UK/High Commissioner/Australia

UK/High Commissioner/Australia  (Ambassador to Australia)
The deep politician Peter Carrington was ambassador 1956-69. His other positions include Bilderberg chairman, President of the Pilgrims Society, Secretary General of NATO, Chairman of the UK Conservative Party. Busy guy.
Start	1936
Website	https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-high-commission-canberra

The High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Australia is an officer of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the United Kingdom's foremost diplomatic representative to the Commonwealth of Australia. Despite Britain's close relationship with Australia, the first High Commissioner from London was not appointed until 1936, owing to the clarification of Britain's relations with the Imperial Dominions after the Statute of Westminster 1931.

Office history

From the beginning of the British colonisation in 1788 and after Australia's federation in 1901, the Governor-General of Australia and the various state governors had been the official representatives of the British government, as well as the Crown. Following the 1926 Imperial Conference and the subsequent Balfour Declaration an Australian, Sir Isaac Isaacs, became Governor-General in January 1931. Being an Australian, it was felt in London he couldn't properly represent the British Government. They thus appointed their Representative for Migration in Melbourne Ernest Tristram Crutchley as their first Representative of His Majesty's Government in Australia, pending the nomination of a High Commissioner, on the Canadian model.

That same year, the Statute of Westminster made easier the creation of such High Commissions in the Dominions but as the Australian Government delayed its ratification, the United Kingdom had to wait until 1936 to appoint a High Commissioner to regularise the role of the Governor-General in Australia, six years before Australia's actual ratification of the Statute.

 

Office Holders on Wikispooks

Name	From	To
Paul Madden	2011	2015
Valerie Amos	1 October 2009	1 September 2010
Roger Carrick	1994	1997
Peter Carrington	1956	1959

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