Foreign relations of Australia are influenced by its position as a leading trading nation and as a significant donor of humanitarian aid. Australia's foreign policy is guided by a commitment to multilateralism and regionalism, as well as to build strong bilateral relations with its allies. Key concerns include free trade, terrorism, refugees, economic co-operation with Asia and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Australia is active in the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations. Given its history of starting and supporting important regional and global initiatives, it has been described as a regional middle power par excellence.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is the department of the Australian federal government responsible for foreign policy and relations, international aid, consular services and trade and investment. Australia's total official development assistance (ODA) decreased in 2022 due to differences in Australia's financial year reporting and the timing of its COVID-19-related expenditure, representing 0.19% of gross national income (GNI).
Peter Richard Woolcott is an Australian public servant, diplomat and the former Australian Public Service Commissioner. He was previously the Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Woolcott has served as the Australia's High Commissioner to New Zealand, the Australian Ambassador for the Environment, the Australian Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, the Australian Ambassador to Italy, the Deputy Head of Mission in Jakarta, and the Consul-General in Honolulu.
Frances Jennifer Adamson is an Australian public servant and diplomat who is the 36th Governor of South Australia, in office since 7 October 2021. She previously served as Australian Ambassador to China from 2011 to 2015 and as secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 2016 to 2021.
Louise Helen Hand is an Australian diplomat and is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Diplomatic relations between Australia and Morocco were established in 1976. Morocco has had an embassy in Canberra since 2004 and the Australian Embassy in Rabat was established in May 2017, upgrading the existing Austrade office in Rabat. Previously the Australian Embassy in Paris was accredited to Morocco since 1978.
Penny Williams is an Australian public servant and diplomat. She is the current Australian Ambassador to Indonesia. From 2007 to 2010, Williams was Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia.
Justin Hugh Brown is a senior Australian public servant and former officer with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Brown is currently a non-executive director of Wine Australia, a statutory corporation that promotes and regulates the Australian wine industry.
Andrea Faulkner, until April 2022, was Australian Ambassador to Myanmar until Australia downgraded its diplomatic ties with Myanmar in response to the actions of the military junta in Myanmar. Angela Corcoran was named chargé d’affaires but was not expected to present her credentials as she was considered head of mission in the absence of an ambassador and not the official head of a diplomatic mission., Faulkner also served as Ambassador to Israel from March 2010 until June 2013. It was her post as an ambassador. Until that post, she was Assistant Secretary of the Africa branch at DFAT and was second in command at the embassy in Vietnam.
