Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the appointments would ”strengthen Australia’s diplomatic capability”. Photo: Facebook.
Australian Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong has announced the appointments of new ambassadors to Iran, Spain, Chile and Ecuador, a new High Commissioner to Tonga, and Consuls-General in Chengdu and Guangzhou in China, and in Phuket in Thailand.
Ian McConville has been named as Australia’s next Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran, to succeed Lyndall Sachs, who has been in the post since 2019.
Mr McConville is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and was most recently Chief of Protocol. He has previously served as High Commissioner to Nigeria and to Mauritius, and in diplomatic missions in the Republic of Korea, Switzerland (UN), Cambodia and Pakistan.
Rosemary Morris-Castico will be Australia’s next Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, to replace Sophia McIntyre in the role.
Ms Morris-Castico is a senior career officer with DFAT and is currently Assistant Secretary, European Union Branch. She has previously served as Charge d’Affaires at the Australian Embassy in Madrid and had postings in the US and Mexico.
Andrew Martin will be Australia’s next Ambassador to the Republic of Chile with accreditation to the Republic of Ecuador, replacing Todd Mercer in the role.
Mr Martin is a senior career officer with DFAT and was most recently Assistant Secretary, Indo-Pacific Economic and Supply Chains Branch. He has previously served in Australia’s mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, in Fiji and Venezuela, and has been a senior negotiator and ministerial adviser on multiple Australian trade agreements.
Brek Batley will be Australia’s next High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Tonga, to replace Rachael Moore.
Mr Batley is a senior career officer with DFAT and was most recently Assistant Secretary, Solomon Islands Branch. He has previously served as Ambassador to the Marshall Islands and held postings in Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and Afghanistan.
Meaghan Shaw will be Australia’s next Consul-General in Chengdu in the People’s Republic of China, replacing Adelle Neary.
Ms Shaw joined DFAT in 2013 and was most recently the deputy director of DFAT’s Victoria State Office. She has previously served overseas as First Secretary (Public Affairs) at the Australian Embassy in Beijing, and before joining DFAT was a journalist and media adviser.
Dr Timothy Kendall has been named as Australia’s next Consul-General in Guangzhou, also in China, to replace Anthony Aspden in the role.
Dr Kendall is a career public servant and was most recently Acting Assistant Secretary, Southeast Asia Maritime Branch, in DFAT. He has previously served in China and India.
Kirsten Fletcher will be Australia’s next Consul-General in Phuket and will succeed Matt Barclay.
Ms Fletcher is a career officer with DFAT, most recently in the Consular Emergency Centre, and has previously served in Bangkok.
“These appointments strengthen Australia’s diplomatic capability and its prosecution of our national interests around the globe,” Senator Wong said.
“I thank the outgoing ambassadors, high commissioner and consuls-general for their contributions to advancing Australia’s interests in these countries during their respective tenures.”
