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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

23rd August 2012

Dreamtime in Northern Queensland rainforest

At 135 million years, the Daintree Rainforest is the oldest rainforest on earth. The Yalanji people have lived there for around 40,000 years. I was invited to visit the new indigenous eco-tourism development at Mossman Gorge, just north of Cairns, a week after it opened. Our local guide, Harold, was a mine of information as he took us on a “Dreamtime Walk” through the gorge, describing how his people used native plants for food, medicine and art.

We were also able to meet the local community leaders behind the project, including Roy Gibson and Michael Friday, CEO of Jabalbina Aboriginal Corporation. Frankie Deemal, a nationally recognised figure, was also present. The new centre is not just a tourist facility and generator of indigenous employment, it also includes a hospitality training centre for indigenous students, two of whom –Torres Straits Islanders Amber and Gabriel – showed us round. Our excellent British Honorary Consul in Cairns, John McIntyre, has been closely involved with the project through his day job at the Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation.

We also attended a celebration of the 25th anniversary of James Cook University’s Cairns Campus, and afterwards had a private dinner with the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor. James Cook has the highest number of indigenous students of any Australian University. It plays to its strengths as a “Tropical University”, with campuses in Cairns, Townsville and Singapore, and world class research programmes in tropical issues, including collaboration with Liverpool University’s School of Tropical Medicines.

In a discussion with the Mayor of Cairns and business representatives we talked about some of the challenges and opportunities for the tourist industry, which generates around $2 billion for the Cairns economy each year, but has been adversely impacted by the strong dollar. British tourists make up the 3rd largest group of international visitors, particularly backpackers, so as Hon Consul John is kept busy helping Brits who run into difficulties. Our local interlocutors were looking forward to hosting the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in 2014. We took the opportunity to check-out the impressive Convention Centre, where that meeting will take place.

About Paul Madden

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017. He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia…

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017.

He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia until February 2015. Prior to this he was British High Commissioner in Singapore from 2007-2011.

A career diplomat, he was previously Managing Director at UK Trade and Investment (2004-2006), responsible for co-ordinating and
implementing international trade development strategies to support
companies across a wide range of business sectors.

As Assistant Director of Information at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (2003-2004) he was responsible for public diplomacy policy,
including managing the FCO funding of the BBC World Service, the British
Council and the Chevening Scholarships programme. He led the team
responsible for the award-winning UK pavilion at the Aichi Expo in Japan
2005.

He was Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore from 2000-2003 and has
also served in Washington (1996-2000) and Tokyo (1988-92). Between
1992-96 he worked on EU enlargement and Environmental issues at the FCO
in London.

Before joining FCO he worked at the Department of Trade and Industry
(1980-87) on a range of industrial sectors and trade policy, including
two years as a minister’s Private Secretary.

He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge University, an MBA
from Durham University, studied Japanese at London University’s School
of Oriental and African Studies, and is a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society. His first book, Raffles: Lessons in Business
Leadership, was published in 2003.

Married to Sarah, with three children, he was born in 1959, in Devon.

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2012 australia Cairns daintree rainforest dreamtime James Cook University queensland