Sir William Jack Skate KCMG (26 September 1953 – 3 January 2006) was a prominent Papua New Guinea politician.

He was appointed acting governor-general in November 2003, a constitutional requirement when that office falls vacant.

[citation needed] On 3 March 2004, Skate was suspended as acting governor-general because of allegations that he misappropriated funds during the 1990s.

[citation needed] On 28 May 2004, Skate ceased to be Speaker when the parliament elected a pro-government candidate, Jeffery Nape.

[citation needed] He died in hospital on 3 January 2006, in Brisbane, Australia,[1] where he had been airlifted after suffering a stroke in late December 2005 which was probably an effect of chronic alcoholism.