List of Australian High Commissioners to India

Last updated

High Commissioner of Australia to India
Coat of Arms of Australia.svg
Barry O'Farrell, official portrait as Australian High Commissioner to India (2020).jpg
Incumbent
Barry O'Farrell
since 21 May 2020 (2020-05-21)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Style His Excellency
Reports to Minister for Foreign Affairs
Seat New Delhi
Nominator Prime Minister of Australia
Appointer Governor General of Australia
Inaugural holder Iven Mackay
Formation2 November 1943
Website Australian High Commission, New Delhi – India, Bhutan
The Australian High Commission in New Delhi Australian High Commission in New Delhi.jpg
The Australian High Commission in New Delhi
High Commissioner Harinder Sidhu presenting her commission to the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, on 4 April 2016. The High Commissioner-designate of Australia, Ms. Harinder Kaur Sidhu presenting her Credential to the President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on April 04, 2016.jpg
High Commissioner Harinder Sidhu presenting her commission to the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, on 4 April 2016.

The high commissioner of Australia to India 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 India in New Delhi. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and is currently held by the former Premier of New South Wales, Barry O'Farrell, since 21 May 2020. The high commissioner also holds non-resident accreditation as Ambassador to Bhutan since diplomatic relations were established on 14 September 2002. [1] [2] On 21 May 2020, O'Farrell presented his commission to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, in India's first-ever virtual credentials ceremony. [3] On 7 October 2022, O'Farrell presented his credentials as ambassador to the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, at Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu. [4]

Contents

The Australian Government has offered diplomatic representation in India since 1943. [5] Between 1960 and 1986, the high commissioner also had non-resident accreditation as Ambassador to Nepal. A resident Australian Embassy in Nepal was opened on 27 April 1984, but the first resident ambassador was not appointed until 4 May 1986. [6] [7] [8] The high commission's work is assisted by multiple consulates throughout the country that have visiting and reporting responsibilities, as well as handling consular and trade matters for the high commission.

List of high commissioners

#OfficeholderOther officesTerm start dateTerm end dateTime in officeNotes
1 Iven Mackay n/a2 November 194329 May 19484 years, 209 days [9] [10] [11] [12]
− Charles Kevin (Acting)29 May 194815 January 1949231 days [13]
2 Roy Gollan 15 January 1949March 19523 years, 1 month [14] [15] [16] [17]
3 Walter Crocker March 195219 March 19553 years [18] [19]
−D. J. Munro (Acting)19 March 195522 April 195534 days [20]
4 Peter Heydon 22 April 195513 November 19583 years, 205 days [21] [22] [23]
5 Walter Crocker A 13 November 195815 March 19623 years, 122 days [24] [25] [26]
−Kevin Thomas Kelly (Acting) A 15 March 196210 June 196287 days [27]
− Bill Pritchett (Acting) A 10 June 196221 February 1963256 days [28] [29] [30]
6 James Plimsoll A 21 February 196328 January 19651 year, 342 days [31] [32]
7 Arthur Tange A 28 January 196525 January 19704 years, 362 days [33]
−Rob Laurie (Acting) A 25 January 19701 March 197035 days [34]
8 Patrick Shaw A 1 March 197026 September 19733 years, 209 days [35] [36] [37]
9 Bruce Grant A 26 September 197315 December 19752 years, 80 days [38] [39]
10 Peter Curtis A 26 February 19765 December 19793 years, 282 days [40]
11 Gordon Upton A 5 December 197931 May 19844 years, 178 days [41]
12 Graham Feakes A 31 May 1984November 19906 years, 5 months [42] [43]
13David Evansn/aNovember 1990February 19943 years, 3 months [44]
14Darren GribbleFebruary 199425 July 19973 years, 5 months [45]
15Rob Laurie257 July 199728 August 20014 years, 34 days [46]
16 Penny Wensley B 28 August 20019 August 20042 years, 347 days [47]
17 John McCarthy B 9 August 20048 June 20094 years, 303 days [48]
18 Peter Varghese B 8 June 200930 December 20123 years, 205 days [49]
19Patrick Suckling B 30 December 201211 February 20163 years, 43 days [50] [51] [52]
20Harinder Sidhu B 11 February 201618 February 20204 years, 7 days [53]
21 Barry O'Farrell B 21 May 2020Incumbent3 years, 79 days [54]

Notes

^A : Also non-resident Ambassador to Nepal, 1960–1986.
^B : Also non-resident Ambassador to Bhutan, 2002–present.

Consuls-general

LocationOpen Consular district
Consulate-General, Mumbai 1967/1979 Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa
Consulate-General, Chennai 2007 Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Puducherry
Consulate-General, Kolkata 1970/2019 West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tripura
Consulate-General, Bengaluru TBD [55] [56]

Mumbai

The consulate-general was first opened in Bombay on the 21 August 1967, initially with a Deputy High Commissioner in charge until 1973, but was closed on the 30 April 1976 due to financial constraints, [57] before being reopened on 6 February 1979. [58] An Australian Trade Commission had been located in the city since 1939, with Roy Gollan (later high commissioner) serving as trade commissioner from 1939 to 1948. [59] [60]

NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
John Melhuish (DHC)21 August 196724 February 1973 [58] [61]
Thomas Venables Holland (DHC)24 February 197313 May 1973 [58]
C. A. Bromwich (DHC)13 May 19736 March 1975 [58]
Eric Hanfield6 March 197530 April 1976 [58]
Consulate closed
Robert Jolly (acting)6 February 19794 October 1979 [58]
John Dalrymple Colquhoun-Denvers4 October 197915 April 1982 [58]
Ian Tricks15 April 198213 December 1984 [58]
G. R. Hawker13 December 198412 December 1986 [58]
Gavan Bromilow12 December 198614 December 1989 [58]
Stephanie Daly14 December 198910 January 1992 [58]
J. N. Elliot10 January 1992May 1993 [58]
Christopher QuirkJune 19931997 [58]
19972006
Peter ForbyJuly 20066 July 2010 [62]
Stephen Waters6 July 2010September 2013 [62]
Mark PierceSeptember 201319 August 2016 [63]
Tony Huber19 August 201625 February 2020 [64]
Greg Wilcock25 February 202014 April 2021 [65]
Peter Truswell14 April 20211date [66]

Kolkata

On 18 June 1970, the post was originally opened as the Deputy High Commission, Calcutta, to replace the Trade Commission which had existed in the city since 1939. Like the Bombay post, the Deputy High Commission was downgraded to a consulate-general on 13 May 1973, before being closed in April 1976 due to budget constraints. [67] [57]

NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Douglas Sturkey (DHC)18 June 19706 June 1972 [68]
Brian Meade (DHC/CG)6 June 197212 February 1975
Rodney Hodgson12 February 197530 April 1976
Consulate closed
Andrew Ford10 January 2019April 2021 [69] [70]
Rowan Ainsworth14 April 2021date [71]

Chennai

NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Aminur RahmanJanuary 2007July 2010 [72]
David HollyJuly 2010January 2014 [72]
Sean KellyJanuary 2014November 2017 [73]
Susan GraceNovember 2017March 2021 [74]
Sarah KirlewMarch 2021date [75]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Consulate-General, Noumea</span>

The Australian Consulate-General in Noumea, New Caledonia represents the Commonwealth of Australia in New Caledonia, a special collectivity of France, and is also accredited to the Pacific French Overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna. The Consul-General also serves as Australia's representative to the Noumea-based Pacific Community. The Consulate-General, one of four in New Caledonia, has since 1976 had its offices at 19 avenue du Maréchal Foch, Nouméa.

References

  1. ↑ CA 2754: Australian High Commission, India [New Delhi], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 26 April 2015
  2. ↑ Downer, Alexander (15 September 2002). "Australia and Bhutan Establish Diplomatic Relations" (Media Release). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Minister for Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  3. ↑ "Australia's 21st High Commissioner to India presents his credentials" (Media Release). Australian High Commission, New Delhi. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  4. ↑ "Presentation of Credentials by Ambassadors-designate of Pakistan, Australia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Canada, Kazakhstan, Indonesia and Slovenia". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan. 7 October 2022. Archived from the original (Press Release) on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "High Commissioner to India: Australia to have representative". Daily Commercial News and Shipping List. Sydney, New South Wales. 26 October 1943. p. 2.
  6. ↑ "Embassy to open in Nepal". The Canberra Times. 16 March 1984. p. 11.
  7. ↑ "Opening of new Australian diplomatic missions". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 56 (11): 1131. November 1985. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  8. ↑ Hayden, Bill (May 1986). "Ambassador to Nepal". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 57 (5): 453. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  9. ↑ "Nearer to India: Evatt". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertsider. 2 November 1943. p. 3.
  10. ↑ "Australian High Commissioners in India and New Zealand". Current Notes on International Affairs. 14 (9): 333. 15 November 1943. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
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  12. ↑ "MACKAY IN INDIA". The Daily Telegraph. New South Wales, Australia. 15 March 1944. p. 3. Retrieved 23 October 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  13. ↑ "Mr. C. Kevin for Indonesia". The Canberra Times. ACT. 6 January 1953. p. 2.
  14. ↑ "DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette . No. 165. Australia, Australia. 16 December 1948. p. 4219. Retrieved 23 October 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  15. ↑ "Appointed High Commissioner to India". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 6 October 1948. p. 5.
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  21. ↑ "High Commissioner to India". The Canberra Times. ACT. 4 February 1955. p. 2.
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  23. ↑ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 26 (4): 300. April 1955. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
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  27. ↑ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 33 (3): 56. March 1962. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  28. ↑ Furlonger, Bob (8 February 2014). "William Pritchett: From diplomat to head of Defence Department". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 15 February 2014.
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  40. ↑ Peacock, Andrew (26 February 1976). "Appointment of High Commissioner to India and Ambassador to Nepal" (Media Release). ParlInfo: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  41. ↑ Peacock, Andrew (5 December 1979). "High Commissioner to India" (Media Release). ParlInfo: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  42. ↑ "Feakes named for India post". The Canberra Times. ACT. 1 June 1984. p. 3.
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  50. ↑ "Australia appoints new High Commissioner to India". Australian Broadcasting Commission. Archived from the original on 7 April 2013.
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  52. ↑ Carr, Bob (30 December 2012). "Engagement with India" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  53. ↑ Bishop, Julie (11 February 2016). "High Commissioner to India" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 11 February 2016.
  54. ↑ Payne, Marise (18 February 2020). "High Commissioner to India" (Press release). Australian Government.
  55. ↑ "BTS 2021: Australian PM announces consulate office, centre of excellence in Bengaluru". The Hindu. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  56. ↑ "Australia seeks to establish new Consulate General in Bengaluru: Scott Morrison". The Economic Times. 17 November 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  57. 1 2 "Foreign Affairs: Reduction of Expenditure". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 47 (2): 96. February 1976. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  58. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 CA 8015: Australian Consulate-General, Mumbai [India], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 2 June 2022
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  60. ↑ "TRADE COMMISSIONS". Cairns Post . Queensland, Australia. 2 March 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 2 June 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  61. ↑ Hayden, Bill (April 1983). "Consul-General in San Francisco". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 54 (4): 154. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  62. 1 2 Smith, Stephen (6 July 2010). "Diplomatic Appointment - Consul-General in Mumbai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 20 February 2011.
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  64. ↑ Bishop, Julie (19 August 2016). "Consul-General in Mumbai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government.
  65. ↑ Payne, Marise (25 February 2020). "Consul-General in Mumbai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government.
  66. ↑ Payne, Marise (14 April 2021). "Consul-General in Mumbai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government.
  67. ↑ CA 8015: Australian Consulate-General, Mumbai [India], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 2 June 2022
  68. ↑ Peacock, Andrew (March 1979). "Diplomatic appointments". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 50 (3): 167. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  69. ↑ Payne, Marise (10 January 2019). "Consul-General in Kolkata" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government.
  70. ↑ Banerjee, Sudeshna (22 May 2019). "Meet Andrew Ford, the consul general of the recently reopened Australian consulate general in Calcutta". The Telegraph . Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  71. ↑ Payne, Marise (14 April 2021). "Consul-General in Kolkata" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government.
  72. 1 2 Smith, Stephen (6 July 2010). "Diplomatic Appointment - Consul-General in Chennai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 20 February 2011.
  73. ↑ Bishop, Julie (10 January 2014). "Appointment of Consul-General in Chennai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government.
  74. ↑ Bishop, Julie (24 November 2017). "Consul-General in Chennai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government.
  75. ↑ Payne, Marise (19 March 2021). "Consul-General in Chennai" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government.
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