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List of high commissioners of Australia to Cyprus

The high commissioner of Australia to Cyprus is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the High Commission of the Commonwealth of Australia in Nicosia, with responsibility for both the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and the unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and is currently held by Fiona McKergow since January 2022. There has been a resident Australian high commissioner in Cyprus since 1982, from 1973 to 1982 the Ambassador to Greece held non-resident accreditation for Cyprus.[1]

High Commissioner of Australia to Cyprus
Incumbent
Fiona McKergow
since January 2022
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
StyleHer Excellency
Reports toMinister for Foreign Affairs
ResidenceNicosia
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderFrancis Hall (resident in Athens)
Formation19 April 1973
WebsiteAustralian High Commission, Cyprus

Posting history

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Following the independence of Cyprus on 16 August 1960, Australia maintained low level relations and contacts with the new Cypriot Government, with the Australian Embassy in Athens, Greece, having reporting responsibility for Cyprus. In response to a question on the status of Australia's relations with Cyprus from the Leader of the Opposition, Gough Whitlam, in the House of Representatives, on 28 March 1972 the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nigel Bowen, noted to the Parliament: "Australia’s bilateral relations with the Republic of Cyprus have not been considered sufficiently substantial at this stage to justify the dual accreditation of an Australian high commissioner to Cyprus from another post. However, the Australian Embassy in Athens has a general responsibility for reporting on Cyprus and the staff of the Embassy visit Cyprus at regular intervals."[2] However, not longer after this response, the Australian Government appointed the serving Ambassador to Greece, Francis Hall, as the non-resident accredited high commissioner to Cyprus from 19 April 1973.[3] In July 1975, the Australian Government announced the establishment of a resident High Commission in Nicosia, initially under an acting high commissioner.[4] The first resident high commissioner, Mary McPherson, commenced office from 9 February 1982.[5]

Heads of mission

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High commissioners resident in Athens, Greece

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Name Start of term End of term References
Francis Hall 19 April 1973 July 1974 [6][3]
Donald Horne July 1974 June 1976 [7][8]
Sir Les Johnson June 1976 June 1980 [9][10]
Marshall Johnston June 1980 9 February 1982 [11][12][13]

Resident high commissioners

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Name Start of term End of term References
Alister William Savage (Acting) 12 August 1975 December 1977 [4]
Erica Fielding Grimwade (Acting) December 1977 9 February 1982 [5]
Mary McPherson 9 February 1982 4 October 1985 [5]
David Wadham 4 October 1985 October 1988 [14][15]
Edward Stevens November 1988 December 1994 [16]
John Sullivan January 1995 December 1997 [17]
Howard Craig Brown January 1998 April 2000 [18]
Franz Ingruber April 2000 March 2004 [19]
Garth Hunt March 2004 June 2008 [20]
Evan Williams June 2008 August 2011 [21]
Trevor Peacock September 2011 September 2015 [22]
Alan Sweetman September 2015 September 2018 [23]
Samuel Beever September 2018 December 2021 [24][25]
Fiona McKergow January 2022 present [26][27]

References

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  1. ^ CA 8016: Australian High Commission, Cyprus [Nicosia], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 7 January 2016
  2. ^ "Australian Representation in Cyprus". Current Notes on International Affairs. 43 (3). Department of Foreign Affairs: 134–135. March 1972. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 44 (4). Department of Foreign Affairs: 291. April 1973. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b "High Commission in Cyprus". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 46 (7). Department of Foreign Affairs: 419. July 1975. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "Diplomatic appointments". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 52 (10). Department of Foreign Affairs: 520. October 1981. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Foreign Affairs changes". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 June 1972. p. 8. Retrieved 6 November 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "High Commissioner to Cyprus". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 45 (4). Department of Foreign Affairs: 288. April 1974. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Envoy to Greece to change". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 April 1974. p. 4. Retrieved 6 November 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Ambassador to Greece". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 47 (4). Department of Foreign Affairs: 221. April 1976. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Representation - Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 47 (7). Department of Foreign Affairs: 398. July 1976. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  11. ^ "Ambassadors". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 28 March 1980. p. 3. Retrieved 6 November 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Diplomatic appointments". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 51 (3). Department of Foreign Affairs: 79. March 1980. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  13. ^ "Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 51 (7). Department of Foreign Affairs: 264. July 1980. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  14. ^ "High Commissioner to Cyprus". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 56 (10). Department of Foreign Affairs: 1017. October 1985. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  15. ^ "Australian Representation Overseas". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 56 (11). Department of Foreign Affairs: 1160. November 1985. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  16. ^ "High Commissioner to Cyprus". Australian Foreign Affairs Record. 59 (8). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: 339–340. August 1988. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  17. ^ Evans, Gareth (1 November 1994). "Diplomatic appointment: High Commissioner to the Republic of Cyprus" (Media Release). ParlInfo: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  18. ^ Downer, Alexander (5 August 1997). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to the Republic of Cyprus" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  19. ^ Downer, Alexander (31 January 2000). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Comissioner to Cyprus" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  20. ^ Downer, Alexander (29 January 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Cyprus" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  21. ^ Smith, Stephen (30 April 2008). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner to Cyprus" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015.
  22. ^ Rudd, Kevin (13 June 2011). "Diplomatic appointment - High Commissioner to Cyprus". Minister for Foreign Affairs (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016.
  23. ^ Bishop, Julie (4 August 2015). "High Commissioner to Cyprus". Minister for Foreign Affairs (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016.
  24. ^ Payne, Marise (3 September 2018). "High Commissioner to Cyprus" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  25. ^ "Australian High Commissioner Sam Beever has paid his farewell visit to President Tatar" (Media Release). Presidency of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. TRNC Public Information Office. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  26. ^ Payne, Marise (19 October 2021). "High Commissioner to Cyprus" (Press release). Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australian Government. Archived from the original (Media Release) on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  27. ^ "High Commissioner to Cyprus - Ms Fiona McKergow". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
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