LACK of consultation, the missed opportunity to appoint the first woman as governor-general and questions over the appointment of a military figure were common criticisms yesterday, but there was none against former major-general Michael Jeffery.

Opposition Leader Simon Crean said Mr Jeffery had served his country with distinction. But Greens leader Bob Brown said he hopedthe appointment would be the last before the nation became a republic.

West Australian Premier Geoff Gallop said he believed Mr Jeffery would be a popular governor-general who showed a genuine interest in people.

LACK of consultation, the missed opportunity to appoint the first woman as governor-general and questions over the appointment of a military figure were common criticisms yesterday, but there was none against former major-general Michael Jeffery.

Premiers, federal MPs, republicans and monarchists all welcomed the new governor-general.

But Women’s Electoral Lobby spokeswoman Sarah Maddison said it was incredibly disappointing that yet again the Howard Government has passed up the opportunity to appoint a woman. She said John Howard had failed to address the gender imbalance in significant public positions.

“Given that we have been involved in a war and a significant percentage of the population has been involved in a peace movement, it seems sad and ironic that the Prime Minister has chosen to appoint a military bloke as our symbolic head of state,” she said.

Social commentator Eva Cox said overlooking a woman for the role and appointing an SAS commander validated the concept that “leadership relates to hairy chests and military might”.

Labor and the Democrats congratulated the new governor-general, but said the lack of consultation was regrettable.

Opposition Leader Simon Crean said Mr Jeffery had served his country with distinction. But Greens leader Bob Brown said he hopedthe appointment would be the last before the nation became a republic.

Monarchist David Flint described the choice as “absolutely superb” and said Mr Jeffery would serve with dignity and impartiality.

“He is very much a man of the people; he has the dignity you would expect of a military officer but at the same time the accessibilityAustralians will expect.”

The Australian Republican Movement praised Mr Jeffery as a “good man who will do a good job”, but said the nation should still have an Australian head of state.

“He is still only the Queen’s representative,” ARM director James Terrie said.

Prominent Republican and author Tom Kenneally said he seemed like a good man, “non-controversial after such a difficult period”. “We knew we wouldn’t get a bishop!”

The Queensland Government also welcomed the appointment, but said the federal Government should have followed Queensland’s example by having the appointment endorsed by parliament.

West Australian Premier Geoff Gallop said he believed Mr Jeffery would be a popular governor-general who showed a genuine interest in people.

Constitutional experts were not opposed to the appointment of Mr Jeffery.

University of NSW professor George Williams said there was clearly a systemic problem, in that a woman had never been appointed tothe role. But, he added, Mr Jeffery could not be regarded as the wrong appointment just because he was male, nor should his military background disqualify him.

Another expert, professor of law George Winterton, said the appointment could be interpreted as a thankyou to the troops and might be an attempt to kill the exaggerated public interest in the office.