April in Australia: Autumn and anniversaries

It’s Autumn in Canberra. The view from my window looking out towards the Brindabellas is one of grey skies and multi-coloured trees. The cockatoos are out in force, squawking around the place. For the first time, this all feels familiar.

That’s because it’s been a year since we arrived in Australia, landing in Canberra to bright sunshine and cool temperatures. Everything was shiny and new, and we embraced it all with excitement and enthusiasm.

One year on, my mood is more mellow, matching the season. The pace has been pretty frenetic the last few weeks; and it’s good to have a weekend at home to relax and to reflect on the year we’ve just had.

On a personal and professional level, it’s been ripper, to use some Strine. Here’s why.

1. I love the country. It is indeed a land which “abounds in nature’s gifts, in beauty rich and rare”. As part of my work, I’ve visited all the States and Territories, and enjoyed their diversity and individual character. As a family, we’ve particularly loved ski-ing in Thredbo, watching the New Year’s Eve fireworks over Sydney Harbour, and swimming in waterfalls at Litchfield National Park in NT. We’ve enjoyed surf lessons, whale-watching and AFL games. And we’ve hardly scratched the surface.

2.  I love my job. Being High Commissioner in Australia is a privilege. It’s also a big responsibility, holding such an important bilateral relationship in my hands. And the stretch is huge – it’s a ‘full spectrum’ job, covering all aspects of our shared prosperity, security and people-to-people links, in a bloody big country (31.5 times the size of the UK). Part of my challenge for my second year is to slow down a bit, and to work out where I can add most value to our modern partnership.

3.  It’s not dull.There’s a mythology that Ambassadors spend their time in Canberra on the golf course. If only! I’ve only managed a handful of games since I’ve been here, all in my own time. (Favourite course: Vincentia, Jervis Bay.) Your politics keep us busy to start with – diplomacy starts with building relationships, which isn’t easy when the music hasn’t yet stopped on Australia’s musical chairs. And given the importance of Australia’s foreign policy to our own British interests – plus a symbiotic relationship on trade, investment, prosperity – there is always much to do together on the bilateral, regional and global spectrum.

4. I learn something every day. Getting under Australia’s skin sounds easy, but isn’t. The country is more complex than it appears to the outside world, and I feels as if I’m still peeling off the layers of a never-ending onion. I’ve still got a long way to go! And I’ve learned too about leading a team of 100 people spread across five posts (in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane) in a vast continent, often through complex matrix management systems. Getting everyone aligned behind a single vision – “A historic relationship, a modern partnership, delivering for Britain” – and then seeing how they fit in is also work in progress.

5. Finally, in a weird sort of way, I feel as if I’ve come home. Australians are likeable, friendly, informal, sociable, funny and sharp. You’re like the distant cousins I’ve never met, but with whom I can immediately identify. We’ve found only kindness and warmth since touching down in Canberra those 12 months ago, and have already made friendships that I know will last well beyond the full term of our posting here.

One year down, three more to go. Thanks Australia for a brilliant time – we’re looking forward to the rest of it. Oh, and April is also the month of my wedding anniversary – 15 years and counting. I’m looking forward to celebrating that later this month too.