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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

9th September 2013

Cameron calls to congratulate new Australian PM, Tony Abbott

David Cameron and Tony Abbott

Within minutes of Tony Abbott winning the election on Saturday night, British PM David Cameron called him to offer warm congratulations. He talked about the very strong ties between Britain and Australia.

David Cameron and Tony Abbott
David Cameron and Tony Abbott

PM Abbott, born in London to Australian parents who were living there temporarily, and a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, agreed on the importance of the relationship and looked forward to working very closely together.

Foreign Secretary William Hague also spoke to his new opposite number, Julie Bishop, on Saturday. They already know each other quite well and have an excellent relationship. Chancellor George Osborne called his counterpart Joe Hockey and had a friendly exchange too.

The Australian election has been followed closely in London, and I know our reporting cables have been read with interest there. I have found it interesting to get out and about to observe the contest in different cities. On Saturday morning I popped round the corner to our local polling station at the Canberra Girls’ Grammar School, to watch people casting their vote.

I was impressed with the Australian tradition of having a “sausage sizzle” at polling stations. Perhaps we should think about following suit.

The final results are still coming through, because of the complexities of the transferable vote system, particularly in the Senate. One consequence of transferable voting is that it makes it easier for minority parties and independents to win seats in the Senate, even from a very low share of the vote on first preferences.

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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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David Cameron election Julie Bishop Politics polls Prime Minister sausage sizzle Senate Tony Abbott votes William Hague