30th June 2015 Canberra, Australia
Over the last two weeks, I’ve taken part in a number of events to mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta. My personal highlight was undoubtedly introducing Prime Minister Tony Abbott to an audience of over 300 people in Parliament’s Great Hall, to deliver the British High Commission’s annual Magna Carta lecture. As I said […]
12th June 2015 Canberra, Australia
Very often when I tell people about my job, their reaction is puzzlement. ‘So you work on climate change stuff in Australia?’ ‘Yep.’ (and energy policy, and a few other things) ‘But you work for the UK government?’ ‘Yep.’ ‘So… why does the UK employ someone in Australia to work on climate change?’ When I […]
10th June 2015 Canberra, Australia
Before I came to Australia, someone said to me: “You’ll lay a lot of wreaths”. The comment recognised, I think, an Australian paradox that I’ve also noticed now I’m here: how a nation which is so informal and at ease with itself can also be attached to the art of the ceremony and the more […]
21st May 2015 Canberra, Australia
It’s been over a month since I arrived with my family in Australia; and it’s been busy! I’ve been investing time in getting to know the country and have travelled 6,500 miles in the last two weeks, shuttling between Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane. I’ve met our fantastic ‘UK in Australia’ team spread across […]
22nd April 2015 Canberra, Australia
This week, I’m gearing up for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings. It’s my first Anzac Day here and I want to be ready; so I’ve visited the incredible Australian War Memorial here in Canberra (before the crowds arrive this weekend) and watched some moving documentaries on the History Channel. And […]
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14th April 2015 Canberra, Australia
It’s great to arrive in Australia to take up the role of British High Commissioner. I feel honoured to have been appointed to the role, and look forward to getting stuck in. A bit about me. You can see my bio here, but in short I’m a career diplomat – and a mum. I’m here with […]
10th April 2015 Canberra, Australia
The voices of my childhood spoke in an Australian accent. I was born in London to Australian parents, whose Sydney twang was much imitated by school friends, more used to west London’s downward inflection. When I wasn’t listening to mum and dad I was watching cricket, and the voice of cricket was Richie Benaud. Of […]
27th March 2015 Canberra, Australia
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the establishment at the 2005 World Summit of the principle of Responsibility to Protect (R2P). The governments present agreed that they had a responsibility to protect civilian populations from genocide and mass atrocity events. This could be in three ways: a state protecting its own populations; a state […]
20th March 2015 Canberra, Australia
The second Monday in March has a dual significance in Canberra. On the one hand it is a local public holiday (Canberra Day), and on the other it is Commonwealth Day. For most of us, the significance of the latter is often masked by the opportunity offered by the former to enjoy a well-earned break […]
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25th February 2015 Canberra, Australia
Regular readers of this blog will know that High Commissioner Paul Madden has now left Australia. His successor will arrive here in April, meaning that I, as Deputy High Commissioner, get to spend a couple of months rejoicing in the title of “Chargé d’Affaires ad interim”. My aim in this period is to ensure that […]