Brian Murray (governor)

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Rear Admiral Sir Brian Stewart Murray KCMG, AO, KStJ (December 26, 1921 – 1991) was Governor of Victoria from March 1982 until 1985.

Murray was a retired Royal Australian Navy admiral married to a former nun. He was nominated by Victorian Premier Liberal Lindsay Thompson. Labor Premier John Cain demanded his resignation in 1985 after Murray accepted a free trip to the United States with his wife from Continental Airlines. They retired to a vineyard at Murrumbateman, outside Canberra.^[1]

Flag of the Governor of Victoria

It was however during his incumbency that there was some modernising of the role and functions within Government House. On 18 April 1984, the Governor announced that Queen Elizabeth had approved a change in his flag: “From this day, the Governor's Personal Standard will be the State Flag of Victoria with the blue of the flag being replaced by gold. The new Standard will be flown at Government House and on vehicles conveying the Governor. The old Standard used by all Victorian Governors has been, since 1870, the Union Jack with the Badge of the State emblazoned in the centre thereof”.^[2]

When Sir Brian died he was accorded the honour of a state funeral complete with Royal Australian Navy escort and full Navy honours.^{[citation needed]}