Scotch College

Former Scotch parent is Governor of Victoria

A former Scotch parent became the state’s new Governor in April.

Former Scotch parent The Hon Justice Alex Chernov AO QC became Victoria’s new Governor on 8 April 2011.

Alex and his wife Elizabeth are the parents of Old Boys Andrew (’87) and Michael (’92). In all, Alex and Elizabeth have three children and six grandchildren.

Announcing Alex’s appointment as Governor, Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu said he exemplified ‘the spirit of opportunity, hard work and dedication that represents the best of Victoria’.

Alex arrived as a 10-year-old boy fleeing his native country of Lithuania as the Russians advanced relentlessly through the southern Baltic states. He was housed in the Bonegilla Migrant Hostel in northern Victoria.

Alex went on to become one of Australia’s leading commercial lawyers, and in 1997 was appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria. In 1998 he was appointed to the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court.

He became an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2007 Queen’s Birthday honours, ‘for service to the law through a range of judicial and administrative roles with Victorian, national and Asia-Pacific bodies, and to education through the University of Melbourne’. In 2009 Alex was appointed as the 20th Chancellor of the University of Melbourne. The Scotch Family congratulates the Governor and wishes him all the best in his important position. GS