List of ambassadors of Australia to Belgium

The Ambassador of Australia to Belgium 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 Belgium in Brussels. The position has the rank and status of an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and holds non-resident accreditation for Luxembourg. The Ambassador also acts as Australia's Ambassador to the European Union (EU), since 1962,[2] and Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).[3]

Ambassador of Australia to Belgium
Ambassador to the European Union
Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
Incumbent
Justin Brown PSM
since 6 February 2018
StyleHis Excellency
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderEdwin McCarthy (resident in the Hague)
James Cumes (Chargé d'affaires)
Formation1 May 1959[1]
WebsiteAustralian Embassy to Belgium and Luxembourg and Mission to the European Union and NATO

Belgium and Australia have enjoyed official diplomatic relations since 1 May 1959 when Australia appointed Edwin McCarthy, Ambassador to the Netherlands in The Hague, as the non-resident Ambassador to Belgium.[1] McCarthy also served as Australia's first Ambassador to the European Communities, when he was appointed in March 1962, just before he left his post in the Netherlands and Belgium, until he retired in 1964.[4][5] When McCarthy retired, Ralph Harry succeeded him as both ambassador to Belgium and the European Communities (became the EU in 1993).[6] Australia has been involved on an official level (as a 'global partner') with NATO since 2005 and the first Australian Ambassador to NATO was Brendan Nelson, appointed on 20 January 2012.[7] The current ambassador is Justin Brown.

Office-holders

Ambassadors resident in The Hague
NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Edwin McCarthy1 May 1959June 1962[1][8]
Walter Crocker13 June 19621964[9]

Ambassador to the European Communities
NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Edwin McCarthyMarch 196217 March 1964
Ambassador to Belgium

Ambassadors to Belgium
NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
James Cumes (Chargé d'affaires)19621964
Ralph Harry19651969
Owen Davis19701971
Allan Eastman19721974
James Cumes19751977[10]
James Plimsoll19771980[11]
Roy Fernandez19811982
Harold David Anderson19831986
Peter Curtis19871991[12]
David Sadleir19911992[13]
Ted Pocock19921997
Donald Kenyon19972000[14]
Joanna Hewitt20002003[15]
Peter Grey20032007[16]
Alan Thomas20072010[17]
Brendan Nelson20102012[18][19]
Duncan Lewis20122014[20]
Mark HiggieSeptember 20146 February 2018[21]
Justin Brown PSM6 February 2018present[22]

See also

References
  1. "Diplomatic Status To Be Increased". The Canberra Times. 2 May 1959. p. 2. Retrieved 17 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. Delegation of the European Union to Australia (29 July 2013), "Diplomatic relations", Celebrating 50 years: EU-Australia (PDF), p. 25, archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2016
  3. CA 2093: Australian Embassy, Brussels [Belgium], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 2 May 2015
  4. "MCCARTHY GIVEN NEW POST". The Canberra Times. 25 October 1962. p. 3. Retrieved 17 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Sir Edwin McCarthy Retires Today". The Canberra Times. 17 March 1964. p. 2. Retrieved 17 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Celebrating 50 years: EU–Australia – Australian Ambassadors to the EU" (PDF). Australia-EU Diplomatic Relations. European Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2015.
  7. "Appointment of Australian Ambassador to NATO" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs – The Hon Kevin Rudd MP. DFAT. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  8. Ambassador to the European Communities from 1962 to 1964.
  9. "NEW ENVOY TO BELGIUM". The Canberra Times. 14 June 1962. p. 20. Retrieved 17 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "Four new envoys". The Canberra Times. 9 November 1974. p. 8.
  11. "Ambassadors appointed". The Canberra Times. 27 August 1977. p. 7.
  12. "Hayden names 7 envoys". The Canberra Times. 25 August 1987. p. 3.
  13. "Sadleir to head ASIO". The Canberra Times. 7 March 1992. p. 3.
  14. Downer, Alexander (26 November 1996). "Diplomatic Appointment: Brussels" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  15. Downer, Alexander (26 April 2000). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to the Belgium" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  16. Downer, Alexander (9 October 2003). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to the European Communities, Belgium and Luxembourg" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  17. Downer, Alexander (18 December 2006). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to the European Communities and Belgium" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
  18. Smith, Stephen (17 September 2009). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to the European Communities, Belgium and Luxembourg, Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and Special Representative to the World Health Organization" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  19. "Beazley, Nelson appointed to key diplomatic posts". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 17 September 2009. Archived from the original on 2 May 2015.
  20. Gillard, Julia (17 September 2012). "Diplomatic Appointment and Appointment of Secretaries of the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014.
  21. Bishop, Julie; Brandis, George (15 May 2014). "Appointment of new Director-General of Security and nomination of new Australian Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union and NATO" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015.
  22. Bishop, Julie (6 February 2018). "Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the EU and NATO" (Press release). Australian Government.
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