List of Australian High Commissioners to Papua New Guinea

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High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea
Coat of Arms of Australia.svg
Incumbent
Jon Philp
since 25 February 2020
StyleHis Excellency
Inaugural holderLes Johnson
Formation1973
WebsiteAustralian High Commission, Papua New Guinea

The Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea is the Australian Government's foremost diplomatic representative in Papua New Guinea. The Ambassador is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the High Commission of the Commonwealth of Australia to PNG. The High Commissioner resides in Port Moresby. The high commission's work has been assisted since 6 February 2017 by a consulate-general in Lae.[1][2]

Posting history[]

The Australian Government has offered diplomatic representation in Papua New Guinea since the Territory’s self-government was established in December 1973. The top official Australian Government representative in Papua New Guinea was called the High Commissioner, on the request of Papua New Guinea.[3][4]

Lae consulate[]

A Consulate-General was opened on 16 September 1975 was opened in the city of Lae as a result of an agreement between the Australian and PNG governments to raise the status of their offices in Lae and Sydney upon independence. However, due to resource constraints in foreign affairs with the new Liberal/National government of Malcolm Fraser, the post was scaled down from late 1978 and was completely closed down in December 1981, whilst the responsibilities of the consulate passed to the Deputy High Commissioner in Port Moresby, M. W. Hughes, from 1978–1981.[5] The post remained closed until the appointment and opening of an Honorary Consulate on 24 July 1989, which lasted until the reopening of the Consulate-General in February 2017 as part of a significant expansion of Australia's global diplomatic presence.[1]

List of heads of mission[]

High Commissioner in Port Moresby

Name Start of term End of term References
Les Johnson 1973 1974 [6]
Tom Critchley 1974 1978 [7]
Gerry Nutter 1978 1981 [8]
Robert Birch 1981 1984 [9]
Michael Wilson 1984 1987 [10]
Lance Joseph 1987 1989
Allan Taylor 1989 1993 [11]
Bill Farmer 1993 1995
David Irvine 1996 1999 [12]
Nick Warner 1999 2003 [13]
Michael Potts 2003 2006 [14]
Chris Moraitis 2006 2010 [15]
Ian Kemish 2010 2013 [16][17]
Deborah Stokes 2013 2 December 2015 [18]
Bruce Davis 2 December 2015 25 February 2020 [19]
Jon Philp 25 February 2020 present [20]

Consuls-General in Lae[]

Name Start of term End of term References
N. R. Smith 1975 1976 [5]
E. H. Hanfield 1976 1978 [5]
M. W. Hughes (resident in Port Moresby) 1978 1981 [5]
Posting closed
Kevin Beamish (Honorary Consul) 24 July 1989 1993 [21]
Phil Franklin (Honorary Consul) 1993 August 2013 [22]
Alan McLay (Honorary Consul) August 2013 16 December 2016 [23]
Paul Murphy 16 December 2016 present [24]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Bishop, Julie (9 March 2017). "Opening of Lae Consulate-General" (Media release). Minister for Foreign Affairs. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Australian Consulate-General in Lae gets down to business". DFAT. Australian High Commission Papua New Guinea. 6 February 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  3. ^ Davidson, Gay (31 October 1973). "Dual role likely for top PNG official". The Canberra Times. p. 1.
  4. ^ CA 7733: Australian High Commission, Papua New Guinea [Port Moresby], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 April 2015
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d CA 8020: Australian Consulate, Lae [Papua New Guinea], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 24 June 2017
  6. ^ "PNG post". The Canberra Times. ACT. 7 November 1973. p. 3.
  7. ^ "Envoy to PNG". The Canberra Times. ACT. 19 February 1974. p. 1.
  8. ^ "Diplomats moved". The Canberra Times. ACT. 13 January 1978. p. 3.
  9. ^ "High Commissioner to PNG". The Canberra Times. ACT. 7 April 1981. p. 3.
  10. ^ "PNG Appointment". The Canberra Times. ACT. 10 September 1984. p. 3.
  11. ^ "Appointment". The Canberra Times. ACT. 13 April 1989. p. 3.
  12. ^ Evans, Gareth (9 December 1995). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012.
  13. ^ Downer, Alexander (19 May 1999). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  14. ^ Downer, Alexander (2 October 2002). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to PNG" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  15. ^ Marshall, Steve (26 November 2006). "Moraitis appointed High Commissioner to PNG". ABC News (Australia). Archived from the original on 31 January 2015.
  16. ^ Smith, Stephen (12 January 2010). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 27 March 2014.
  17. ^ Radio National ABC Interview, 1 March 2013 reproduced at 2013 Valedictory interview: Ian Kemish bids PNG goodbye, archived from the original on 24 March 2013
  18. ^ Carr, Bob (12 February 2013). "High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 11 February 2014.
  19. ^ Bishop, Julie (2 December 2015). "High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 December 2015.
  20. ^ Payne, Marise (25 February 2020). "High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea" (Press release). Australian Government.
  21. ^ "X DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR RELATIONS: Appointment of Honorary Consuls - first Australian appointment" (PDF). Australian Year Book of International Law. AustLii. 1989. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  22. ^ "Change of the Guard" (PDF). Weekly News Update. Lae Chamber of Commerce Inc. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  23. ^ "McLay takes over as honorary consul for Australia". The National. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  24. ^ Bishop, Julie (16 December 2016). "Consul-General in Lae" (Press release). Australian Government.

External links[]

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