The Honourable

The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable (abbreviated to The Hon., Hon. or formerly The Hon'ble—the latter term is still used in South Asia) is a style that is used before the names of certain classes of people. It is considered to be an honorific styling, and it is only used for living people.

In international diplomatic relations, representatives of foreign states are often addressed as "The Honourable". Deputy chiefs of mission, chargés d'affaires, consuls-general and consuls are always given the style. All heads of consular posts, whether they are honorary or career postholders, are accorded the title according to the State Department of the United States. However, ambassadors and high commissioners are never given the style, with the title "Your Excellency" being used.

In Australia, the style is generally used for an administrator of a territory, government ministers, members of most state legislative councils (upper houses), and judges of superior courts.

In May 2013, the style was given approval by the Queen to be granted to the Governor-General of Australia, both retrospectively and for current and future holders of the office, to be used in the form "His/Her Excellency the Honourable" while holding office and as "the Honourable" in retirement.

As of December 2014, the practice of appointing the vice-regal office holder, as well as former living, the style The Honourable for life has been also adopted for the state governors of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania (where it only applied to the current governor and future governors) as well as the Administrator of the Northern Territory..

In Australia, all ministers in Commonwealth and state governments and the government of the Northern Territory are entitled to be styled the Honourable. The Australian Capital Territory does not have an executive council and so its ministers are not entitled to the style. In Victoria, the style is granted for life, so it is customary for former ministers to retain the title after leaving office. In New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania the premiers can advise the Queen of Australia to grant former ministers the style for life. In the Northern Territory, the chief minister can request the administrator to make a recommendation to the governor-general who in turn makes a recommendation to the Queen. A minimum five years' service as a member of the executive council and/or as a presiding officer is a prerequisite. In Western Australia, conditional on royal assent, the title may become permanent after three years' service in the ministry.All such awards are published in the Commonwealth Government Gazette. The presiding officers of the parliaments of the Commonwealth, the states and the Northern Territory are also styled the Honourable, but normally only during their tenure of office. Special permission is sometimes given for a former presiding officer to retain the style after leaving office, as is the case in the Northern Territory.

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