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High Commissioner of Australia to Sri Lanka
Incumbent Paul Stephens since 6 July 2022 (2022-07-06)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Style	His Excellency
Seat	Colombo
Nominator	Prime Minister of Australia
Appointer	Governor-General of Australia
Inaugural holder	Charles Frost (as Commissioner of Australia to the Colony of Ceylon)
Formation	19 December 1946
Website	Australian High Commission, Colombo

The high commissioner of Australia to Sri Lanka is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the High Commission of the Commonwealth of Australia to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in Colombo. The high commissioner has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and also holds non-resident accreditation as high commissioner to the Maldives since 1974. The high commissioner since July 2022 is Paul Stephens.

History of relations and office

Sri Lanka and Australia have enjoyed official diplomatic relations since December 1946, following the decision of the British Government to grant limited self-government to Ceylon, with the first parliamentary elections being held by late 1947. As a consequence of the limited sovereign status of Ceylon (possessing neither Dominion status nor full independence) the government of Ben Chifley made the decision to appoint a Commissioner, who had diplomatic standing but not the same powers or rank as a full high commissioner. In the announcement the Australian Government clarified that: "The new title of Commissioner for the appointment chosen because of the unique status which Ceylon will enjoy in the Empire. It will have a legislature patterned on Dominion Parliaments, but as it will lack Dominion or foreign country status, it would be inappropriate for Australia to appoint either a high commissioner or a minister." On 16 January 1947 the first Commissioner was appointed, Charles Frost, a former Labor member of parliament and minister who had lost his seat at the 1946 election. When Ceylon was granted Dominion status, Frost was upgraded to full high commissioner and was present at the swearing-in of the first Governor-General of Ceylon, Sir Henry Monck-Mason Moore, on 4 February 1948.

Frost's appointment did not go without protest however, given the political nature of the appointment, and his performance came under increased scrutiny in late 1948 when Australian businessman V. M. Segal criticised him for neglecting Australia's fledgling trade interests in the country and not having the proper credentials to serve in such a post: "With his staff, he is kept there at considerable expense to this country. It is the biggest sinecure I know." With a change in government, the new Liberal government of Prime Minister Robert Menzies made the decision to terminate Frost's appointment early (he had been commissioned to serve a five-year term) on 5 October 1950. On 19 January 1951 the Minister for External Affairs, Percy Spender, appointed a career diplomat, Dr John Burton, to succeed Frost as high commissioner. However, Burton's tenure also proved short-lived when he resigned his office on 28 March 1951, notifying Spender that he had resigned to contest the April 1951 federal election as a Labor candidate for the seat of Lowe against the sitting member, William McMahon (he was unsuccessful). On 22 May 1972, the Government of Ceylon approved a new republican constitution that renamed the country 'Sri Lanka' and changed its status to that of a Republic within the Commonwealth.

Relations with the Maldives

In 1974, Australia established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Maldives and the high commissioner in Colombo received non-resident accreditation as high commissioner to the Maldives. Between July 1982 and October 2016, and since 1 February 2020, the Australian high commissioner to Sri Lanka has also been high commissioner to the Maldives. Between 1974 and 1982, and from October 2016 to 1 February 2020, this office was as Ambassador.

Office-holders

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (December 2022)

Notes

^A Also served as non-resident Ambassador to the Republic of Maldives, between 1974 and 1982, and between October 2016 to 1 February 2020.

^B Also served as non-resident High Commissioner to the Republic of Maldives, between July 1982 and October 2016, and since 1 February 2020.

See also

• Australia–Sri Lanka relations
• Foreign relations of Australia

References

1. ^ Rudd, Kevin (7 January 2012). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner To Sri Lanka" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.
2. "Ceylon's Importance". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 20 December 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
3. ^ "Frost Appointed Commissioner To Ceylon". The Daily Advertiser (Wagga Wagga). Wagga Wagga, NSW: National Library of Australia. 17 January 1947. p. 2. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
4. "CEYLON BECOMES DOMINION". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 5 February 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
5. "Opportunity To Trade With Ceylon Missed". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 19 November 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
6. "C. W. FROST LOSES JOB". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 4 October 1950. p. 4. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
7. ^ "BURTON TO CEYLON". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 20 January 1951. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
8. "Dr. Burton Resigns As Ceylon High Commissioner". The Sydney Morning Herald. NSW: National Library of Australia. 29 March 1951. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
9. "CEYLON Republic of Sri Lanka born". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 23 May 1972. p. 5. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
10. "Maldives country brief – Bilateral relations". DFAT. Australian Government. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
11. "DR. BURTON RESIGNS POST". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. 29 March 1951. p. 4. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
12. "CEYLON POST FOR MR. CUTLER, V.C." The Mercury. Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 1 March 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
13. "CUTLER NEW MINISTER TO EGYPT". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 15 June 1955. p. 2. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
14. "Ex-Minister N.Z. High Commissioner". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 25 August 1962. p. 2. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
15. Joan Beaumont, 'Kevin, John Charles George (1909–1968)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/kevin-john-charles-george-10732/text19019, published first in hardcopy 2000, accessed online 17 August 2015.
16. David Lee, 'Ballard, Bertram Charles (1903–1981)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ballard-bertram-charles-12168/text21805, published first in hardcopy 2007, accessed online 17 August 2015.
17. "Move To Asia For Diplomats". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 17 July 1962. p. 2. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
18. "Ceylon post filled". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 8 December 1965. p. 20. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
19. "Diplomatic posts announced". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 23 January 1970. p. 7. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
20. "IN BRIEF". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 1 May 1972. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
21. "Two new jobs for envoy". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 19 July 1975. p. 11. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
22. "Diplomatic postings". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 1 November 1979. p. 11. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
23. "High Commissioners' postings". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 13 February 1982. p. 7. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
24. "New envoy named". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 16 March 1985. p. 3. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
25. "VICE-REGAL". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 14 May 1988. p. 2. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
26. "ParlInfo - Diplomatic appointment - Sri Lanka and the Maldives". parlinfo.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
27. "IN BRIEF". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 1 January 1992. p. 14. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
28. "Mission head named". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 15 February 1995. p. 6. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
29. Downer, Alexander (28 June 1996). "DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENT: NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER TO SRI LANKA" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
30. Downer, Alexander (26 October 1998). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner To Sri Lanka" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
31. Downer, Alexander (13 August 2001). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner To Sri Lanka" (Media Release). Minister for Foreign Affairs. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
32. Downer, Alexander (14 October 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner To Sri Lanka" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
33. Smith, Stephen (21 December 2007). "Diplomatic Appointment: High Commissioner To Sri Lanka" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015.
34. "Six new envoys present credentials". Hiru News. 12 March 2012. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
35. Bishop, Julie (17 November 2015). "High Commissioner to Sri Lanka" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016.
36. "Bryce Hutchesson appointed Australia's next High Commissioner to SL". Daily Mirror. Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. 18 November 2015.
37. Hutchesson, Bryce (29 February 2016). "Australia and Sri Lanka – Closing in on a billion in two-way trade". Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.
38. "High Commissioner to Sri Lanka". Minister for Foreign Affairs. 29 January 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
39. Wong, Penny (6 July 2022). "High Commissioner to Sri Lanka" (Press release). Australian Government.

External links

• Australian High Commission, Colombo

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