Gary Francis Quinlan AO (born 11 March 1951) is an Australian diplomat and public servant, who served as the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia from 2018 to 2021. He has previously served as High Commissioner to Singapore and as the Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations, including two terms as President of the United Nations Security Council.

Gary Quinlan
Australian Ambassador to Indonesia
In office
27 February 2018 – 14 April 2021
Preceded byPaul Grigson
Succeeded byPenny Williams
Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations
In office
25 February 2009 – January 2015
Preceded byRobert Hill
Succeeded byGillian Bird
Australian High Commissioner to Singapore
In office
6 March 2001 – 15 June 2005
Preceded byMurray McLean
Succeeded byMiles Kupa
Personal details
Born (1951-03-11) 11 March 1951 (age 73)
Alma materUniversity of Newcastle

Early life edit

Born on 9 February 1951, Quinlan was educated at the University of Newcastle and graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history with honours.[1]

Diplomatic career edit

Quinlan joined the then Department of Foreign Affairs in 1973 and served in several senior positions in the Department in Canberra including First Assistant Secretary, Consular, Public Diplomacy and Parliamentary Affairs Division (2007) and First Assistant Secretary, Americas and Europe Division (2000–01). He was Head of the Australian Delegation to the Law of the Sea Preparatory Commission from 1987 until 1988.[1]

Quinlan's overseas assignments have been as Second Secretary in Dublin (1974–77), First Secretary, Australian Mission to the United Nations, New York (1981–85), Australian Deputy Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Paris (1979–81) and was attached to the Economic Development Institute, World Bank in Washington D.C. (1984). Quinlan served as Chief of Staff to the Minister for Trade (1993–94) and Minister for Industry, Science and Technology (1994–96), Peter Cook, and more recently served as Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy Washington DC (2005–07) and High Commissioner to Singapore (2001–05).[2]

From 2007, until his appointment as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in 2009, Quinlan was the Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Defence, and National Security.[3]

Following his return from the United Nations in New York in 2014, Quinlan became Deputy Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was tasked with the role of Australia's chief negotiator with Timor-Leste over the East Timor maritime boundary dispute.[4][5][6] The two parties reached an amicable agreement in February 2018, immediately before Quinlan was appointed as Australia's Ambassador to Indonesia.[7][8][9]

Honours edit

Quinlan holds the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (Hon DLitt, 2007) from the University of Newcastle.[1] In the 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for "distinguished service to public administration in the field of international relations as a senior diplomat and ambassador, and as an advisor to government on foreign policy."[10]

References edit

  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 3.0 license.

  1. ^ a b c "Appointment of H.E. Mr Gary Francis QUINLAN AO, as the Head of Mission of the Commonwealth of Australia to the European Union to replace H.E. Mr Mark William Christopher Higgie" (PDF). General Secretariat of the Council. European Union. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  2. ^ Downer, Alexander (6 March 2001). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner To Singapore" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  3. ^ Smith, Stephen (25 February 2009). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  4. ^ Bishop, Julie (29 August 2016). "Conciliation between Australia and Timor-Leste" (Press release). Australian Government.
  5. ^ Cannane, Steve (30 August 2016). "East Timor says Australia took advantage of a vulnerable nation, demands Timor Sea treaty torn up". ABC News. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  6. ^ Koh, Tommy (28 September 2017). "A success story in resolving sea boundary disputes". The Straits Times. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  7. ^ Bishop, Julie (27 February 2018). "Ambassador to Indonesia" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  8. ^ "Australia and East Timor agree on maritime border, 'pathway' to develop gas field". ABC News. Reuters. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  9. ^ Martin, Lisa (27 February 2018). "New Australian ambassador to Indonesia". News.com.au. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  10. ^ "QUINLAN, Gary Francis – Officer of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour database. Australian Government. 13 June 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2018. For distinguished service to public administration in the field of international relations as a senior diplomat and ambassador, and as an advisor to government on foreign policy.

External links edit

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Australian High Commissioner to Singapore
2001–2005
Succeeded by
Miles Kupa
Preceded by Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations
2009–2015
Succeeded by
Preceded by President of the United Nations Security Council
September 2013
Succeeded by
President of the United Nations Security Council
November 2014
Succeeded by
Preceded by Australian Ambassador to Indonesia
2018-2021
Succeeded by