Cowen, Sir Zelman (1919-2011), a distinguished Australian lawyer, was governor general of Australia from 1977 to 1982. He became governor general after his predecessor, Sir John Kerr, stepped down. Kerr had created great controversy when he removed Prime Minister Gough Whitlam from office in 1975 (see Whitlam, Gough (Criticism and dismissal) ). Cowen sought to restore the Australian people’s respect for the office of governor general.
Cowen was born in Melbourne on Oct. 7, 1919. He was educated at Scotch College and the University of Melbourne. In 1940, he was elected Rhodes scholar for Victoria and, following naval service during World War II (1939-1945), went to Oxford University, England. He was a fellow of Oriel College, Oxford, from 1947 to 1950. He was professor of public law at the University of Melbourne from 1951 to 1966. Cowen served as vice chancellor of the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales, from 1967 to 1969 and of the University of Queensland, in Brisbane, from 1970 to 1977. He was chairman of the United Kingdom Press Council from 1983 to 1988. He served as provost of Oriel College from 1982 to 1990. Cowen was knighted in 1976. He died on Dec. 8, 2011.
