List of ambassadors of Australia to the Holy See

The Australian Ambassador to the Holy See was first appointed in 1973.[1][2] The first nominee for this position was Dudley McCarthy, who was also the ambassador to Spain, but the Vatican refused to accept the nomination on the grounds that McCarthy had been divorced.[3] The appointment was subsequently attached to the office of the Ambassador to the Netherlands, Denmark, Turkey, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and Switzerland, before Tim Fischer was appointed as the first permanent resident ambassador to the Holy See in 2008.[1] In 1986, Sir Peter Lawler had been appointed resident ambassador for four months prior to Pope John Paul II's visit to Australia.[4]

Ambassador to the Holy See
Incumbent
Melissa Hitchman
since 5 May 2016 (5 May 2016)
StyleHer Excellency
Inaugural holderLloyd Thomson
Formation1973

List of heads of mission
AmbassadorStart of TermEnd of TermNotes
Lloyd Thomson19731974Ambassador to the Netherlands and Denmark.[5]
John McMillan19741978Ambassador to Turkey and later High Commissioner to Malta.[6]
John Mitchell Kirtley19781979Chargé d'affaires
Brian Clarence Hill19791980
Lloyd Thomson19801983Second appointment.[7]
Sir Peter Lawler19831986Ambassador to Ireland. Resident ambassador for four months prior to Pope John Paul II's visit to Australia.[4]
Christopher Stephen Knott19861987Chargé d'affaires
Frank Milne[8]19871988
Brian Burke19881991Ambassador to Ireland. Recalled in 1991 to face a royal commission and was eventually jailed.[9]
Terence McCarthy[10]19911993
Michael Tate19931996Ambassador to the Netherlands
Edward Stevens19961998Ambassador to Ireland[11]
Bob Halverson19982003Ambassador to Ireland
John Herron20032006Ambassador to Ireland
Anne Plunkett20062008Ambassador to Ireland
Tim Fischer20082012First permanent resident ambassador[1]
John McCarthy20122016Second permanent resident ambassador[1][12]
Melissa Hitchman20162020[13][14]
Chiara Porro[15]2020-

References
  1. Maiden, Samantha (22 July 2008). "Kevin Rudd parts the Holy See with Tim Fischer". The Australian. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  2. CA 8039: Australian Embassy to the Holy See, Italy [Rome], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 11 January 2016
  3. "Proposed envoy not accepted". The Canberra Times. 15 May 1973. p. 7. Retrieved 2 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. Oakes, Laurie (21 July 2008). "Rudd overcome with generous spirit". Archived from the original on 10 April 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  5. "Envoy to Holy See appointed". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 July 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  6. Overington, Caroline (22 July 2008). "Politics of the pulpit". The Australian. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  7. Address of John Paul II to Lloyd Thomson, Ambassador of Australia accredited to the Holy See
  8. Address of the Holy Father John Paul II to H.E. Mr Francis Sommerville Milne, Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See
  9. Ramsey, Alan (20 July 2005). "A role in the fall of a Labor mate conveniently omitted from the eulogies". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  10. Address of His Holiness John Paul II to H.E. Mr Terence Barry McCarthy, the new Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See
  11. Downer, Alexander (29 August 1998). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador To Ireland" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  12. Wallace, Rick (18 January 2016). "DFAT scrambles to bring home Holy See diplomat". The Australian. News Corp Australia.
  13. Bishop, Julie (5 May 2016). "Ambassador to the Holy See" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 6 May 2016.
  14. McCowen, Sharyn (10 May 2016). "Career diplomat to succeed John McCarthy as Australian ambassador to Holy See". The Catholic Weekly. Archived from the original on 9 July 2016.
  15. Bowling, Mark (28 August 2020). "Meet the new Australian ambassador to the Holy See, Chiara Porro". The Catholic Leader.
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