List of Australian High Commissioners to South Africa

Last updated

High Commissioner of Australia to South Africa
Coat of Arms of Australia.svg
Gita Kamath, official portrait as Australian High Commissioner to South Africa (2019).jpg
Incumbent
Gita Kamath
since 2 March 2019 (2019-03-02)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Style Her Excellency
Reports to Minister for Foreign Affairs
Seat Arcadia, Pretoria
Nominator Prime Minister of Australia
Appointer Governor General of Australia
Inaugural holder George Knowles
Formation21 August 1946
Website Australian High Commission Pretoria

The high commissioner of Australia to South Africa, known from 1961 to 1994 as the Ambassador of Australia to South Africa, 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 South Africa in Pretoria. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and is currently held by Gita Kamath since 2 March 2019.

Contents

The ambassador also holds non-resident accreditation as high commissioner to Botswana (1973–1981, since 2004), Eswatini (since 1973), Lesotho (since 1973), Mozambique (since 2004), and Namibia (since 2010); and as Ambassador to Angola (since 2010), and the representative to the Southern African Development Community. The high commission also has oversight for Honorary Consulates in Luanda, Angola, and Maputo, Mozambique. [1]

Posting history

The Australian Government has offered diplomatic representation in Pretoria, South Africa since 1946. Between 1961 and 1994 the designation of the Australian representative in South Africa changed from high commissioner to ambassador. [2] On 9 July 1973, ambassador Colin Moodie received non-resident accreditation as Australia's first high commissioner to Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. [3]

Heads of mission

#OfficeholderTitleOther officesTerm start dateTerm end dateTime in officeNotes
1 George Knowles High Commissioner21 August 1946August 19481 year, 11 months [4]
2 Alfred Stirling August 194829 March 19512 years, 7 months [5]
− John Quinn (Acting)29 March 195122 July 19521 year, 115 days [6]
3 William Hodgson 22 July 19523 July 19574 years, 346 days [7]
−Hugh Gilchrist (Acting)3 July 19577 January 19591 year, 188 days [1]
4 Owen Davis 7 January 195931 May 19613 years, 7 months [8]
Ambassador31 May 1961September 1962
5 Charles Kevin September 1962September 19686 years [9]
6 Bill Cutts September 1968September 19724 years [10] [11]
7 Colin Moodie A B C September 1972August 19752 years, 11 months [12] [13] [11]
8 David McNicol A B C August 1975November 19772 years, 3 months [14] [12]
9Keith Douglas-Scott A B C November 1977October 19813 years, 11 months [14]
10 Malcolm Lyon A B October 1981December 19843 years, 2 months [15] [16] [17]
11Robert Birch A B December 1984July 19883 years, 7 months [17]
12Colin McDonald A B July 1988August 19924 years, 1 month [18] [19]
13Ross Burns A B August 19921 June 19943 years, 2 months [18] [20]
High Commissioner1 June 1994October 1995
14Ian Porter A B October 19955 May 19982 years, 7 months [20] [21]
15 David Connolly A B 5 May 199813 March 20023 years, 312 days [21] [22]
16Ian Wilcock A B 13 March 200210 June 20042 years, 89 days [22] [23]
17Philip Green A B C D E 10 June 200425 November 20084 years, 168 days [23] [24]
18Ann Harrap A B C D E F 25 November 200811 February 20145 years, 78 days [24] [25]
19Graeme Wilson A B C D E F 11 February 20142 September 2014203 days [25] [26] [27]
−Chris Munn (Acting) A B C D E F 2 September 20141 April 2015211 days
20Adam McCarthy A B C D E F 1 April 20152 March 20193 years, 335 days [28]
21 Gita Kamath A B C D E F 2 March 2019Incumbent4 years, 160 days [29]

Notes

^A Also non-resident high commissioner to Eswatini (Swaziland before 2018), 1973–present.
^B Also non-resident high commissioner to Lesotho, 1973–present.
^C Also non-resident high commissioner to Botswana, 1973–1981, 2004–present.
^D Also non-resident high commissioner to Mozambique, 2004–present.
^E Also non-resident high commissioner to Namibia, 2004–present.
^F Also non-resident ambassador to Angola, 2010–present.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 CA 7010: Australian Embassy, South Africa [Pretoria], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 22 October 2022
  2. ↑ "P.M. defines attitude of South Africa: No abrupt change in attitude". The Canberra Times. 26 May 1961. p. 3.
  3. ↑ "High Commissioner to Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 44 (7): 488. July 1973. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  4. ↑ Whitlam, E.G., "Knowles, Sir George Shaw (1882–1947)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 9 March 2014
  5. ↑ Hearder, Jeremy, "Stirling, Alfred Thorp (1902–1981)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 6 September 2014
  6. ↑ Fogarty, Mike, "Quinn, John Paul (1919–1961)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 5 February 2016
  7. ↑ "Australian High Commissioner In S.A. To Retire". The Canberra Times. 3 July 1957. p. 3.
  8. ↑ "Appointed High Commissioner". The Canberra Times. 27 January 1959. p. 2.
  9. ↑ "Divorce for New Envoy". The Canberra Times. 27 June 1962. p. 2.
  10. ↑ "Envoy to S. Africa named". The Canberra Times. 25 May 1968. p. 3.
  11. 1 2 "Foreign Affairs changes". The Canberra Times. 12 June 1972. p. 8.
  12. 1 2 "Post in Pretoria". The Canberra Times. 25 June 1975. p. 8.
  13. ↑ Farquharson, John, "Moodie, Colin Troup (1913–2000)", Obituaries Australia, Australian National University, archived from the original on 11 January 2015
  14. 1 2 "Australian diplomats appointed". The Canberra Times. 17 September 1977. p. 3.
  15. ↑ Downer, Alexander (18 October 2007). "Malcolm Lyon OBE" (Press release). Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  16. ↑ "Two ambassadors appointed". The Canberra Times. 27 May 1981. p. 3.
  17. 1 2 "Ambassador appointed". The Canberra Times. 17 September 1984. p. 3.
  18. 1 2 "New ambassador to S. Africa named". The Canberra Times. 25 August 1992. p. 4.
  19. ↑ McMullan, Bob (12 July 1995). "AUSTRALIAN Consul-General in Honolulu" (Press release). Archived from the original on 11 February 2014.
  20. 1 2 Evans, Gareth (28 June 1995). "DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENT: High Commissioner to South Africa" (Press release). Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  21. 1 2 Downer, Alexander (5 May 1998). "Diplomatic Appointmient: High Commissioner to South Africa" (Press release). Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  22. 1 2 Downer, Alexander (13 March 2002). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to South Africa" (Press release). Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  23. 1 2 Downer, Alexander (10 June 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to South Africa" (Press release). Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  24. 1 2 Smith, Stephen (25 November 2008). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to South Africa" (Press release). Archived from the original on 13 March 2014.
  25. 1 2 Carr, Bob (13 November 2012). "High Commissioner to South Africa" (Press release). Archived from the original on 11 February 2014.
  26. ↑ "Australia's High Commissioner in South Africa Graeme Wilson has died suddenly after an unexpected illness". Special Broadcasting Service. AAP. 5 September 2014. Archived from the original on 14 September 2014.
  27. ↑ Thomson, Phillip (5 September 2014). "Diplomat Graeme Wilson mourned as a 'true gentleman'". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 9 September 2014.
  28. ↑ Bishop, Julie (1 April 2015). "High Commissioner to South Africa" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  29. ↑ Payne, Marise (2 March 2019). "High Commissioner to South Africa" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020.
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