Hon

The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable (abbreviated to "The Hon." or formerly "The Hon'ble") is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.

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 (the Commonwealth Minister for Territories exercises that role) and so its ministers are not entitled to the style. Except in New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania, the style is retained for life because it recognises that their appointment to the relevant executive council (when they first become a minister) is an appointment for life and the person technically remains "an executive councillor-on-call". In New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania the premier can advise the Queen 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 of Australia. A minimum five years' service as a member of the executive council and or as a presiding officer is a prerequisite. 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 the office, as is the case in the Northern Territory.


The style "The Honourable" is not acquired through membership of either the House of Representatives or the Senate (see Parliament of Australia). A member or senator may have the style if they have acquired it separately, e.g. by being a current or former minister. During proceedings within the chambers, forms such as "The honourable Member for ...", "The honourable the Leader of the Opposition", or "My honourable colleague" are used. This is a merely a parliamentary courtesy and does not imply any right to the style.

Traditionally, members of the legislative councils of the states were also styled The Honourable. This practice is still followed in New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia and Tasmania. In Victoria, the practice was abolished in 2003.

Members of the Order of the Caribbean Community are entitled to be styled The Honourable for life.

Source: Wikipedia