List of Australian High Commissioners to Papua New Guinea


The Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea is the Australian Government's foremost diplomatic representative in Papua New Guinea. The Ambassador is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the High Commission of the Commonwealth of Australia to PNG. The High Commissioner resides in Port Moresby. The high commission's work has been assisted since 6 February 2017 by a consulate-general in Lae.

Posting history

The Australian Government has offered diplomatic representation in Papua New Guinea since the Territory’s self-government was established in December 1973. The top official Australian Government representative in Papua New Guinea was called the High Commissioner, on the request of Papua New Guinea.

Lae consulate

A Consulate-General was opened on 16 September 1975 was opened in the city of Lae as a result of an agreement between the Australian and PNG governments to raise the status of their offices in Lae and Sydney upon independence. However, due to resource constraints in foreign affairs with the new Liberal/National government of Malcolm Fraser, the post was scaled down from late 1978 and was completely closed down in December 1981, whilst the responsibilities of the consulate passed to the Deputy High Commissioner in Port Moresby, M. W. Hughes, from 1978–1981. The post remained closed until the appointment and opening of an Honorary Consulate on 24 July 1989, which lasted until the reopening of the Consulate-General in February 2017 as part of a significant expansion of Australia's global diplomatic presence.

List of heads of mission

High Commissioner in Port Moresby
NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Les Johnson19731974
Tom Critchley19741978
Gerry Nutter19781981
Robert Birch19811984
Michael Wilson19841987
Lance Joseph19871989
Allan Taylor19891993
Bill Farmer19931995
David Irvine19961999
Nick Warner19992003
Michael Potts20032006
Chris Moraitis20062010
Ian Kemish20102013
Deborah Stokes20132 December 2015
Bruce Davis2 December 201525 February 2020
Jon Philp25 February 2020present

Consuls-General in Lae