Sir William John McKell, GCMG, QC (26 September 1891 – 11 January 1985) was an Australian politician who served as the 12th Governor-General of Australia, in office from 1947 to 1953.

As premier, McKell oversaw both the war effort and the initial stages of post-war reconstruction, carrying out an ambitious programme of public works as well as various social reforms.

His appointment was initially controversial due to its openly political nature; Sir Robert Menzies called it "shocking and humiliating".

Some of McKell's actions as Governor-General were unpopular amongst his old Labor Party colleagues, notably his acceptance of a knighthood and his decision to grant Menzies a double dissolution in 1951.

In later life, he served as a trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground, and as a member of the Reid Commission, which drafted the Constitution of Malaysia.

He joined the Federated Society of Boilermakers and Iron and Steel Ship-Builders and organized fellow apprentices to fight for improved conditions.

James McGowen, MLA for Redfern and first ALP Premier of New South Wales, had been expelled from the party for supporting conscription.

[1] Except for the period of proportional representation (1920–1927), when he was a member for Botany, McKell represented the seat of Redfern until he resigned to become Governor-General in 1947.

[2] When Labor regained office under John Thomas (Jack) Lang's Leadership in 1925, McKell returned to the Justice portfolio.

McKell contrasted this with United Australia Party Premier Alexander Mair's attitude that all social and other reform had to be postponed because of the war.

[7] The McKell Government achieved an impressive record in the social, industrial, planning, and environmental areas, including Kosciusko National Park and the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

The objection was not personal (George VI had never met McKell) but centred on his being closely associated with a particular political party, and with a particular state.

In the end, the King had no option but accept Chifley's assurances of McKell's personal integrity and that the Crown would not be exposed to any political controversy.

[1][10] Chifley was determined that the Duke of Gloucester's successor should be a native-born Australian, and he seems to have deliberately chosen a Labor man with a working-class background to make a political point.

McKell carried out the usual round of his formal duties with dignity, behaved with unfailing respect towards the King himself, and succeeded in winning over all but the most inflexible.

When Menzies succeeded Chifley as Prime Minister in December 1949, his relations with McKell were initially civil rather than friendly, but later on, the two men formed a cordial working relationship.

[1] The most controversial moment in McKell's vice-regal career came in March 1951, when Menzies asked him for a double dissolution election.

Many in the ALP, though not Chifley, thought that McKell should and would refuse Menzies a double dissolution, but the Governor-General agreed (with little hesitation) to grant one.

McKell took the view that an election was necessary (since the Government's lower-house majority was still so big that there was no prospect of it losing a House of Representatives vote of confidence, such as in 1941 had ended Sir Arthur Fadden's far more vulnerable administration), and that it was for the electorate, not for himself, to determine whether the Senate or Menzies was right.

McKell was the only Australian Governor-General to be knighted during his term, until Quentin Bryce was appointed a Dame of the Order of Australia in March 2014.

Both Sir William's and Lady McKell's ashes are interred at Northern Suburbs Crematorium, North Ryde.