The ambassador of Australia to Austria and permanent representative of Australia to the United Nations Office in Vienna 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 Republic of Austria in Vienna. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and holds non-resident accreditation for Bosnia and Herzegovina (since November 1995), Hungary (since 2013), Kosovo (since 21 May 2008), Slovakia (since 1993), and Slovenia (since 5 February 1992) as a non-resident ambassador. From 1968 to 1974 the ambassador held accreditation for Switzerland until it was transferred to a newly opened Australian embassy in Bern. An Australian embassy existed in Budapest, Hungary, from 1972 until its closure in July 2013. From February 1992 to October 1999, the ambassador in Vienna also held accreditation to Croatia. From 1973 to 1978, responsibility for Czechoslovakia was held by the ambassador resident in Vienna, after which it was transferred to the Australian Embassy in Warsaw.
The ambassador is currently Ian Biggs. Austria and Australia have enjoyed official diplomatic relations since 1966. The ambassador also acts as Australia's permanent representative to the United Nations Office in Vienna since its establishment on 1 January 1980, including as the representative and governor on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBTO) Preparatory Commission.
List of ambassadors
Ordinal Officeholder Other offices Term start date Term end date Time in office Notes Malcolm Morris 1966 1970 years Lawrence Corkery 1970 1972 years 1972 1974 years February 1975 1977 years 1977 1980 years Duncan Campbell 1980 1984 years John Kelso 1984 1988 years Michael Wilson 1988 1993 years Ronald Walker 1993 1996 years Lance Joseph 1996 2000 years Max Hughes 2000 2003 years Deborah Stokes 2003 2006 years 2006 2009 years 2009 2012 years 12 September 2012 2016 years Alt URL Brendon Hammer October 2016 September 2019 Richard Sadleir September 2019 incumbent
Notes Also non-resident Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation, 28 August 1968–1974. Also non-resident Ambassador to Czechoslovakia, 1973–1978. Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, 1 January 1980–present. Also non-resident Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia, 13 February 1992–October 1999. Also non-resident Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia, 13 February 1992–present. Also non-resident Ambassador to the Slovak Republic, 1995–present. Also non-resident Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, November 1995–present. Also non-resident Ambassador to the Republic of Kosovo, 21 May 2008–present. Also non-resident Ambassador to Hungary, 1972–1985, and July 2013–present.
References
External links Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Austria