Hurley, David (1953-…), served as the governor general of Australia from 2019 to 2024. The governor general represents the British monarch in Australia’s government. Hurley had previously served as chief of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and as governor of New South Wales.
Before entering politics, Hurley served in the Australian army for 42 years. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership during a United States-led 1993 peacekeeping operation in Somalia. In 2010, Hurley was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia. The Order of Australia is Australia’s highest award for service to the country or to humanity. He was appointed Chief of the Defence Force in 2011 and served until he was named governor of New South Wales in 2014. In 2018, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison nominated Hurley for the position of governor general.
David John Hurley was born on Aug. 26, 1953, in Wollongong, New South Wales. Hurley graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1975. He then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a graduate diploma in defense studies from the University of New South Wales.
