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List of ambassadors of Australia to Sweden

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Ambassador of Australia to Sweden
Incumbent
Frances Sagala
since 29 September 2023
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
StyleHis Excellency
Reports toMinister for Foreign Affairs
SeatWaterfront Building, Norrmalm
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderBill Carney (Chargé d'affaires)
Formation15 June 1961
WebsiteAustralian Embassy, Sweden

The Ambassador of Australia to Sweden 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 Kingdom of Sweden. The ambassador resides in Stockholm.[1] The ambassador also holds non-resident accreditation for Finland (since 1968) and Latvia (since 1997). Accreditation has also previously been held for Denmark (1997–2000), Norway (1970–2003), Lithuania (1997–2013), Iceland (1997–2000) and Estonia (1991–2018).[2]

Posting history

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The earliest Australian representation in Sweden dates to the appointment of a trade commissioner to Stockholm, which was first announced on 11 May 1958 with responsibility for promoting trade with Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland: "the post would provide an important link in Australia’s trade liaison with the Scandinavian countries, which had recently formed the Nordic Common Market and were an important factor in the discussions now taking place for the formation of a European Free Trade Area. The Stockholm post would ensure far more effective contact with those countries on trade developments in Europe, which were of vital importance to Australia."[3] The first Australia trade commissioner in Stockholm, Bill Carney, took up office in December 1958.[4]

On 28 March 1961, the acting Minister for External Affairs, Sir Garfield Barwick, announced that an Australian legation would be established in Sweden, absorbing the existing trade commissioner's office, with Carney assuming office as chargé d'affaires ad interim from 15 June 1961.[5][6] In November 1963, it was announced that the legation would be upgraded to the status of embassy, with the Australian Ambassador to the Soviet Union resident in Moscow appointed as the first ambassador to Sweden.[7] On 27 September 1965, Bertram Ballard was appointed as the first resident ambassador to Sweden, and Ballard presented his credentials to King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden on 21 February 1966.[8][9]

In May 1968 the Minister for External Affairs, Paul Hasluck, announced that the Australian Ambassador to Sweden would receive non-resident accreditation as Ambassador to Finland to exchange representatives at the ambassador level.[10] In July 1968, the second resident Ambassador to Sweden, Roy Peachey, was appointed as the first Ambassador to Finland.[11][12]

On 8 November 1970, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, William McMahon, announced the appointment of Peachey as Australia's first ambassador to Norway whilst remaining ambassador to Sweden and Finland.[13] Peachey presented his credentials to King Olav V of Norway on 24 November 1970.[14] In 2003, responsibility for Norway was transferred to the Ambassador to Denmark.[15]

On 27 August 1991, Prime Minister Bob Hawke announced Australia's decision to re-establish full diplomatic relations with Estonia, with the Ambassador to Sweden, Robert Merrillees, receiving non-resident accreditation as Australia's first Ambassador to Estonia from 21 November 1991.[16][17] Responsibility for relations with Estonia was held until 2018, when Foreign Minister Julie Bishop established a new Embassy in Estonia, which would function on a "pop-up" basis, with the ambassador resident in Tallinn for two months of the year and the embassy having a virtual presence based in Stockholm for the remainder of the year.[18][19]

When the new government of Prime Minister John Howard cut the budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1996–97, forcing the closure of the Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, in May 1997, accreditation for Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, and Lithuania, was transferred to the embassy in Sweden.[20][21] However responsibility for relations with Denmark and Iceland was lost when the Embassy in Denmark reopened in May 2000. In 2013, responsibility for relations with Lithuania was transferred to the Ambassador to Poland.

Officeholders

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The Waterfront Building, home to the Australian Embassy chancery in Stockholm since July 2010.[22]
# Name Title Other offices Residency Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes
− Bill Carney Trade Commissioner and
Chargé d'affaires 		Stockholm, Sweden 15 June 1961 (1961-06-15) 12 July 1962 (1962-07-12) 1 year, 27 days [1]
− Frederick Gullick 23 July 1962 (1962-07-23) 26 September 1965 (1965-09-26) 3 years, 65 days [1][23]
1 Stewart Wolfe Jamieson Ambassador A Moscow, Russia 29 November 1963 (1963-11-29) March 1965 (1965-03) 1 year, 3 months [1][7][24]
2 John Rowland A March 1965 (1965-03) 27 September 1965 (1965-09-27) 6 months [1]
3 Bertram Ballard Stockholm, Sweden 27 September 1965 (1965-09-27) May 1968 (1968-05) 2 years, 7 months [25]
4 Roy Peachey BC May 1968 (1968-05) May 1972 (1972-05) 4 years [26][27][12][28]
5 John Petherbridge BC May 1972 (1972-05) September 1975 (1975-09) 3 years, 4 months [29]
6 Lance Barnard BC September 1975 (1975-09) June 1978 (1978-06) 2 years, 9 months [30][31]
7 Brian Hill BC June 1978 (1978-06) January 1980 (1980-01) 1 year, 7 months [32]
8 W. Kevin Flanagan BC January 1980 (1980-01) December 1983 (1983-12) 3 years, 11 months [33]
9 M. Rosaleen McGovern BC December 1983 (1983-12) February 1988 (1988-02) 4 years, 2 months [34][35][36]
10 Ian Nicholson BC February 1988 (1988-02) October 1991 (1991-10) 3 years, 8 months [37]
11 Robert Merrillees BCD October 1991 (1991-10) January 1996 (1996-01) 4 years, 3 months [17]
12 Judith Pead BCDEFGH January 1996 (1996-01) January 1999 (1999-01) 3 years [38]
13 Stephen Brady BCDEFGH January 1999 (1999-01) January 2003 (2003-01) 4 years [39]
14 Richard Rowe BDGH January 2003 (2003-01) March 2007 (2007-03) 4 years, 2 months [40]
15 Howard Brown BDGH March 2007 (2007-03) 20 November 2009 (2009-11-20) 2 years, 8 months [41]
16 Paul Stephens BDGH 20 November 2009 (2009-11-20) 13 November 2012 (2012-11-13) 2 years, 359 days [42]
17 Gerald Thomson BDGH 13 November 2012 (2012-11-13) August 2016 (2016-08) 3 years, 8 months [43]
18 Jonathan Kenna BDG 24 August 2016 (2016-08-24) August 2019 (2019-08) 2 years, 11 months [44][45]
19 Bernard Philip BG 29 August 2019 (2019-08-29) 29 August 2019 (2019-08-29) 4 years, 1 month [46]
20 Frances Sagala BG 29 September 2023 (2023-09-29) incumbent 1 year [47]

Notes

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^A Also served concurrently as the resident Ambassador of Australia to the Soviet Union, 29 November 1963–27 September 1965.
^B Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Finland, 1968–present.
^C Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Norway, 1970–2003.
^D Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Estonia, 1991–2018.
^E Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Denmark, 1997–2000.
^F Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Iceland, 1997–2000.
^G Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Latvia, 1997–present.
^H Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Lithuania, 1997–2013.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e CA 8019: Australian Embassy, Stockholm [Sweden], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 16 April 2015
  2. ^ Bishop, Julie (7 March 2018). "Pop up embassy opens in Estonia". Australian Government.
  3. ^ "Trade Notes - New Trade Commissioner Post". Overseas Trading. 10 (10): 233. 30 May 1958. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Trade Notes - Trade Commissioner Appointments". Overseas Trading. 10 (23): 546. 28 November 1958. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Australia to Establish a Legation in Stockholm". Current Notes on International Affairs. 32 (3): 58. March 1961. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 32 (6): 68. June 1961. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 34 (11): 48. November 1963. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Australian Ambassador to Sweden". Current Notes on International Affairs. 36 (9): 587. September 1965. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 37 (2): 96. February 1966. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  10. ^ Department of External Affairs (May 1968). "Australian Representation in Finland". Current Notes on International Affairs. 39 (5): 212. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Two posts for ambassador". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 11 July 1968. p. 8. Retrieved 5 March 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ a b Hasluck, Paul (10 July 1968). "Australian Ambassador to Finland" (Press release).
  13. ^ "Diplomatic Appointments - Norway". Current Notes on International Affairs. 41 (11): 603. November 1970. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  14. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 41 (11): 607. November 1970. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  15. ^ Downer, Alexander (2 July 2003). "Diplomatic Appointment – Ambassador To Denmark" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  16. ^ Bob, Hawke (27 August 1991). "Govt. to establish full diplomatic relations with the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania" (Press release). Australian Government.
  17. ^ a b Blewett, Neal (20 September 1991). "Diplomatic Appointment – Sweden" (Press release). Australian Government.
  18. ^ "Australia to open 'pop-up embassy' in Estonian capital". Special Broadcasting Service. SBS News. 11 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  19. ^ Bishop, Julie (7 March 2018). "Pop up embassy opens in Estonia". Australian Government.
  20. ^ Crosio, Janice; Downer, Alexander (29 September 1999). "QUESTIONS ON NOTICE - Australian Embassy: Copenhagen". House Hansard. Parliament of Australia.
  21. ^ "Corporate Overview - Overseas Posts". Annual Report 1996/1997 (259). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: 21. 1997. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  22. ^ "Australiens ambassad flyttar till Stockholm Waterfront" (PDF) (in Swedish). Waterfront Building. 20 November 2009. Archived from the original (Press Release) on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  23. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 33 (5): 65. May 1962. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  24. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 35 (1): 79. January 1964. Retrieved 18 July 2022. Mr S. Jamieson, Ambassador, presented credentials in Stockholm on 31st January.
  25. ^ Hasluck, Paul (27 September 1965). "Australian Ambassador to Sweden" (Press release).
  26. ^ In September 1967 Charles Kevin was initially announced to succeed Ballard as ambassador, but he was unable to take up his post due to illness (he died on 13 February 1968).
  27. ^ Hasluck, Paul (10 February 1968). "Australian Ambassador to Sweden" (Press release).
  28. ^ "Posts in Denmark, Norway". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 9 November 1970. p. 9. Retrieved 6 March 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  29. ^ Bowen, Nigel (3 May 1972). "Appointment of Australian Ambassador to Sweden, Norway and Finland" (Press release).
  30. ^ Whitlam, Gough (23 June 1975). "Appointment of Ambassador to Sweden, Finland and Norway" (Press release). Archived from the original on 17 April 2015.
  31. ^ "Ambassador". The Canberra Times. ACT. 2 August 1975. p. 8.
  32. ^ Peacock, Andrew (25 May 1978). "Appointment of Australian Ambassador to Sweden" (Press release).
  33. ^ Peacock, Andrew (13 November 1979). "Diplomatic Appointments" (Press release).
  34. ^ Hayden, Bill (23 October 1983). "Ambassador to Sweden" (Press release).
  35. ^ Haley, Ken (24 October 1983). "Hawke's first woman ambassador is aid expert". The Age. AAP. p. 5.
  36. ^ "Economist appointed ambassador". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 October 1983. p. 3.
  37. ^ Hayden, Bill (6 January 1988). "Diplomatic appointment - Sweden Norway and Finland" (Press release).
  38. ^ McMullan, Bob (22 October 1995). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Sweden" (Press release). Australian Government.
  39. ^ Downer, Alexander (2 July 1998). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Sweden" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015.
  40. ^ Downer, Alexander (2 October 2002). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Sweden" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014.
  41. ^ Downer, Alexander (21 December 2006). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Sweden" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  42. ^ Smith, Stephen (20 November 2009). "Diplomatic Appointment - Ambassador to Sweden" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  43. ^ Carr, Bob (13 November 2012). "Ambassador to Sweden" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  44. ^ Bishop, Julie (24 August 2016). "Ambassador to Sweden" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 30 August 2016.
  45. ^ Payne, Marise (2019). "Alex Gallacher: Australian Ambassador inquiry". Hansard: Australian Senate. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  46. ^ "Ambassador to Sweden". Minister for Foreign Affairs. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  47. ^ "Ambassador to Sweden". Minister for Foreign Affairs. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
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