The Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to the Holy See. The first nominee for this position was Dudley McCarthy, appointed in 1973, who was also the ambassador to Spain, but the Vatican refused to accept the nomination on the grounds that McCarthy had been divorced. The appointment was subsequently attached to the office of the Ambassador to the Netherlands, Denmark, Turkey, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and Switzerland. In 2008 Tim Fischer was appointed as the first permanent resident ambassador to the Holy See. In 1986, Sir Peter Lawler had been appointed resident ambassador for four months prior to Pope John Paul II's visit to Australia. Keith Pitt is the current ambassador, having presented his credentials on .
List of heads of mission
Ordinal Officeholder Title Residency Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See The Hague, Netherlands years Turkey years (n/a) John Mitchell Kirtley Chargé d'affaires years Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See Sweden years () Lloyd Thomson Dublin, Ireland years Address of John Paul II to Lloyd Thomson, Ambassador of Australia accredited to the Holy See years (n/a) Christopher Stephen Knott Chargé d'affaires years Frank Milne Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See years Address of the Holy Father John Paul II to H.E. Mr Francis Sommerville Milne, Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See Dublin, Ireland Terence McCarthy years Address of His Holiness John Paul II to H.E. Mr Terence Barry McCarthy, the new Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See The Hague, Netherlands years Dublin, Ireland years years years years Vatican City years years (n/a) Chargé d'affaires Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See incumbent
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