Secretary & Deputy Secretaries of DFAT Australia
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia (DFAT) provides foreign, trade and development policy advice to the government. It works with other government agencies to ensure that Australias pursuit of global, regional and bilateral interests is coordinated effectively.
It is the main agency that manages Australias national presence. DFAT achievements just in the year 2014-15 have been very appreciable. To promote international trade and investment, it helped increase Australias trade with countries to increase to 67%, by covering these under concluded free trade agreements.
During the same period Australia saw year on year increase of 5%, in the number of Australian goods exporters. It helped more than 17 million poor men and women by providing increased access to financial services.
The basic Organizational Structure of DFAT Australia can be divided into a three level hierarchy. At topmost position is the Secretary who heads the Department and reports to appropriate ministries. Next are Deputy Secretaries who are assigned a number of divisions and offices. Each Division or Office consists of requisite secretaries, assistant secretaries and other office members.
Frances Adamson (Secretary of DFAT Australia since 22 July 2016)
Frances is the first woman to be appointed as the Secretary of DFAT Australia. On 25 August 2016 she will start working as the Secretary and assume the office at DFAT head office in Canberra.
Frances Adamson was born on 20 April 1961 in Adelaide, South Australia. She is the daughter of former South Australian politician Jennifer Cashmore and step-daughter of reporter Stewart Cockburn.
She graduated from University of Adelaide, with a Bachelor of Economics and completed Masters in Law from the Monash University.
Prior to being appointed as the Secretary she was the International Adviser to the Australian Prime Minister since November 2015. She has an experience of more than two decades in Foreign Affairs.
In the late 1980s she served as the Australian Consulate-General in Hong Kong. From 1993 to 1997 she was a Political Counselor at the Australian High Commission in London.
From 2001 to 2005 she was a Representative to the Australian Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei. From 2005 to 2008 Adamson served in the Australian High Commission in London as Deputy High Commissioner.
From 2009 to 2010 she was Chief of Staff to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Defense. From 2011 to 2015 she was the Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China.
Mr. Gary Quinlan (Deputy Secretary of DFAT Australia since 1 June 2015)
Mr. Quinlan was appointed the Deputy Secretary of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia on 1 June 2015. He has also been the Acting Secretary of DFAT since 2 July 2016. He is responsible for the following divisions and offices:
- South-East Asia Maritime Division (SED)
- South-East Asia Mainland & Regional Division (SRD)
- Public Diplomacy, Communications & Scholarships Division (PCD)
- International Security Division (ISD)
- Consular & Crisis Management Division (CCD)
- North Asia Division (NAD)
- Australian Safeguards & Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO)
Ms Penny Williams PSM (Deputy Secretary of DFAT Australia since February 2017)
Ms Williams was appointed the Deputy Secretary of DFAT Australia in February 2017. She is responsible for the following divisions and offices:
- Americas Division
- Europe Division
- Pacific Division
- South and West Asia Division
- Middle East and Africa Division
- Protocol Branch
- Policy Planning Branch
- Audit Branch
Mr. Ewen McDonald (Deputy Secretary of DFAT Australia since November 2013)
Mr. Ewen McDonald joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as a Deputy Secretary in November 2013. He is responsible for the following divisions and offices:
- Multilateral Policy Division (MPD)
- Development Policy Division (DPD)
- Multilateral Development & Finance Division (MDD)
- Humanitarian, NGOs and Partnerships Division (HPD)
- innovationXchange (IXC)
- Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE)
- Chief Economist
Ms Jennifer Rawson (Deputy Secretary of DFAT Australia since December 2014)
Ms Rawson was appointed Deputy Secretary of DFAT Australia in December 2014. She is responsible for the following divisions and offices:
- Corporate Management Group (CMG)
- Information Management & Technology Division (IMD)
- Diplomatic Academy (DAC)
- Australian Passport Office (APO)
- Overseas Property Office & Services (OPO)
- Contracting & Aid Management Division (ACD)
- Legal Division (LGD)
Mr. Justin Brown (Deputy Secretary of DFAT Australia)
Mr. Justin Brown was appointed Deputy Secretary of DFAT Australia in March 2016. He has been acting in this position since September 2015. He is responsible for the following divisions and offices:
- Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN)
- Trade Investment & Economic Diplomacy Division (TED)
- Free Trade Agreement Division (FTD)
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