Prime Minister Scott Morrison has downplayed speculation former defence chief Sir Angus Houston is in the running to be Australia's next governor-general, saying he's focussed on other issues.
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Sir Angus is being considered as a replacement for Sir Peter Cosgrove whose current term ends in March, The Daily Telegraph reported on Friday.
"I'm not really thinking about who the next governor-general is," Mr Morrison told ABC TV.
"What I am thinking about is how I'm going to get electricity prices down, how I'm going to deal with the drought, I'm thinking about the aged care royal commission."
However, he welcomed debate on the best candidate for a "very important position".
"We will make a decision in due course but it is not something that's burning a hole in my agenda at the moment," Mr Morrision said.
Sir Angus, who left the ADF seven years ago, was made a knight by former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott in 2015.
Defence Minister Christopher Pyne said Sir Angus was a "tremendous guy" but there would be other strong candidates.
"There'll be an announcement about the next governor-general next year I assume. There's no particular hurry," he told Nine Network.
Australian Associated Press
