Sir William (Patrick) Deane

Governor-general of Australia (1996–2001), born in St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, SE Australia. He studied arts and law at the University of Sydney, Trinity College Dublin, and the Hague Academy of International Law. On his return to Australia, he was called to the Sydney bar, became a QC, and was made a judge in the Supreme Court of New South Wales (1977), the Federal Court Bench (1977), and the Australian High Court (1982). He replaced Bill Hayden as governor-general. While he was expected to be a non-activist figurehead, he was outspoken on a number of issues, including the issue of reconciliation with Australian's indigenous population.

The Hon Sir William Deane

22nd Governor General of Australia
In office 16 February 1996 – 29 June 2001
Preceded by	Bill Hayden
Succeeded by	Peter Hollingworth
Born	4 January 1931 Melbourne, Victoria
Profession	Judge
Religion	Roman Catholic

Sir William Patrick Deane, AC, KBE (born 4 January 1931), Australian judge and 22nd Governor-General of Australia, was born in Melbourne, Victoria.

In 1977 Deane was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and in the same year he was appointed to the Federal Court of Australia and as President of the Australian Trade Practices Tribunal.

In August 1995, Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating appointed Deane as Governor-General. After Deane's term ended in 2001, Deane became openly critical of the Howard Government.

In 2001, Sir William Deane was awarded the Sydney Peace Prize "for his consistent support of vulnerable and disadvantaged Australians and his strong commitment to the cause of reconciliation."