From the Governor's website: He is up, up and away

Today appeared a very sclerotic sentence on the Victorian Governor's website:

Monday April 20, 2009
The Governor, Professor David de Kretser, AC, and Mrs de Kretser, left Melbourne to pay an official visit to Turkey and the Middle East.

Wouldn't you like to know more?

Considering that ANZAC Day is approaching his visit to Turkey might be in some ways connected to Gallipoli.

But why doesn't the website give any details?

After all, he is entitled to represent Victoria overseas. On his website the section position of the Governor explains:

"The Queen is head of the State of Victoria but the Governor ordinarily exercises the powers and functions of head of state.

"When an apolitical head of the Victorian community should speak for the community, the Governor does so. The Governor gives the Anzac Day address from the forecourt of the Shrine of Remembrance and the Australia Day address from the steps of Parliament House.

"At the request of the Premier, Governors visit overseas countries to represent Victoria in an apolitical way and build friendship and good relations."

As long as he remembers that he is only The Queen's representative, nobody can object his trip. However, as a Victorian citizen I would be happy to know more about the Governor's trip. After all, ANZAC Day is 25th April - he left on 20th April. Where will be be, whom is he going to meet? What is hidden behind the term "Middle East"? Israel, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon?

That is a great mystery and not helped by the fact that the Melbourne media have so far failed to report on the Governor's trip.