On Wednesday 14 December 2011, at Admiralty House, Sydney, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO received the Prime Minister, the Honourable Julia Gillard MP.

Afterwards, the Governor-General presided at a meeting of the Federal Executive Council and signed the instruments establishing and re-naming Departments of State. Then, the Governor-General signed instruments of appointment of Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries to their respective new offices.

On Tuesday 13 December 2011, at the Temple Beth Israel, St Kilda, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO and Mr Michael Bryce AM AE, attended the State Funeral for the late the Right Honourable Sir Zelman Cowen AK GCMG GCVO QC.

On Monday 12 December 2011, at Government House, Canberra, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO received a farewell call from the Ambassador of Nepal, His Excellency Mr Yogendra Dhakal.

Earlier, in Deakin, Mr Michael Bryce AM AE, as Patron, attended the Christmas afternoon tea for the Friends of Calvary John James Hospital.

On Sunday 11 December 2011, at Government House, Canberra, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO and Mr Michael Bryce AM AE, hosted a musical afternoon for the Canberra International Music Festival.

On Saturday 10 December 2011, at Sydney International Airport, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO was represented at the arrival in Australia of the President of the Republic of Nauru, His Excellency the Honourable Sprent Dabwido MP, by Commander Gavin Baker ADC RAN, an Honorary Aide-de-Camp.

On Friday 9 December 2011, at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, as Patron, officially opened the Australian Red Cross Conference 2011.

Afterwards, at the Bahá’í Centre of Learning for Tasmania, the Governor-General, in recognition of International Human Rights Day on 10 December 2011, met with Tasmanian Human Rights Week Award Recipients and committee staff.

On Wednesday 7 December 2011, at Government House, Canberra, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO presided at a meeting of the Federal Executive Council.

Afterwards, at Acton, the Governor-General, as guest of the Chair, Professor Chris Puplick AM, and the Chief Executive Officer, Mr Michael Loebenstein, visited the National Film and Sound Archive.

Later, the Governor-General received the Ambassador-designate to the Republic of Poland and the Czech Republic, Ms Jean Dunn.

On Tuesday 6 December 2011, at Government House, Canberra, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO hosted a Christmas morning tea for student representatives from Australian Capital Territory secondary schools.

On Monday 5 December 2011, at Government House, Canberra, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, hosted a reception for Australian Defence Force Academy Graduands, Royal Military College Cadets and the Spitfire Association, at which the Governor-General presented the 2012 Spitfire Memorial Defence Fellowship to Dr Sarah Zhang.

On Sunday 4 December 2011, Saint David’s Cathedral, Hobart, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO and Mr Michael Bryce AM AE, attended the Choral Eucharist.

Afterwards, at Sydney International Airport, the Governor-General was represented at the departure from Australia of the President of the Republic of Nauru, His Excellency the Honourable Sprent Dabwido MP, by Commander Ted Wynberg ADC RAN, an Honorary Aide-de-Camp.