List of high commissioners of New Zealand to Australia

High Commissioner of New Zealand to Australia
Coat of Arms of New Zealand
Incumbent
Mr Andrew Needs
since 22 April 2024
StyleHis Excellency
AppointerGovernor-General of New Zealand
Term lengthAt His Majesty's Pleasure
Inaugural holderCarl Berendsen
Formation27 February 1943

The high commissioner of New Zealand to Australia is New Zealand's foremost diplomatic representative in the Commonwealth of Australia, and in charge of New Zealand's diplomatic mission in Australia.

The high commission is located in Canberra, Australia's capital city. New Zealand has maintained a resident high commissioner in Australia since 1943.

As fellow members of the Commonwealth of Nations, diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Australia are at governmental level, rather than between heads of state. Thus, the countries exchange high commissioners, rather than ambassadors.

List of heads of mission

High commissioners to Australia

The following individuals have held the office of high commissioner to Australia resident in Canberra:[1]

No. Name Portrait Term of office
1 Carl Berendsen 27 February 1943 5 April 1944
2 Jim Barclay 5 April 1944 31 August 1950
3 Lisle Alderton[2] 31 August 1950 1 April 1958
4 Fred Jones 1 April 1958 31 May 1961
5 Syd Johnston 31 May 1961 10 May 1963†
6 Jack Shepherd
(acting) 		11 May 1963 11 April 1964
7 Luke Hazlett 11 April 1964 10 August 1970
8 Arthur Yendell 10 August 1970 9 May 1973
9 Eric Chapman 9 May 1973 2 August 1976
10 Sir Laurie Francis 2 August 1976 29 January 1985
11 Graham Ansell 29 January 1985 31 May 1989
12 Ted Woodfield 31 May 1989 13 June 1994
13 Graham Fortune 13 June 1994 3 March 1999
14 Simon Murdoch 3 March 1999 21 September 2002
15 Kate Lackey 21 September 2002 9 November 2006
16 John Larkindale 9 November 2006 4 May 2011
17 Martyn Dunne 4 May 2011 21 November 2013
18 Chris Seed[3] 21 November 2013 7 December 2018
19 Dame Annette King 7 December 2018 22 December 2023

Notes

  1. ^ "Heads of Missions List: A". New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 8 July 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2006.
  2. ^ "Mr. G. E. Alderton New Zealand High Commissioner". The Canberra Times. 14 July 1950. p. 4. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  3. ^ "Foreign embassies and consulates in Australia - Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade". Protocol.dfat.gov.au. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2015.

References