Adelaide is the largest city in Australia that we don’t have a British Consulate in. It’s a significant population centre and an important economic hub, with some prominent national politicians. It has also produced my last two opposite numbers as Australian High Commissioner in London – former Premier Mike Rann, and former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.
I’ve visited regularly during my time in Australia, not least because of the strong British interests in South Australia’s defence and aerospace cluster. I’ve been to see the Air Warfare Destroyers being constructed at the ASC dockyard, near where HMS Daring moored during her visit to Australia in 2013. And I’ve visited the local facilities of companies like BAE Systems, Cobham, and Babcock. I hosted Kevin Rudd’s Magna Carta lecture in Adelaide’s handsome Town Hall in 2011, and visited the Rocket testing range at Woomera in 2013. And in the last Ashes series here I attended the first Test at Adelaides’s splendid new oval, which has managed to combine impressive state of the art stands with retaining some of the familiar views at the Cathedral end.
On my farewell trip today, Governor Hieu Van Le was kind enough to host a lunch in his splendid Residence on North Terrace, which must be architecturally the finest street in Australia. Sarah and I also had a most enjoyable tea with Welsh-born Julia Gillard, Prime Minister for much of my time in Australia, who is now based in Adelaide where she grew up. She has just published her memoirs, and is playing an active role in world affairs as Chair of the Global Partnership for Education, an important multilateral organisation whose biggest funder is the UK.
We have been very well served by James Bruce our Honorary Consul here for the last eight years. As well as the normal consular role of supporting British citizens who get into difficultly, James has also been an invaluable conduit into Adelaide life. He has chosen to stand down now as I leave, and will be very ably succeed by Ian Smith, British born and long-term Adelaide resident. We’ll be getting two for the price of one, as Ian’s wife, former senator Natasha Stott-Despoja, already works closely with the High Commission in her role as Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls. Together with James and Ian and our Consul General in Melbourne Gareth Hoar, I am hosting a big reception at Adelaide’s Royal Institution tonight to say farewell to many contacts from government, business and community organisations and to introduce our new Honorary Consul.