List of high commissioners of Australia to South Africa explained

Post:High Commissioner of Australia to South Africa
Insignia:Coat of Arms of Australia.svg
Insigniasize:120px
Department:Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Incumbent:Gita Kamath
Seat:Arcadia, Pretoria
Nominator:Prime Minister of Australia
Style:Her Excellency
Appointer:Governor General of Australia
Reports To:Minister for Foreign Affairs
Formation:21 August 1946
Inaugural:George Knowles
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.

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.

Posting history

See main article: Australia–South Africa relations. 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.[1] On 9 July 1973, ambassador Colin Moodie received non-resident accreditation as Australia's first high commissioner to Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland.[2]

Heads of mission

Officeholder Title Other offices Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes
align=center High Commissioneralign=right
align=center align=right
align=center (Acting)align=right
align=center align=right [3]
align=center Hugh Gilchrist (Acting)align=right
[4]
Ambassador
align=center align=right [5]
align=center align=right [6] [7]
align=center align=right [8]
align=center align=right [9]
align=center Keith Douglas-Scottalign=right
align=center align=right [10] [11] [12]
align=center Robert Birchalign=right
align=center Colin McDonaldalign=right [13] [14]
Ross Burns[15]
High Commissioner
align=center Ian Porteralign=right [16]
align=center align=right
align=center Ian Wilcockalign=right [17] [18]
align=center Philip Greenalign=right [19]
align=center Ann Harrapalign=right [20]
align=center Graeme Wilsonalign=right [21] [22]
align=center Chris Munn (Acting)align=right
align=center Adam McCarthyalign=right [23]
align=center Incumbentalign=right [24]

Notes

Also non-resident high commissioner to Eswatini (Swaziland before 2018), 1973–present.

Also non-resident high commissioner to Lesotho, 1973–present.

Also non-resident high commissioner to Botswana, 1973–1981, 2004–present.

Also non-resident high commissioner to Mozambique, 2004–present.

Also non-resident high commissioner to Namibia, 2004–present.

Also non-resident ambassador to Angola, 2010–present.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: P.M. defines attitude of South Africa: No abrupt change in attitude. 26 May 1961. The Canberra Times. 3.
  2. High Commissioner to Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland . Australian Foreign Affairs Record . July 1973 . 44 . 7 . 488 . 21 October 2022.
  3. News: Australian High Commissioner In S.A. To Retire. 3 July 1957. 3. The Canberra Times.
  4. News: Appointed High Commissioner. 27 January 1959. 2. The Canberra Times.
  5. News: Divorce for New Envoy. 27 June 1962. 2. The Canberra Times.
  6. News: Envoy to S. Africa named. 25 May 1968. 3. The Canberra Times.
  7. News: Foreign Affairs changes. 12 June 1972. The Canberra Times. 8.
  8. News: Post in Pretoria. 25 June 1975. 8. The Canberra Times.
  9. News: Australian diplomats appointed. 17 September 1977. 3. The Canberra Times.
  10. Malcolm Lyon OBE. 18 October 2007. Alexander. Downer. Alexander Downer. https://web.archive.org/web/20140212005152/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2007/fa138_07.html. 12 February 2014.
  11. News: Two ambassadors appointed. 27 May 1981. 3. The Canberra Times.
  12. News: Ambassador appointed. 17 September 1984. The Canberra Times. 3.
  13. News: New ambassador to S. Africa named. 25 August 1992. The Canberra Times. 4.
  14. AUSTRALIAN Consul-General in Honolulu. https://web.archive.org/web/20140211224401/http://www.trademinister.gov.au/releases/1995/mt99.html. 11 February 2014. Bob. McMullan. Bob McMullan. 12 July 1995.
  15. DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENT: High Commissioner to South Africa. https://web.archive.org/web/20140212032504/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/1995/m70.html. 12 February 2014. Gareth. Evans. Gareth Evans (politician). 28 June 1995.
  16. Diplomatic Appointmient: High Commissioner to South Africa. https://web.archive.org/web/20140212025122/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/1998/fa055_98.html. 12 February 2014. 5 May 1998. Alexander. Downer. Alexander Downer.
  17. Alexander. Downer. Alexander Downer. Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to South Africa. https://web.archive.org/web/20140212021500/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2002/fa033_02.html. 12 February 2014. 13 March 2002.
  18. Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to South Africa. https://web.archive.org/web/20140212013538/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2004/fa080_04.html. 12 February 2014. 10 June 2004. Alexander. Downer. Alexander Downer.
  19. Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to South Africa. https://web.archive.org/web/20140313001424/http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2008/fa-s172_08.html. 13 March 2014. Stephen. Smith. Stephen Smith (Australian politician). 25 November 2008.
  20. High Commissioner to South Africa. https://web.archive.org/web/20140211201755/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2012/bc_mr_121113.html . 11 February 2014 . 13 November 2012 . Bob. Carr . Bob Carr .
  21. News: Australia's High Commissioner in South Africa Graeme Wilson has died suddenly after an unexpected illness.. https://web.archive.org/web/20140914093752/http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/09/05/australian-high-commissioner-south-africa-dies. 14 September 2014. Special Broadcasting Service. AAP. 5 September 2014.
  22. News: Diplomat Graeme Wilson mourned as a 'true gentleman'. https://web.archive.org/web/20140909212956/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/diplomat-graeme-wilson-mourned-as-a-true-gentleman-20140905-10czqw.html. 9 September 2014. Phillip. Thomson. 5 September 2014. Fairfax Media. The Canberra Times.
  23. High Commissioner to South Africa. https://web.archive.org/web/20150403032357/http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2015/jb_mr_150401a.aspx. 3 April 2015. Julie. Bishop. Julie Bishop. 1 April 2015. Australian Government.
  24. High Commissioner to South Africa. Marise. Payne. Marise Payne. 2 March 2019. Australian Government. https://web.archive.org/web/20200314232311/https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/marise-payne/media-release/high-commissioner-south-africa. 14 March 2020.

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