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Australian Consulate-General, Noumea

The Australian Consulate-General in Noumea, New Caledonia represents the Commonwealth of Australia in New Caledonia, a special collectivity of France, and is also accredited to the Pacific French Overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna (Australia's relations with French Polynesia are now handled by a separate consulate-general since 2021). The Consul-General also serves as Australia's representative to the Noumea-based Pacific Community. The Consulate-General, one of four in New Caledonia (alongside New Zealand, Indonesia and Vanuatu), has since 1976 had its offices at 19 avenue du Maréchal Foch, Nouméa.

Australian Consul-General in Noumea, New Caledonia
Coat of Arms of Australia
Incumbent
Annelise Young
since 6 July 2022
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
StyleHer Excellency
Reports toMinister for Foreign Affairs
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderBertram Ballard (Official Representative)
Formation6 August 1940
WebsiteAustralian Consulate-General Noumea, New Caledonia - Wallis and Futuna

The Australian Consulate-General in Nouméa reports directly to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra, Australia, just as the Australian embassies and high commissions around the world and is Australia's fourth-oldest diplomatic posting (after London, 1910; Ottawa, 1939; and Washington, February 1940), having been established on 6 August 1940, when Bertram Ballard was posted to Nouméa. The consulate celebrated its 75th anniversary on 6 August 2015.[1][2]

Consulate history

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First established on 6 August 1940 with the appointment of Bertram Ballard as Official Representative of the Commonwealth Government in Nouméa, Ballard's responsibilities included the "full power and authority on behalf of the Commonwealth Government to conduct discussions and/or to agree and conclude with the administration of New Caledonia any matters or agreements that may tend to the attainment of co-operation in 'the struggle against the Berlin-Rome Axis at the side of Great Britain' and to sign for an on behalf of the Commonwealth Government everything so agreed upon and concluded".[3] However, the time of Ballard's appointment meant that the real reason for his appointment was to report to Canberra the situation inside the French colony, including the political sympathies of the colonial administration. The administration in Nouméa at the time was decidedly pro-Vichy French, but the Australian Government continued to be hesitant in encouraging a takeover of the colony or encouraging Free French elements in the colony.

However, Ballard's report of 8 September 1940 noted that the provisional Governor, Colonel Denis, was not likely to be accommodating to a settlement in any case and that the people of the colony would "welcome and follow" a Governor appointed by De Gaulle, spurred the Australian Government, led by Minister for External Affairs, John McEwen, into action.[4] This action culminated in the sending of HMAS Adelaide to escort Free French Governor-designate Henri Sautot to Nouméa, bringing the colony to Free France on 19 September.

With the end of the war, the Official Representative's Office was upgraded to a Consulate, and the first consul appointed was Harold Stuart Barnett, appointed on 18 December 1945. From then until 20 February 1980, the agency was known as the Australian Consulate, when posting was upgraded to a Consulate-General.[5]

1987 recall incident

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In January 1987, the French Government declared the serving Australian Consul-General, John Dauth, as "persona non grata", prompting his recall from the posting. The reasoning the French Government (represented by Minister for Overseas Departments and Territories, Bernard Pons) gave for Dauth's recall was that he "had provided aid to extremist members of the pro-independence FLNKS group which had links with Libya", an accusation that was firmly repudiated by Foreign Minister Bill Hayden, who called in the French representative in Canberra to register an official protest.[6][7]

Hayden had noted that "Mr Dauth has done no more than the Australian Government expects of any government official representing its interests overseas" and it was reported that his recall had been motivated by a recent breakdown in Australia–France relations, particularly over the future of New Caledonia. On 5 January France had suspended ministerial contacts with Australia because of their support for efforts at the United Nations to have New Caledonia put back on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories (it had been removed from the list in 1947) and added to the Decolonisation List, which were successful in a resolution of the UN General Assembly of 2 December 1986.[8][9] France's actions to expel Dauth and its reasoning for doing so were also criticised by the governments of Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu's Prime Minister, Walter Lini, who noted that "the French Government's reaction after its defeat on the United Nations vote ... could be said to be undiplomatic, childish, naive and reactionary".[10][11]

French Polynesia

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From 1990 to 2021, there existed an Honorary Consulate in Papeete, French Polynesia, held from 2002 to 2021 by Marc Siu, who reported to the consulate-general in Nouméa.[12] In May 2021, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne announced the establishment of an Australian Consulate-General in French Polynesia, upgrading the Australian representation there as part of an expansion of the country's diplomatic presence in the Pacific region that included appointing official representation to every member of the Pacific Islands Forum.[13] Claire Scott was appointed on the same day as the new consul-general.[14]

Office-holders

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Official Representative Start of term End of term Notes
Bertram Ballard 6 August 1940 28 March 1944 [15][16]
Noël Deschamps 28 March 1944 December 1945 [17]
Consul Start of term End of term Notes
Harold Stuart Barnett 18 December 1945 25 March 1950 [18][19]
Lawrence John Lawrey (Acting) 25 March 1950 1 November 1950 [20][21]
Harold David Anderson 1 November 1950 March 1953 [20]
H. E. Holland (Vice Consul) March 1953 30 November 1953 [5][22]
John Stanley Cumpston 30 November 1953 January 1958 [23]
Pierre Hutton January 1958 21 May 1958 [24]
Rodney B. Hodgson 21 May 1958 5 October 1960 [25]
Keith Douglas Scott 5 October 1960 4 January 1963 [26]
Ivor Gordon Bowden 4 January 1963 24 June 1965 [20]
Ian E. Nicolson 24 June 1965 29 December 196 [20]
Anthony Wilson 29 December 1967 29 July 1968 [20]
David Wilson 29 July 1968 16 November 1970 [20]
Alan Edwards 16 November 1970 13 October 1972 [27][28]
Robin Casson 13 October 1972 20 December 1975 [20]
Bill Fisher 20 December 1975 10 February 1978 [20]
Mike Ovington 10 February 1978 20 February 1980 [20][29]
Consul-General Start of term End of term Notes
Malcolm Leader 20 February 1980 18 March 1983 [20]
Stuart Hume 18 March 1983 18 May 1986 [20]
John Dauth 18 May 1986 11 January 1987 [30][31][8]
Malcolm Leader (Acting) 11 January 1987 5 July 1987 [32]
David O'Leary 5 July 1987 11 February 1990 [33][34]
Richard A. Rowe 11 February 1990 3 September 1992 [20]
Leslie Rowe 3 September 1992 14 August 1995 [35]
Graeme Wilson 14 August 1995 6 October 1998 [36]
Sally Mansfield 6 October 1998 6 October 2001 [37]
Denise Fisher 6 October 2001 3 December 2004 [38]
Jane Urquhart 3 December 2004 6 December 2007 [39]
Anita Butler 6 December 2007 5 December 2011 [40]
Heidi Bootle 5 December 2011 25 July 2015 [41]
Paul Wilson 25 July 2015 20 August 2019 [42]
Alison Carrington 20 August 2019 9 November 2021 [43]
Steven Barraclough (Acting) 9 November 2021 6 July 2022 [20]
Annelise Young 6 July 2022 present [44][45]

Consuls-general in Papeete, French Polynesia

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Name Start of term End of term Notes
Mario Borg (Honorary Consul) 9 April 1990 20 February 1992 [46]
Bryan Banston (Honorary Consul) 20 February 1992 30 November 1994 [47]
Malcolm Andrews (Honorary Consul) 30 November 1994 1997 [48]
Nicholas McGlynn (Honorary Consul) 1997 1999 [49]
Lennart Johansson (Honorary Consul) 1999 2002 [50][51]
Marc Siu (Honorary Consul) 2002 4 May 2021 [52]
Claire Scott 4 May 2021 present [14][53][54][55][56][57]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "75th anniversary of Australian diplomatic representation in Noumea". Australian Consulate-General Noumea, New Caledonia. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 14 February 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  2. ^ "CONSUL-GENERAL IN NEW CALEDONIA?". Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser. Queensland, Australia. 29 February 1944. p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ CA 1870. John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records of the Official Representative's Office, Noumea [New Caledonia]. 1945.
  4. ^ Fisher, Denise (23 May 2013). France in the South Pacific: Power and Politics. ANU E Press. p. 38.
  5. ^ a b CA 1871: Australian Consulate-General, Noumea [New Caledonia], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 20 June 2017
  6. ^ "French carpeted over accusation". The Canberra Times. Vol. 61, no. 18, 757. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 10 February 1987. p. 1. Retrieved 4 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Hayden denies consul misspent aid funds". The Canberra Times. Vol. 61, no. 18, 730. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 January 1987. p. 1. Retrieved 4 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ a b "French message to Australia Envoy is told to leave". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 January 1987. p. 1. Retrieved 19 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "UNGA/Res/41/41". United Nations Documents. 2 December 1986. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  10. ^ "Fiji joins critics of France in Pacific". The Canberra Times. Vol. 61, no. 18, 746. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 30 January 1987. p. 4. Retrieved 4 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "France naive, reactionary: Vanuatu PM". The Canberra Times. Vol. 61, no. 18, 733. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 17 January 1987. p. 12. Retrieved 4 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Relations between Australia and French Polynesia". Australian Consulate-General Noumea, New Caledonia. DFAT. Archived from the original on 1 September 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  13. ^ Payne, Marise (4 May 2021). "New Australian missions in the Marshall Islands and French Polynesia" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022.
  14. ^ a b Payne, Marise (4 May 2021). "Consul-General in Papeete" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021.
  15. ^ "TRADE WITH NEW CALEDONIA". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 32, 131. New South Wales, Australia. 21 December 1940. p. 14. Retrieved 19 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "Australian Envoy For New Caledonia". News. Vol. XXXV, no. 5, 314. South Australia. 6 August 1940. p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "CONSUL TO NOUMEA". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 11 January 1946. p. 2. Retrieved 21 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Australian Consul to Noumea". The Examiner (Tasmania). Vol. CIV, no. 260. Tasmania, Australia. 11 January 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 21 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "FIRST AUSTRALIAN CONSUL TO NOUMEA". The Courier-mail. Queensland, Australia. 11 January 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 21 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "List of Australian diplomats heads of post in New Caledonia". Australian Consulate-General Noumea. Australian Government. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  21. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 21 (3): 235. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  22. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Current Notes on International Affairs. 24 (3): 188. March 1953. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  23. ^ "CANBERRA DIARY". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 29 January 1958. p. 5. Retrieved 21 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. ^ "CANBERRA DIARY". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 25 June 1958. p. 5. Retrieved 21 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  25. ^ "CANBERRA DIARY". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 21 May 1958. p. 5. Retrieved 21 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  26. ^ "Minister to Lead Delegates at Noumea". The Age. 12 October 1962.
  27. ^ "Walkabout" (PDF). Christ Church Chronicle. Vol. 13. November 1971. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2016.
  28. ^ Juddery, Bruce (28 March 1972). "Australia recalls consul". The Canberra Times. p. 1.
  29. ^ "Diplomatic Appointments". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 49 (2): 94. February 1978. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  30. ^ "Consul-General to New Caledonia". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 57 (5): 456. May 1986. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  31. ^ "IN BRIEF". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 May 1986. p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  32. ^ "All's quiet in New Caledonia... for now". The Canberra Times. Vol. 61, no. 18, 811. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 5 April 1987. p. 4. Retrieved 19 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  33. ^ "Consul-General to New Caledonia". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 58 (6): 342. June 1987. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  34. ^ "Diplomatic postings announced". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 8 June 1987. p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  35. ^ Evans, Gareth (22 July 1992). "Diplomatic appointment - Noumea" (Press release). Australian Government.
  36. ^ Evans, Gareth (25 May 1995). "DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENT: CONSUL-GENERAL IN NOUMEA" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016.
  37. ^ Downer, Alexander (28 August 1998). "Diplomatic Appointment: Consul-General In Noumea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  38. ^ Downer, Alexander (6 June 2001). "Diplomatic Appointment: Consul-General in Noumea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016.
  39. ^ Downer, Alexander (5 July 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: Consul-General in Noumea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016.
  40. ^ Downer, Alexander (4 October 2007). "Diplomatic Appointment: Consul-General in Noumea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015.
  41. ^ Rudd, Kevin (24 November 2011). "Diplomatic Appointment: Consul-General in Noumea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016.
  42. ^ Bishop, Julie (15 June 2015). "Consul-General in Noumea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016.
  43. ^ Payne, Marise (22 March 2019). "Consul-General in Noumea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020.
  44. ^ Wong, Penny (6 July 2022). "Consul-General in Noumea" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022.
  45. ^ "Consul General in New Caledonia". Australian Ambassadors and other representatives. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  46. ^ Evans, Gareth (9 April 1990). "Appointment of Australian Honorary Consul: Papeete Tahiti" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 10 December 2022 – via ParlInfo.
  47. ^ Evans, Gareth (20 February 1992). "Appointment of honorary consul - Papeete, French Polynesia" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 10 December 2022 – via ParlInfo.
  48. ^ Evans, Gareth (30 November 1994). "Appointment of an Australian Honorary Consul, Papeete, French Polynesia" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 10 December 2022 – via ParlInfo.
  49. ^ "APPENDIX 16 Overseas Accreditation". Annual Report 1997/1998. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 12 October 1998. p. 296. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  50. ^ "APPENDIX 16 OVERSEAS ACCREDITATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES". Annual Report 1998/1999. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 6 October 1999. p. 311. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  51. ^ "APPENDIX 16 OVERSEAS ACCREDITATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES". Annual Report 1999/2000. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 3 October 2000. p. 330. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  52. ^ "About us - Polynésie française". Consulat général d'Australie Nouméa, Nouvelle-Calédonie (in French). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 1 May 2006. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  53. ^ Rabreaud, Lucie (12 May 2021). "L'AUSTRALIE PRÉSENTE SON CONSULAT GÉNÉRAL EN POLYNÉSIE FRANÇAISE (Australia presents its Consulate-General in French Polynesia)" (in French). Radio 1. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  54. ^ Dorin, Etienne (12 May 2021). "Un consulat australien pour renforcer les liens (An Australian consulate to strengthen ties)" (in French). Tahiti Infos. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  55. ^ "L'Australie dotée d'un consulat général en Polynésie française (Australia has a Consulate General in French Polynesia)" (in French). La Dépêche de Tahiti. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  56. ^ "La nouvelle Consule générale d'Australie reçue par le président de l'assemblée (The new Consul General of Australia received by the President of the Assembly)" (in French). Assemblée de la Polynésie Française. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  57. ^ "LE PRÉSIDENT S'ENTRETIENT AVEC LA CONSULE GÉNÉRALE D'AUSTRALIE EN POLYNÉSIE FRANÇAISE (THE PRESIDENT MEETS WITH THE CONSUL GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA IN FRENCH POLYNESIA)" (in French). La Présidence de la Polynésie française. 4 May 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
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