Queensland has a new governor, and for the first time he’s openly gay.

Thomas Bradley KC was sworn in as the state’s 28th governor at a ceremony at Parliament House in Brisbane on Sunday, November 1, the Queensland Government announced. He takes over from Dr Jeannette Young, who has finished her five-year term.

Star Observer reports that he’s the first openly gay person to hold the office. When his appointment was announced in August, he stood alongside his partner, Dr Matthew Yoong.

Who is he?

Bradley’s résumé is the classic Queensland legal career, plus a lot of arts boards:

  • Born in Cairns, the second of eight children, and went to school in Brisbane.
  • Studied law at the University of Queensland.
  • Became a barrister in 2000, Queen’s Counsel in 2013, a Supreme Court judge in 2018 and a judge of the Court of Appeal in 2025.
  • Chaired the Brisbane Writers Festival, the Brisbane Festival Giving Committee and Access Arts, which helps people with disability or disadvantage take part in the arts.
  • Served on the Council of the National Library of Australia and the Gallery of Modern Art Foundation Committee.

And the bit that will matter to a lot of young queer Queenslanders: he was the first Queensland-based ambassador for the Pinnacle Foundation, an education charity that supports LGBTQIA+ Australians.

Pinnacle’s chief executive, Andrew Staite, said in August the organisation was “absolutely thrilled and delighted.” “His commitment is deep,” Staite told Star Observer, adding that Bradley “is always willing to give freely of his time to inspire young people.”

What he’s said

Bradley has kept his public words about the job, not about himself. When Premier David Crisafulli announced the appointment on August 4, after King Charles III approved it, Bradley said:

“It is a tremendous honour to serve in this office. I look forward to meeting as many Queenslanders as possible across our State.”

He promised to “carry out constitutional responsibilities with dignity, fairness, and a commitment to the rule of law,” and said: “I call to mind all we have in common as Queenslanders.”

At the swearing-in, Crisafulli said Bradley “has dedicated his life to service in the courts, service in the community.”

Wait, what does a state governor do?

Fair question if you’re not Australian. Each Australian state has a governor who represents the King. It’s mostly a ceremonial and constitutional role: signing bills into law, swearing in ministers, opening Parliament, handing out honours and acting as patron for hundreds of community groups. The governor doesn’t make policy.

That last part, patronage, is where a governor can make a quiet difference. As Bradley put it in August: “Advocacy for and patronage of a diverse range of Queensland groups is integral to the role.”

Why it matters

A governor is a symbol, and symbols are the point. The person who represents the Crown at official ceremonies across Queensland is now a gay man who stood next to his partner on the day he was named.

It’s one more first in a good week for queer representation: two days later, Americans elected Chris Pappas as the first openly gay man in the US Senate.

For young LGBTQ+ people in regional Queensland, the Cairns kid, one of eight children, who ended up as governor is a pretty good story to have on hand.