This blog post was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Avatar photo

Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

29th August 2014

PM Abbott hails indigenous scholars bound for Oxford

Meeting the PM at Parliament House: (L-R) Tamara Murdock, Jessica Buck, Hon. Tony Abbott MP, Jessyca Hutchens and HE Paul Madden.
Meeting the PM at Parliament House: (L-R) Tamara Murdock, Jessica Buck, Hon. Tony Abbott MP, Jessyca Hutchens and HE Paul Madden.

“Even the stones seem to speak to you,” said Tony Abbott, describing Oxford’s ancient college buildings to this year’s Charlie Perkins/Chevening scholars. This sense of place would be very familiar to indigenous people. The Prime Minister takes a very close interest in indigenous matters. And Oxford, where he spent two very happy years as a Rhodes Scholar, is clearly dear to his heart. So he was delighted to welcome us at Parliament House yesterday and meet Jessica Buck, Jessyca Hutchens and Tamara Murdock who will all be shortly heading off to Oxford for postgraduate studies.

Later, at my Residence, Education Minister Christopher Pyne officiated at a formal ceremony to honour the three scholars. It was a very uplifting occasion, with proud parents beaming as Jess, Jess and Tamara gave acceptance speeches which fully demonstrated the personal qualities which had won them this prestigious scholarship. The event was attended by politicians, prominent educationalists including Tom Calma (the first indigenous University Chancellor) and the Vice Chancellors of UWA and Newcastle University, and business figures. This year we were joined by a number of distinguished Australian Chevening alumni to mark the 30th anniversary of the programme which has sent 43,000 young scholars from 150 countries to British Universities over three decades.

On their way to Oxford: (L-R) Hon. Christopher Pyne, Jessica Buck, Jessyca Hutchens, Tamara Murdock and HE Paul Madden.
On their way to Oxford: (L-R) Hon. Christopher Pyne, Jessica Buck, Jessyca Hutchens, Tamara Murdock and HE Paul Madden.

During my time here we have focused our FCO-funded Chevening scholarship programme on working with the Charlie Perkins Foundation, the Australian Government and Rio Tinto to support scholarships for indigenous Australians. During that time we have sent 11 Aboriginal scholars to Oxford and Cambridge – the first ever to attend each university.

In my speech I noted that whilst Oxford and Cambridge were both over 800 years old, they remained right at the cutting edge of the latest developments in Science and the Arts, which ensured that they continued to be two of the most prestigious universities in the world. This year’s scholars would not only benefit greatly from their experiences there, but would also add their own contributions to the life of the university. And, on return to Australia, they were destined to become future leaders in their chosen fields.

To see the full gallery of images from last night’s event, click here.

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.

Follow Paul