List of high commissioners of Australia to Mauritius

High Commissioner of Australia to Mauritius
Incumbent
Keara Shaw (acting)
since 1 August 2022
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
StyleHer Excellency
Reports toMinister for Foreign Affairs
SeatRogers House, Port Louis
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderBill Landale
Formation25 September 1971
WebsiteAustralian High Commission, Mauritius

The high commissioner of Australia to Mauritius 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 Mauritius in Port Louis. The first non-resident Australian high commissioner to Mauritius was appointed in 1971, located in Tanzania, and resident diplomatic representation was first established in 1984. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and also holds non-resident accreditation to Seychelles (since 1984, as high commissioner), Madagascar (since 1984, as ambassador), and Comoros (since 1984, as ambassador), as well as having consular responsibility for the island of Réunion, an overseas department and region of France. The position is currently vacant, with the head of mission being Keara Shaw as acting high commissioner and chargé d’affaires since 1 August 2022. The work of the high commissioner is supported by the Australian Consulate in Antananarivo, Madagascar, led by honorary consul Scott Reid since November 2016.

Posting history

On 25 September 1971, Australia established diplomatic relations with Mauritius, with the high commissioner resident in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania receiving non-resident accreditation until 1984.[1][2] From 1976 to 1984 the high commissioner in Kenya was accredited to the Seychelles.[3][2][4][5] On 29 April 1976, it was announced that Australia and Madagascar had agreed to establish diplomatic relations, with the Australian high commissioner to Tanzania receiving non-resident accreditation as ambassador.[6][2] The first ambassador, Frederick Truelove, presented his credentials on 3 May 1976.[7] In 1983, non-resident accreditation was briefly held by the Tanzania high commission for Comoros.[8] With the establishment of the High Commission in Port Louis, the non-resident accreditations for Seychelles, Comoros, and Madagascar, were transferred to the Mauritius post.[2]

In early 1984, the new Australian Government of Bob Hawke undertook a policy of increased engagement with the states of the Indian Ocean. In January 1984 Foreign Minister Bill Hayden noted in a press release that Australia has an important role in "ensuring secure lines of communications for its trade with and civil aviation traffic through the region, and in promoting regional concern for peace and stability. Australia would also become increasingly important to the region as a trading partner and as a source of aid, training, technology and investment."[9] As part of this new policy, in February 1984 it was announced that a resident high commission was to be established in the island state of Mauritius, which had been an independent member of the Commonwealth since 1968.[10][11] The resident Australian High Commission to Mauritius was opened on 24 March 1984, initially under an acting high commissioner.[12] The first resident high commissioner, Rod Irwin, took up his appointment in September 1984, and presented his letters of commission on 10 September 1984.[13][14]

In November 2016, the Australian Consulate in Antananarivo, Madagascar, was established, with local Australian-born businessman Scott Reid appointed as honorary consul, and was officially opened by Susan Coles as ambassador to Madagascar on 7 May 2017.[15][16]

High commissioners

# Officeholder Residency Other offices Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes
1 Bill Landale Dar es Salaam, Tanzania n/a 25 September 1971 (1971-09-25) December 1972 (1972-12) 1 year, 2 months [17][18][19][1]
2 John Forsythe January 1973 (1973-01) August 1975 (1975-08) 2 years, 7 months [20][21]
3 Frederick Truelove A August 1975 (1975-08) December 1978 (1978-12) 3 years, 4 months [22][23][24][25][6][7]
4 Edwin Ride A January 1979 (1979-01) January 1982 (1982-01) 3 years [26][27][28]
5 John Baker AB January 19842 (19842-01) 24 March 1984 (1984-03-24) 2 years, 2 months [29][30][31][2][8]
− Perry Nolan (Acting) Port Louis AB 24 March 1984 (1984-03-24) September 1984 (1984-09) 5 months [32]
6 Rod Irwin ABC September 1984 (1984-09) June 1986 (1986-06) 1 year, 9 months [33][34][13][14][35][36]
7 Ian James ABC July 1986 (1986-07) May 1990 (1990-05) 3 years, 10 months [37][38][39]
8 Gordon Miller ABC May 1990 (1990-05) September 1993 (1993-09) 3 years, 4 months [40]
9 Mary McCarter ABC September 1993 (1993-09) June 1997 (1997-06) 3 years, 9 months [41]
10 Christopher Marchant ABC June 1997 (1997-06) December 2000 (2000-12) 3 years, 6 months [42]
11 Jeffrey Scougall ABC January 2001 (2001-01) February 2004 (2004-02) 3 years, 1 month [43]
12 Ian McConville ABC February 2004 (2004-02) April 2007 (2007-04) 3 years, 2 months [44]
13 Catherine Johnstone ABC April 2007 (2007-04) 1 December 2010 (2010-12-01) 3 years, 8 months [45]
14 Sandra Vegting ABC January 2011 (2011-01) March 2014 (2014-03) 3 years, 2 months [46]
15 Susan Coles ABC March 2014 (2014-03) July 2017 (2017-07) 3 years, 4 months [47]
16 Jenny Dee ABC July 2017 (2017-07) July 2020 (2020-07) 3 years [48]
17 Kate O’Shaughnessy ABC August 2020 (2020-08) 31 July 2022 (2022-07-31) 1 year, 11 months [49][50][51][52][53][54]
− Keara Shaw (Acting) ABC 1 August 2022 (2022-08-01) Incumbent 2 years, 84 days [55]

Notes

^A Also non-resident Ambassador to Madagascar, 1976–1984, 1984–present.
^B Also non-resident Ambassador to Comoros, 1983–1984, 1984–present.
^C Also non-resident High Commissioner to the Seychelles, 1984–present.

References

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  2. ^ a b c d e "Opening of new Australian diplomatic missions". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 56 (11). Department of Foreign Affairs: 1133. November 1985. Retrieved 10 November 2022 – via National Library of Australia (Trove).
  3. ^ "Diplomatic posts". The Canberra Times. 26 January 1980. p. 3. Retrieved 4 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ CA 8045: Australian High Commission, Tanzania [Dar es Salaam], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 10 January 2016
  5. ^ "Africa: closure of the Australian Embassy in Addis Ababa and the Australian High Commission in Dar es Salaam". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 58 (9). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: 547. September–October 1987. Retrieved 10 November 2022 – via National Library of Australia (Trove).
  6. ^ a b "Ambassador to Madagascar". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 47 (4). Department of Foreign Affairs: 221. April 1976. Retrieved 10 November 2022 – via National Library of Australia (Trove).
  7. ^ a b "Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 47 (5). Department of Foreign Affairs: 276. May 1976. Retrieved 10 November 2022 – via National Library of Australia (Trove).
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  12. ^ CA 8006: Australian High Commission, Mauritius [Port Louis], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 10 January 2016
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  14. ^ a b "Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 55 (9). Department of Foreign Affairs: 1032. September 1984. Retrieved 14 November 2022 – via National Library of Australia (Trove).
  15. ^ "New Honorary Consul in Madagascar" (Media Release). Australian High Commission, Mauritius. 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
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  32. ^ "Image: Pictured at the opening of the Australian High Commission in Port Louis, Mauritius". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 55 (4). Department of Foreign Affairs: 558. May 1984. Retrieved 14 November 2022 – via National Library of Australia (Trove).
  33. ^ "Mauritius". The Canberra Times. 25 July 1984. p. 3.
  34. ^ "Mauritius posting". The Canberra Times. 23 July 1984. p. 8.
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  37. ^ "Off to Mauritius". The Canberra Times. 28 June 1986. p. 12.
  38. ^ Evans, Gareth (26 June 1986). "Appointment of high commissioner to Mauritius" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 14 November 2022 – via ParlInfo.
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  40. ^ Evans, Gareth (4 May 1990). "Diplomatic appointment - Mauritius" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 14 November 2022 – via ParlInfo.
  41. ^ Evans, Gareth (2 March 1993). "Diplomatic appointment: Mauritius" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 14 November 2022 – via ParlInfo.
  42. ^ Downer, Alexander (29 May 1997). "Diplomatic appointment: High Commissioner to Mauritius" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 14 November 2022 – via ParlInfo.
  43. ^ Downer, Alexander (9 November 2000). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Mauritius" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  44. ^ Downer, Alexander (5 December 2003). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Mauritius" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  45. ^ Downer, Alexander (27 February 2007). "Diplomatic Appointment – High Commissioner to Mauritius" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015.
  46. ^ Rudd, Kevin (15 November 2010). "Diplomatic Appointment - High Commissioner to Mauritius" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016.
  47. ^ Bishop, Julie (13 February 2014). "High Commissioner to Mauritius" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015.
  48. ^ Bishop, Julie (26 June 2017). "High Commissioner to Mauritius" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018.
  49. ^ Payne, Marise (4 September 2020). "High Commissioner to Mauritius". Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original (Media Release) on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
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  52. ^ "International Women's Day 2021: Her Excellency Dr Kate O'Shaughnessy talks about women in the diplomatic world". Expat News. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
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  54. ^ Joubert, Patrick (22 June 2022). "Australian HC pays farewell call on President Ramkalawan". Seychelles Nation. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  55. ^ Jasodanand, Narain (17 October 2022). "Diplomatie: Keara Shaw, la nouvelle chargée d'affaires de l'Australie, est arrivée" (in French). L'Express. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
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