List of ambassadors of Australia to France explained

Post:	Ambassador of Australia to France
Insignia:	Coat of Arms of Australia.svg
Insigniasize:	120px
Department:	Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Reports To:	Minister for Foreign Affairs
Incumbentsince:	5 November 2020
Nominator:	Prime Minister of Australia
Style:	Her Excellency
Appointer:	Governor General of Australia
Formation:	11 March 1945
Website:	Australian Embassy, France

The ambassador of Australia to France is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to the French Republic. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and holds non-resident accreditation for Algeria, Mauritania (since 2001),^[1] Monaco. From April 1976 to March 1991 there was a resident ambassador in Algeria and has since been held by the ambassador, excepting a period from 1999–2002 when it was held by the ambassador in Cairo. From October 1972 – August 1975, October 1976 – August 1978, January 1988 – September 1990, and March 1994 – September 1996 the Ambassador served as Permanent Delegate of Australia to UNESCO, a role that is now held by the Deputy Head of Mission. The Deputy Head also serves as the non-resident accredited Ambassador to Chad. From 1978 to 2017, the ambassador had responsibility for relations with Morocco until the establishment of a resident embassy in Rabat.^[2]

Gillian Bird was appointed ambassador in November 2020. France and Australia have had official diplomatic relations since Australia opened its Legation in Paris in 1945. The Legation was upgraded to Embassy status in 1948, when Colonel William Hodgson, who served as Minister to France, was appointed as Ambassador.^[3]

List of officeholders

The first official representative of Australia in France was Clive H. Voss, who was appointed as a commercial agent in Paris in 1919. His appointment was made on the personal initiative of Prime Minister Billy Hughes, in line with his attempts to establish a system of trade commissioners.^[4] Voss established an office in the premises of the British Chamber of Commerce in Paris and was subordinate to the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Despite criticism of his effectiveness, he remained in the position until the Fall of France in 1940 and "helped establish the idea of a distinct Australian official representation in France as a norm".

Minister and ambassadors to France

Ordinal	Officeholder	Title	Other offices	Term start date	Term end date	Time in office	Notes
		Minister to France					^[5] ^[6]
Ambassador of Australia to France
		Ambassador of Australia to France				align=right	years	^[7]
						align=right	years	^[8]
						align=right	years
						align=right	years	^[9]
						align=right	years	^[10]
						align=right	years	^[11]
						align=right	years	^[12]
						align=right	years
	Clive Jones					align=right	years	^[13]
	Alan Brown					align=right	years
						align=right	years	^[14]
	Bill Fisher					align=right	years	^[15]
						align=right	years	^[16]
						align=right	years	^[17]
						align=right	years	^[18]
						align=right		^[19]
						align=right		^[20]
				align=center		align=center	incumbent	align=right		^[21] ^[22]

Ambassadors to Algeria

See main article: List of ambassadors of Australia to Algeria.

Notes

A. Also non-resident Ambassador to the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, 1991–2000, 2014–present.

B. Also non-resident Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, 2001–present.

C. Also Permanent Delegate of Australia to UNESCO, October 1972–August 1975, October 1976–August 1978, January 1988–September 1990, and March 1994–September 1996.

D. Also non-resident Ambassador to the Principality of Monaco, 3 May 2007–present.

E. Also non-resident Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, 1978–2007.

See also

• France–Australia relations
• Australia–Morocco relations
• Foreign relations of Australia

External links

• Australian Embassy, France

Notes and References

1. Web site: Australia and Mauritania Establish Diplomatic Relations. Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer. DFAT. 15 May 2015. Media Release. 13 December 2001.
2. News: Bishop. Julie. Ambassador to Morocco. 12 May 2017. Minister for Foreign Affairs. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 12 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170519115835/https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2017/jb_mr_170512.aspx. 19 May 2017. Media Release.
3. News: Legation at Moscow. . . WA . 3 May 1948 . 16 May 2015 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
4. News: Beyond the Sheep's Back: World War I and its aftermath in the development of an economic relationship between Australia and France. Colin. Nettelbeck. 2018. French-Australian Shared Histories Symposium 2018. National Archives of Australia. 8.
5. News: Colonel Hodgson New Minister to France. . . Darwin, NT . 11 March 1945 . 16 May 2015 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
6. hodgson-william-roy-6695 . Alan . Watt . Alan Watt (diplomat) . Hodgson, William Roy (1892–1958) . 1983 . 9 . 28 October 2022 .
7. News: Ambassador. 1 March 1950. 5. Goulburn Evening Post. NSW.
8. News: New Ambassador to Philippines Appointed. 19 February 1959. 3. The Canberra Times. ACT.
9. News: Renouf to FA. 1. 29 August 1973. The Canberra Times. ACT.
10. News: Envoy for Paris. The Canberra Times. 20 November 1973. 8. ACT.
11. News: Ambassador. The Canberra Times. 3. 7 October 1978. ACT.
12. News: Skilled diplomat made the world his home. The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. https://web.archive.org/web/20140101180026/http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/skilled-diplomat-made-the-world-his-home-20131108-2x6tx.html. 1 January 2014. 9 November 2013. Duncan . Campbell.
13. News: New ambassador. The Canberra Times. 31 May 1991. 14. ACT.
14. Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to France. 19 July 1996. Australian Government. Alexander. Downer. Alexander Downer. https://web.archive.org/web/20140427010714/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/1996/fa65.html. 27 April 2014.
15. Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to the French Republic. Alexander. Downer. Alexander Downer. 18 August 2000. Australian Government. https://web.archive.org/web/20150222140502/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2000/fa093_2000.html. 22 February 2015.
16. Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to the French Republic . https://web.archive.org/web/20150222102157/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2011/kr_mr_110523.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foreignminister.gov.au%2Freleases%2F2005%2Ffa008_05.html&type=replay&date=20150222101957. 22 February 2015. Alexander. Downer. Alexander Downer. 14 January 2005. Australian Government.
17. Diplomatic Appointment – Ambassador to France. 22 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150222101957/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2011/kr_mr_110523.aspx?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foreignminister.gov.au%2Freleases%2F2008%2Ffa-s010_08.html&type=replay&date=20140606220844. 10 January 2008. Stephen. Smith. Stephen Smith (Australian politician). Australian Government.
18. Diplomatic Appointment – Ambassador to France. https://web.archive.org/web/20140606220844/http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2011/kr_mr_110523.aspx?ministerid=2. Kevin. Rudd. Kevin Rudd. Australian Government. 23 May 2011. 6 June 2014.
19. Ambassador to France. https://web.archive.org/web/20140802100824/http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/Pages/2014/jb_mr_140331b.aspx?ministerid=4. 2 August 2014. 31 March 2014. Julie. Bishop. Julie Bishop. Australian Government.
20. Web site: Ambassador to France. 21 July 2017. Minister for Foreign Affairs. 22 July 2017.
21. Web site: Where are they now? Gillian Bird (1975) . n.d. . 17 September 2021 . Pymble Ladies' College, Sydney.
22. News: Presentation of Credentials by New Australian Ambassador to France, H.E. Gillian Bird PSM . Australia France Business Association . November 2022 . 4 December 2022 .