Mark Higgie

Mark William Christopher Higgie (born 26 July 1957) is a former Australian diplomat, political advisor, and intelligence analyst. He was Australia’s ambassador in Brussels (to the EU, NATO, Belgium and Luxembourg) between 2014 and 2017.[4] He previously served as international advisor to the Hon Tony Abbott MP, both when Abbott was Leader of the Opposition (2010–2013) and when he was Prime Minister (2013–2014).[5][6] Together with the relevant shadow ministers and their staff, he coordinated the Liberal-National coalition's international and national security policies (foreign affairs, defence, immigration, trade, veterans' affairs, ethnic affairs) at its campaign headquarters in Melbourne at both the 2010 and 2013 federal elections.

Mark Higgie
Senior Fellow, Danube Institute,[1] Budapest
Incumbent
Assumed office 2019
Preceded by	Norman Stone
Australian Ambassador to the European Union, NATO, Belgium and Luxembourg
In office 2014–2017
Preceded by	Duncan Lewis
Succeeded by	Justin Brown
International Advisor to the Hon. Tony Abbott MP
In office 2010–2014
Succeeded by	Craig MacLachlan
Personal details
Born	(1957-07-26) 26 July 1957 Canberra, Australia
Spouse(s)	Zoë
Children	Anna,[2] Lucinda
Parents	William[3] and Jean Higgie
Alma mater	Australian National University

The Financial Review's 2013 national power survey listed Higgie fourth on its Defence Strategies sectoral list.[7] Foreign editor at The Australian Greg Sheridan, to whom he has been seen as close, has described him as a 'highly regarded professional' with good connections among Coalition politicians.[8][9]

Prior to joining Abbott’s team, Higgie served for three years as the representative in the UK of the Office of National Assessments, the government’s intelligence assessment agency on international affairs. In this role, Higgie was the Australian representative on the Joint Intelligence Committee (United Kingdom).[10]

Higgie served as Australia’s ambassador in Budapest 1998–2001.[11] At the conclusion of his posting then Hungarian president Ferenc Mádl, accompanied by prime minister Viktor Orbán, awarded him the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary, the country's second-highest honour, for services to Hungary-Australia relations.[12]

He earlier served as First Secretary later Counsellor Vienna (1992–95) and Third later Second Secretary Belgrade (1985–87). Higgie joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1984.[5]

He has a BA (Hons) in Russian and Political Science from the Australian National University (1981) and a PhD from the same institution for a thesis on nationality policy in the Soviet Union, East Germany and Yugoslavia (1987).[13] While doing research for his PhD in 1982, he undertook an internship at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty at its then Munich headquarters.

In 1988–89 Higgie served as policy advisor to then Opposition Leader John Howard's shadow foreign minister, John Spender QC.

Since concluding his posting in Brussels, Higgie has been a regular columnist on international affairs issues for the Australian edition of The Spectator, which in 2019 designated him as its Europe Correspondent. In 2019 he also became a Senior Fellow at the Budapest-based conservative think-tank the Danube Institute. [14] He is also an occasional columnist for The Australian.[15][16][17][18][19]