List of ambassadors of Australia to Russia

The ambassador of Australia to the Russian Federation 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 Russian Federation. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and holds non-resident accreditation for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Armenia and Belarus. The current ambassador since November 2023 is John Geering.

Ambassador of Australia to the Russian Federation
Incumbent John Geering since 14 November 2023 (2023-11-14)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Style	His Excellency
Reports to	Minister for Foreign Affairs
Nominator	Prime Minister of Australia
Appointer	Governor-General of Australia
Inaugural holder	Bill Slater
Formation	2 January 1943
Website	Australian Embassy, Russian Federation

The Australian Embassy, Podkolokolny Pereulok 11, Moscow.

Posting history

Further information: Australia–Russia relations

Australia's first diplomatic presence in Russia was established in 1942. This occurred on 13 October 1942 with the conclusion of negotiations between Foreign Ministers Herbert Evatt and Vyacheslav Molotov. The Australian legation opened in January 1943 (the first Minister, Bill Slater was appointed in October 1942) in the temporary Russian capital of Kuybyshev and the Soviet embassy in Canberra also opened in March 1943.

By the war's end the legation moved to Moscow and on 16 February 1948 was upgraded to an embassy. In February 1950 the ambassador Alan Watt was recalled by the Australian government and was not replaced.^[1] In April 1954 with the scandal of the Petrov Affair the embassy in Moscow was closed, but later reopened in 1959. Between 1964 and 1966, the ambassador in Moscow held accreditation as Ambassador to Sweden. Between June 1972 and September 1973, the ambassador in Moscow was accredited to Warsaw.^[2] With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in late 1991, Australia acted to recognise the new states of the Commonwealth of Independent States on 26 December 1991. As a result, the embassy's accreditation was transferred to the Russian Federation, while non-resident accreditation to many of the new former Soviet republics was acquired. Non-resident accreditation with Ukraine was consequently included from 10 January 1992, but was transferred to the new embassy established in Kyiv in February 2015 following the Euromaidan protests across Ukraine.^[3] From 12 June 1973 to 29 May 1991, accreditation to Mongolia was also held by the embassy in Moscow until it was transferred to the Embassy in Beijing. Accreditation for Azerbaijan (since 1991) and Georgia (since 1992) was transferred to the Embassy in Ankara, Turkey in 2011. Accreditation for Moldova was transferred to the embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine in 2019.

The Australian Government established an embassy in Almaty, Kazakhstan in 1995 and appointed its first resident ambassador, Douglas Townsend.^[4] The Australian Government announced plans to close its embassy in Kazakhstan in August 1999.^[5] According to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the closure was due to resource constraints.^[6]

Officeholders

Heads of mission

Ordinal	Officeholder	Title	Other offices	Term start date	Term end date	Time in office	Notes
1	Bill Slater	Minister to the Soviet Union		12 October 1942 (1942-10-12)	June 1943 (1943-06)	7 months	[7][8]
2	James Maloney			5 November 1943 (5 November 1943)	12 August 1946 (12 August 1946)	2 years, 280 days	[9]
(n/a)	Noël Deschamps	Chargé d'affaires		12 August 1946 (1946-08-12)	1947 (1947)	0–1 years
3	Alan Watt	Minister to the Soviet Union		June 1947 (1947-06)	16 February 1948 (1948-02-16)	2 years, 8 months
		Ambassador to the Soviet Union		16 February 1948 (1948-02-16)	10 February 1950 (1950-02-10)
(n/a)	Frederick Blakeney	Chargé d'affaires		10 February 1950 (1950-02-10)	September 1951 (1951-09)	1 year, 6 months
(n/a)	John McMillan			September 1951 (1951-09)	14 October 1953 (1953-10-14)	2 years, 1 month	[10]
(n/a)	Brian Hill			14 October 1953 (1953-10-14)	24 February 1954 (1954-02-24)	133 days	[11]
Embassy closed
(n/a)	Bill Cutts	Chargé d'affaires		22 July 1959 (1959-07-22)	28 July 1960 (1960-07-28)	1 year, 6 days	[12]
4	Keith Waller	Ambassador to the Soviet Union		28 July 1960 (1960-07-28)	1962 (1962)	1–2 years	[13]
5	Stewart Wolfe Jamieson		A	1962 (1962)	1965 (1965)	2–3 years
6	John Rowland		A	February 1965 (1965-02)	1968 (1968)	2–3 years	[14]
7	Frederick Blakeney			1968 (1968)	June 1972 (1972-06)	3–4 years	[15]
8	Lawrence John Lawrey		BD	12 June 1972 (1972-06-12)	April 1974 (1974-04)	1 year, 9 months	[16]
9	James Plimsoll		D	23 April 1974 (1974-04-23)	4 August 1977 (1977-08-04)	3 years, 103 days	[17]
10	Murray Bourchier		D	4 August 1977 (1977-08-04)	August 1980 (1980-08)	2 years, 11 months
11	David Wyke Evans		D	1 March 1981 (1981-03-01)	March 1984 (1984-03)	3 years	[18]
12	Ted Pocock		D	21 March 1984 (1984-03-21)	September 1987 (1987-09)	3 years, 5 months
13	Robin Ashwin		D	28 September 1987 (1987-09-28)	May 1991 (1991-05)	3 years, 7 months	[19]
14	Cavan Hogue			29 May 1991 (1991-05-29)	26 December 1991 (1991-12-26)	3 years, 5 months	[20]
		Ambassador to the Russian Federation	CEFGHIJKLM	26 December 1991 (1991-12-26)	November 1994 (1994-11)
15	Geoffrey Bentley		CEFGIJKLM	2 November 1994 (1994-11-02)	19 December 1998 (1998-12-19)	4 years, 47 days
16	Ruth Pearce		CEFGHIJKLM	18 November 1998 (1998-11-18)	29 January 2002 (2002-01-29)	3 years, 72 days	[21]
17	Leslie Rowe		CEFGHIJKLM	18 December 2002 (2002-12-18)	February 2005 (2005-02)	2 years, 1 month	[22]
18	Bob Tyson		CEFGHIJKLM	28 February 2005 (2005-02-28)	June 2008 (2008-06)	3 years, 3 months	[23]
19	Margaret Twomey		CEFGHIJKLM	June 2008 (2008-06)	October 2013 (2013-10)	5 years, 4 months	[24]
20	Paul Myler		CGHIJKLM	24 October 2013 (2013-10-24)	December 2015 (2015-12)	2 years, 1 month	[25]
21	Peter Tesch		GHIJKLM	January 2016 (2016-01)	April 2019 (2019-04)	3 years, 3 months	[26]
22	Graeme Meehan		GHIJKLM	5 February 2020 (2020-02-05)	14 November 2023	3 years, 282 days	[27][28]
23	John Geering		GHIJKLM	14 November 2023 (2023-11-14)	incumbent	344 days	[29]

Notes

^A : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Sweden, between 1964 and 1966.

^B : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Poland, between June 1972 and September 1973.

^C : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Ukraine, between 10 January 1992 and February 2015.

^D : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Mongolia, between 12 June 1973 to 29 May 1991.

^E : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to the Republic of Azerbaijan between 26 December 1991 and 2011.

^F : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Georgia, between 1992 and 2011.

^G : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to the Republic of Uzbekistan, since 26 December 1991.

^H : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to the Republic of Kazakhstan, between 26 December 1991 and June 1995, and since 1999.

^I : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to the Kyrgyz Republic, since 26 December 1991.

^J : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Turkmenistan, since 26 December 1991.

^K : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to the Republic of Tajikistan, since 26 December 1991.

^L : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to the Republic of Armenia, since 26 December 1991.

^M : Also served as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to the Republic of Belarus, since 26 December 1991.

Ambassadors to Kazakhstan

Ordinal	Officeholder	Term start date	Term end date	Time in office	Notes
1	Douglas Townsend	June 1995 (1995-06)	November 1997 (1997-11)	2 years, 5 months	[4]
2	Peter Tesch	November 1997 (1997-11)	1999 (1999)	1–2 years	[30]

See also

• Russia-Australia relations
• Foreign relations of Australia

References

1. "NO AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW". Daily Advertiser. Wagga Wagga, NSW. 8 March 1952. p. 4. Retrieved 12 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
2. "Ambassador from Poland due next week". The Canberra Times. 27 October 1973. p. 9.
3. "Political relations between Ukraine and Australia". Embassy of Ukraine in Australia. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Archived from the original on 19 December 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
4. Evans, Gareth (May 1995). "Diplomatic appointment: Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
5. Downer, Alexander (7 August 1999). "Changes in Australia's Overseas Representation" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
6. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Kazakhstan country brief, Australian Government, archived from the original on 14 August 2015
7. "EXCHANGING ENVOYS WITH SOVIET". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 October 1942. p. 5. Retrieved 23 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "MR SLATER BACK FROM RUSSIA". The Argus. Melbourne. 18 June 1943. p. 3. Retrieved 23 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
9. "NEW MINISTER TO RUSSIA". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 November 1943. p. 8. Retrieved 23 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
10. "New Australian Envoy Calls On Mr. Gromyko". The West Australian. Perth. 1 October 1951. p. 2. Retrieved 12 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
11. AAP (16 October 1953). "Returning from Russia". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 2.
12. "DIPLOMATS ARRIVE IN MOSCOW". The Canberra Times. 23 July 1959. p. 2. Retrieved 19 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
13. "News In Brief". The Canberra Times. 29 July 1960. p. 3. Retrieved 19 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
14. "Envoy leaves for Moscow". The Canberra Times. 10 February 1965. p. 18. Retrieved 19 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
15. "Obituary: FREDERICK JOSEPH BLAKENEY". The Canberra Times. 21 June 1990. p. 7. Retrieved 19 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
16. "Our man in Moscow returns". The Canberra Times. 26 November 1971. p. 7. Retrieved 19 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
17. "Ambassador". The Canberra Times. 17 April 1974. p. 5. Retrieved 19 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
18. "USSR welcomes new ambassador". The Canberra Times. 14 January 1981. p. 3. Retrieved 19 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
19. "Hayden names 7 envoys". The Canberra Times. 25 August 1987. p. 3. Retrieved 19 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
20. "IN BRIEF". The Canberra Times. 23 April 1991. p. 10. Retrieved 19 May 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
21. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2000), Annual Report 1999–2000: Appendix 19. Overseas accreditations and responsibilities, Australian Government, archived from the original on 15 August 2015
22. Downer, Alexander (18 December 2001). "Diplomatic Appointment – Ambassador to Russia" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
23. Downer, Alexander (28 January 2005). "Diplomatic Appointment – Ambassador to Russia" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015.
24. Smith, Stephen (30 April 2008). "Diplomatic Appointment – Ambassador to Russia" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015.
25. Carr, Bob (1 November 2012). "Media Release: Ambassador to Russia" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
26. Bishop, Julie (16 November 2015). "Ambassador to Russia" (Press release). Australian Government.
27. Payne, Marise (28 June 2019). "Ambassador to Russia". Australian Government.
28. "Presentation of foreign ambassadors' letters of credence". Events. President of Russia. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
29. Trade, corporateName= Department of Foreign Affairs and. "Australian Embassy in". russia.embassy.gov.au. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
30. Downer, Alexander (15 October 1997). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.

External links

• Australian Embassy, Russian Federation