2019.

On 11 September 2019, when attending an Indonesian national day reception held by the Indonesian Embassy at the Australian National Gallery in Canberra, David Hurley opted to make his address to the reception in Indonesian.

David Hurley was involved in the Scott Morrison ministerial positions controversy when he secretly appointed Morrison to five ministerial positions between March 2020 and May 2021.

David Hurley was found to have no discretion to refuse Morrison's advice and an inquiry considered criticism of David Hurley's role to be "unwarranted".

David Hurley is an Honorary Patron of the ACT Veterans Rugby Club, Patron of Transport Heritage NSW, Patron of the Australian World Orchestra, and the Australian Future Leaders Foundation.