Australian special interests Ambassadors and Envoys are specially-appointed officers of Australia 's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to represent the interests of the Commonwealth of Australia abroad on a larger scale (such as by continent) or through representing the Commonwealth's approach to various international issues. While the special interest Ambassadors-at-Large are appointed in the same manner as would a normal Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary , they are not credentialed to any state and thus have no treaty-making powers. Special Envoys are typically appointed by the Prime Minister of Australia .
Special interests ambassadors [ edit ] Ambassadors for Counter-Terrorism [ edit ] # Officeholder Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes 1 Nick Warner 20 March 2003 (2003-03-20 ) 14 August 2003 (2003-08-14 ) 147 days [1] 2 Les Luck 14 August 2003 (2003-08-14 ) 20 July 2006 (2006-07-20 ) 2 years, 340 days [2] 3 Mike Smith 20 July 2006 (2006-07-20 ) 5 September 2008 (2008-09-05 ) 2 years, 47 days [3] 4 Bill Paterson 5 September 2008 (2008-09-05 ) 14 March 2013 (2013-03-14 ) 4 years, 190 days [4] 5 Bill Fisher 14 March 2013 (2013-03-14 ) 18 May 2014 (2014-05-18 ) 1 year, 65 days [5] 6 Miles Armitage 18 May 2014 (2014-05-18 ) 21 July 2016 (2016-07-21 ) 2 years, 64 days [6] 7 Paul Foley 21 July 2016 (2016-07-21 ) 18 February 2021 (2021-02-18 ) 4 years, 212 days [7] 8 Roger Noble 18 February 2021 (2021-02-18 ) 9 February 2023 (2023-02-09 ) 1 year, 356 days [8] 9 Richard Feakes 22 May 2023 (2023-05-22 ) Incumbent 1 year, 18 days [9]
Ambassadors for the Environment [ edit ] # Officeholder Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes 1 Sir Ninian Stephen 1989 (1989 ) 1992 (1992 ) 2–3 years 2 Penelope Wensley 1992 (1992 ) January 1996 (January 1996 ) 3–4 years 3 Howard Bamsey January 1996 (1996-01 ) September 1997 (1997-09 ) 1 year, 8 months [10] 4 Meg McDonald September 1997 (1997-09 ) November 1998 (1998-11 ) 1 year, 2 months [11] 5 Ralph Hillman November 1998 (1998-11 ) March 2002 (2002-03 ) 3 years, 4 months [12] 6 Christopher Langman March 2002 (2002-03 ) February 2004 (2004-02 ) 1 year, 11 months [13] 7 Justin Brown October 2004 (2004-10 ) January 2005 (2005-01 ) 3 months [14] 8 Jan Adams January 2005 (2005-01 ) 2007 (2007 ) 1–2 years [15] Role merged with the Ambassador for Climate Change 9 Peter Woolcott November 2014 (2014-11 ) 29 February 2016 (2016-02-29 ) 1 year, 3 months [16] 10 Patrick Suckling 29 February 2016 (2016-02-29 ) 18 November 2019 (2019-11-18 ) 3 years, 263 days [17] 11 Jamie Isbister 18 November 2019 (2019-11-18 ) Incumbent 4 years, 204 days [18]
Ambassadors for Climate Change [ edit ] # Officeholder Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes 1 Jan Adams 2007 (2007 ) February 2009 (2009-02 ) 1–2 years 2 Louise Hand February 2009 (2009-02 ) 13 May 2012 (2012-05-13 ) 3 years, 3 months [19] 3 Justin Lee 13 May 2012 (2012-05-13 ) 1 November 2014 (2014-11-01 ) 2 years, 172 days [20] Role merged with the Ambassador for the Environment 4 Kristin Tilley 9 November 2022 (2022-11-09 ) Incumbent 1 year, 213 days [21]
Ambassadors for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology [ edit ] # Officeholder Title Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes 1 Tobias Feakin Ambassador for Cyber Affairs 10 November 2016 (2016-11-10 ) January 2020 (2020-01 ) 7 years, 212 days [22] [23] Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology January 2020 (2020-01 ) Incumbent
Ambassadors for Regional Health Security [ edit ] # Officeholder Title Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes 1 Murray Proctor Ambassador for HIV/AIDS December 2007 (2007-12 ) May 2012 (2012-05 ) 4 years, 5 months [24] 2 James Gilling Ambassador for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria 3 October 2012 (2012-10-03 ) 13 June 2017 (2017-06-13 ) 4 years, 253 days [24] 3 Blair Exell Ambassador for Regional Health Security 13 June 2017 (2017-06-13 ) 3 March 2020 (2020-03-03 ) 2 years, 264 days [25] 4 Stephanie Williams 3 March 2020 (2020-03-03 ) Incumbent 4 years, 98 days [26]
Ambassador for People Smuggling and Human Trafficking [ edit ] # Officeholder Title Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes 1 John Buckley Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues April 2002 (2002-04 ) 30 July 2003 (2003-07-30 ) 1 year, 3 months [27] 2 Caroline Millar 30 July 2003 (2003-07-30 ) 19 December 2005 (2005-12-19 ) 2 years, 142 days [28] 3 Lydia Morton 19 December 2005 (2005-12-19 ) January 2007 (2007-01 ) 1 year [29] 4 Michael Potts January 2007 (2007-01 ) June 2009 (2009-06 ) 2 years, 5 months [30] 5 Peter Woolcott June 2009 (2009-06 ) February 2010 (2010-02 ) 8 months [31] 6 James Larsen February 2010 (2010-02 ) 27 May 2012 (2012-05-27 ) 2 years, 3 months [32] 7 Craig Chittick 27 May 2012 (2012-05-27 ) December 2014 (2014-12 ) 2 years, 188 days [32] 8 Andrew Goledzinowski December 2014 (2014-12 ) 19 October 2017 (2017-10-19 ) 2 years, 10 months [33] 9 Geoffrey Shaw Ambassador for People Smuggling and Human Trafficking 19 October 2017 (2017-10-19 ) 22 May 2020 (2020-05-22 ) 2 years, 216 days [34] 10 Lucienne Manton 22 May 2020 (2020-05-22 ) Incumbent 4 years, 18 days [35]
Ambassadors for Gender Equality [ edit ] # Officeholder Title Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes 1 Penny Williams Ambassador for Women and Girls 13 September 2011 (2011-09-13 ) 16 December 2013 (2013-12-16 ) 2 years, 94 days [36] 2 Natasha Stott Despoja 16 December 2013 (2013-12-16 ) 21 November 2016 (2016-11-21 ) 2 years, 341 days [37] 3 Sharman Stone 21 November 2016 (2016-11-21 ) 8 March 2020 (2020-03-08 ) 3 years, 108 days [38] 4 Julie-Ann Guivarra Ambassador for Gender Equality 8 March 2020 (2020-03-08 ) 1 October 2021 (2021-10-01 ) 1 year, 207 days [39] 5 Christine Clarke Ambassador for Women and Girls 31 January 2022 (2022-01-31 ) 20 December 2022 (2022-12-20 ) 323 days [40] 6 Stephanie Copus-Campbell Ambassador for Gender Equality 20 December 2022 (2022-12-20 ) Incumbent 1 year, 172 days [41] [42]
Ambassadors for Human Rights [ edit ] # Officeholder Title Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes 1 Phillip Ruddock Special Envoy for Human Rights 8 February 2016 (2016-02-08 ) October 2017 (2017-10 ) 1 year, 7 months [43] Post abolished 2 Bronte Moules Ambassador for Human Rights TBD Incoming [42] [44]
Special Envoys [ edit ] Special Envoy to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , Ahmed Fahour , 29 June 2011–date.[45] [46] Special Envoy to Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the Caucasus , Russell Trood , 2011–2012.[47] Special Envoy to Africa Special Envoy to La Francophonie , Bill Fisher, 2010–2013.[48] Special Envoy on Whale Conservation , Sandy Hollway , 2008–2009[50] [51] Special Envoy for the Arts , Susan Templeman , MP 2022-present[52] Special Envoy for Disaster Recovery , Senator Tony Sheldon , 2022-present[53] Special Envoy for Reconciliation and Implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart , Senator Pat Dodson , 2022-2024[54] Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef , Senator Nita Green , 2022-present[54] See also [ edit ] References [ edit ] ^ Downer, Alexander (20 March 2003). "Appointment: Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Downer, Alexander (14 August 2003). "Diplomatic Appointment – Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Downer, Alexander (20 July 2006). "Diplomatic Appointment – Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Smith, Stephen (5 September 2008). "Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Carr, Bob (14 March 2013). "Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Bishop, Julie (18 May 2014). "Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Bishop, Julie (21 July 2016). "Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Payne, Marise (18 February 2021). "Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism" . Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Retrieved 11 March 2021 . ^ "Australian Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism" . Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade . Australian Government. Retrieved 2 January 2024 . ^ Evans, Gareth (27 July 1995). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Geneva UN, Ambassador for the Environment" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Downer, Alexander (27 September 1997). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador for the Environment" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Downer, Alexander (18 November 1998). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador For The Environment" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Downer, Alexander (15 March 2002). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador For The Environment" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Downer, Alexander (6 February 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador For The Environment" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. ^ Downer, Alexander (10 December 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador For The Environment" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016 . ^ Bishop, Julie (1 November 2014). "Ambassador for the Environment" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Bishop, Julie (29 February 2016). "Ambassador for the Environment" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Payne, Marise (18 November 2019). "Ambassador to the Environment" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021 . ^ Smith, Stephen ; Wong, Penny (9 February 2009). "New Ambassador for climate change" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Carr, Bob ; Combet, Greg (13 May 2012). "New Ambassador for Climate Change" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. ^ "New Ambassador for Climate Change" (Press release). Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. 9 November 2022. Archived from the original on 9 November 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022 . ^ Bishop, Julie ; Tehan, Dan (10 November 2016). "Ambassador for Cyber Affairs" . Minister for Foreign Affairs (Press release). Australian Government. Retrieved 31 May 2017 . ^ Brookes, Joseph (16 November 2022). "Govt hunts cyber ambassador replacement" . InnovationAus.com . Retrieved 3 January 2023 . ^ a b Carr, Bob (13 May 2012). "Incoming Ambassador for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. ^ Bishop, Julie (13 June 2017). "Ambassador for Regional Health Security" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Payne, Marise (3 March 2020). "Ambassador for Regional Health Security" . Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Retrieved 11 March 2021 . ^ Downer, Alexander (28 February 2002). "Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Downer, Alexander (30 July 2003). "Diplomatic Appointment - Ambassador For People Smuggling Issues" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Downer, Alexander (19 December 2005). "Diplomatic Appointment - Ambassador For People Smuggling Issues" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Downer, Alexander (29 December 2006). "Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Smith, Stephen (8 June 2009). "Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ a b Carr, Bob (27 May 2012). "New Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Bishop, Julie ; Morrison, Scott (24 November 2014). "Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Bishop, Julie (19 October 2017). "Ambassador for People Smuggling and Human Trafficking" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Payne, Marise (22 May 2020). "Ambassador for People Smuggling and Human Trafficking" . Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Retrieved 11 March 2021 . ^ Gillard, Julia ; Rudd, Kevin ; Ellis, Kate (13 September 2011). "Australia appoints Global Ambassador for Women and Girls" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Bishop, Julie ; Cash, Michaelia (16 December 2013). "Australia's Ambassador for Women and Girls" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Bishop, Julie ; Cash, Michaelia (21 November 2016). "Ambassador for Women and Girls" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Payne, Marise (8 March 2020). "Ambassador of Australia for Gender Equality" . Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Retrieved 11 March 2021 . ^ Payne, Marise (31 January 2022). "Ambassador of Australia for Women and Girls" . Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022 . ^ Wong, Penny (20 December 2022). "Ambassador for Gender Equality" . Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 20 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022 . ^ a b Albanese, Anthony ; Wong, Penny (20 December 2022). "Appointment of Australian Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Consul-General" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 26 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022 . ^ Bishop, Julie (8 February 2016). "Special Envoy for Human Rights" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Wong, Penny (20 December 2022). "Ambassador for Human Rights" . Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022 . ^ Bishop, Julie (3 September 2015). "Re-appointment of Special Envoy to the OIC" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Rudd, Kevin (29 June 2011). "Special Envoy to the OIC" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Rudd, Kevin (31 July 2011). "Appointment of UNSC Special Envoy" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ a b Rudd, Kevin (12 October 2010). "Appointment of Special Envoys" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Downer, Alexander (28 June 1996). "Appointment of Mr Malcolm Fraser As Special Envoy to Africa" (Press release). Australian Government. ^ Garrett, Peter (20 October 2008), Appointment of Sandy Hollway as Australia's Special Envoy on Whale Conservation , archived from the original on 14 February 2014 ^ "Sandy Hollway to be first whaling envoy" . The Sydney Morning Herald . 2 May 2008. Archived from the original on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017 . ^ "Statement: Special Envoy for the Arts" . www.susantempleman.com.au . Retrieved 2 May 2024 . ^ "Senator Tony Sheldon" . www.aph.gov.au . Retrieved 2 May 2024 . ^ a b "Gilmore; majority government; Ministry list, representation of women; gas prices; energy prices; cost of living; Julian Assange; policy agenda" . www.pm.gov.au . 31 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2024 . External links [ edit ]