13th January 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
There are an estimated 1.1 million Brits in Australia. Every year around 60,000 of them renew their passports. The way that the application process works changed this week. It’s part of a wider transfer of responsibility for issuing passports overseas from the Foreign Office to HM Passport Office – an Agency of the Home Office […]
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18th December 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
So, Australia has won back the Ashes. I was always wary of hubris: I didn’t expect Australia to lightly concede a fourth series defeat in a row. But I don’t think many people anticipated England would perform quite so disappointingly, particularly with the bat. All credit to an Australian team who played outstandingly well. And […]
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10th December 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Defence Industry matters to South Australia. The state is home to 32% of the Australian defence industry workforce. That includes many British companies like BAE Systems, Babcock, Cobham and Ultra. Employment in the sector is expected to grow from 27,000 to 37,000 by 2020. This is important at a time when some of SA’s […]
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3rd December 2013
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On the shores of Canberra’s Lake Burley Griffin, hundreds of highly polished classic British cars glinted in the sunshine, as far as the eye could see. Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Aston Martin, MG, Triumph and some marques I only dimly remembered. It was the annual gathering of classic car clubs from the ACT and New South […]
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27th November 2013
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Sir David Higgins is one of those Australians who have moved seamlessly between the two countries, holding top positions in each. In Australia he’s best known as former CEO of Lend Lease. In the UK he’s the man who played a hugely important role in the fantastic success of London 2012 as head of the Olympic […]
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13th November 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The 44th Australian Parliament opened yesterday. The diplomatic corps were invited to attend and observe the splendid ceremony. The Australian system is a hybrid: with an elected upper chamber it has some important differences from Westminster; but there are many similarities in procedure. First the members of the House of Representatives were sworn in, either by […]
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8th November 2013
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The Queen’s Baton has just come through Australia. It is currently travelling around some 70 nations and territories which will be competing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow starting in July 2014. There are 53 countries in the Commonwealth comprising one third of the world’s population: The Gambia regrettably resigned last month, hopefully temporarily. But at the Games, territories […]
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6th November 2013
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I received my CMG from HM The Queen at Buckingham Palace last week. Amidst all the pomp and circumstance you actually feel more nervous than you might expect, as you await those final few moments before you step forward to have the medal ribbon placed around your neck. For some reason the orchestra struck up […]
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21st October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The success of the modern Australian economy reflects in part the legal and governance structures flowing from its British heritage, RBA Governor Glenn Stevens told the Australian British Chamber of Commerce at a packed Sydney lunch last week. In a fascinating speech the Governor outlined the history of the economic relationship between the two countries. He noted […]
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15th October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
We opened up our Residence to the public this weekend as part of the “Windows on the World” contribution by the Diplomatic community to Canberra’s 100th anniversary celebrations this year. Westminster House has been the residence of British High Commissioners to Australia since 1953. The fifties wasn’t generally acknowledged as one of the great periods […]
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