National

Australia sends senior diplomat to London

By AAP Newswire

May 5, 2022

Lynette Wood is the acting high commissioner to the UK. — Former Australian ambassador to Germany, Lynette Wood, is the acting high commissioner to the UK. -AAP Image

Former Australian ambassador to Germany, Lynette Wood, has been appointed acting high commissioner to the United Kingdom.

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Ms Wood was the ambassador to Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein from 2016 to 2020 and more recently served as the first assistant secretary in the Europe and Latin America division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The senior diplomat has also been a foreign policy adviser in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

"I am very pleased to be here as acting high commissioner for Australia and look forward to working closely with our British friends and partners," she wrote on Twitter.

Former Queensland senator and attorney-general George Brandis has completed his term as high commissioner, but the government has yet to appoint a permanent replacement.

It was rumoured Greg Hunt, the former health minister who is retiring at the election, was in line to replace Mr Brandis.

But Mr Hunt said in media reports he had not discussed any future roles with the prime minister, and his wife Paula had the "first vote" on his future.