Top job going at Govt House

Sir Don McKinnon is a possible applicant. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Prime Minister John Key is about to consider who the next Governor-General will be. And the word is he may buck the recent trend of appointing a former judge and opt for someone more unorthodox to the role.

Some of the names being tossed around by observers include Sir Don McKinnon, Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast and arts patron Dame Jenny Gibbs.

Sir Anand Satyanand's five-year term is due to end on August 23 next year.

Philanthropist and recently named Distinguished Citizen of Auckland Rosie Horton said one person stood head and shoulders above others.

"Sir Don McKinnon. He has had an outstanding and highly revered international life and done a stunning job at the Commonwealth Secretariat, and he's just a very fine New Zealander that we can all be proud of. And he's come back to New Zealand.

"[Philanthropist and arts patron] Dame Jenny Gibbs is also marvellous, very clever and gracious to meet and such a marvellous role model."

Property investor Sir Robert Jones said the Governor-General should be a New Zealander who was not a token appointment.

He said Kerry Prendergast would "be wonderful at the job".

Asked about Maori academic Sir Mason Durie, Sir Robert said he would be "very tokenistic", and former Labour Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer would be "most unsuitable".

Since MMP was introduced, all Governors-General have been judges - Sir Michael Hardie Boys, Dame Silvia Cartwright and Sir Anand.

Constitutional lawyer Mai Chen said the Governor-General needed to have a sharp legal mind, though that did not restrict the role to former lawyers and judges.

"They do have significant powers when the constitutional chips are down, so it is important to have a person who has sound judgment and is able to exercise those reserve powers when needed.

"It's the determining who has the confidence of Parliament and should therefore be in government and who has lost the confidence of Parliament and therefore a general election is needed.

"I think it's also important that the person really likes people and is good at public speaking."

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei would support a female representative of ethnic groups, but insisted she was not throwing her own hat into the ring.

She said former Rugby World Cup Ambassador Andy Haden "might not be the best option".

The Governor-General needed to be highly respected, successful and easy to talk to, she said.

Past practice suggests that a person will be identified in the last quarter of this year and approached, and that an announcement will be made early next year.

The appointment is the Prime Minister's alone. He can consult whom he wants, or no one at all.

Once the role has been offered and accepted and the terms sorted out, the convention has been that the Leader of the Opposition is informed as a courtesy before the announcement.

That convention dates from the day that Labour Party leader Sir Wallace Rowling heard about the appointment of former National Prime Minister Sir Keith Holyoake on the radio.

Political appointments have been rare since then, with former Auckland City Mayor Dame Catherine Tizard being the only one, and she was a popular choice.

Sir Don is a former National Party Deputy Prime Minister and is home from London after serving two terms as Commonwealth Secretary-General.

Former National PM Jim Bolger is among the 20 living New Zealanders in the Order of New Zealand, the country's highest honour, but his strong republican views could prove a problem.

Sir Geoffrey Palmer would have the stature for the role but has been invaluable to past and present Governments in other roles, such as leading the liquor law review, and is now making a place for himself in international mediation.

If Mr Key decided that another judge should live in Government House, then Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias could be a candidate, though husband Hugh Fletcher might be a more popular choice.

Sir Kenneth Keith, who is serving on the International Court of Justice, may be less controversial than either of them.