Michael Potts (diplomat)

Michael Potts is an Australian diplomat and the current Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand.^[1]

Diplomatic career

In 1997, a diplomatic cable from Potts, then-Assistant Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was leaked causing consternation. The cable related to New Zealand's handling of the situation in East Timor ahead of the East Timorese independence referendum.^[2]

Described by The Australian journalist Paul Cleary as a "veteran diplomat" with the characteristics of a "colonial official from a bygone era", Potts is credited with having led efforts to negotiate the Timor Sea Treaty, initially proposing a direct replacement for the Timor Gap Treaty and later provisions of the new treaty when the initial proposal was rejected by the new East Timorese Government.^[3]

As ambassador

With experience throughout the region, Potts was appointed Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea in 2003.^[4] Potts was High Commissioner in 2005 during the "shoe episode" during which hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside the High Commission in Port Moresby with Potts and his staff inside. The prosters passed a petition to Potts through the gates of the High Commission demanding an apology from the Australian Government.^[5] In 2006, he was replaced by Chris Moraitis^[6] and was appointed First Assistant Secretary in the International Organisations and Legal Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, a position he held until 2009.

In 2009, Potts was appointed as Australian Ambassador to Austria and as Permanent Representative, Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations.^[7] Shortly after his appointment, Potts was given responsibility for taking delivery of 1,200 Austrian-made off-road vehicles for the Australian Army, part of a $7.5 billion Project Overlander program to purchase 7,500 new vehicles for the Army.^[8] Potts was also responsible for Australia's relationships with a range of Eastern European countries including the Ukraine.

In 2012, then-Foreign Minister of Australia, Bob Carr, announced that Potts had been appointed as Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand, replacing Paul O'Sullivan^[9] (Sullivan was later appointed Chief of Staff to Australia's Attorney General). Potts was charged with managing the relationship with one of Australia's closest neighbours, and is also posted to the Cook Islands.^[10] Potts has represented Australia at official functions including the annual Māori Koroneihana at Tūrangawaewae, at the invitation of King Tuheitia.^[11]

References

External links

• About the Australian High Commission in New Zealand