Farewell and thanks to departing Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr Gary Quinlan AO

As Gary Quinlan AO passes the baton, as Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, to his successor, I want to take this opportunity to thank him for his tremendous support for the work of the Australia-Indonesia Centre throughout his tenure.

As a member of the AIC Board, Gary has provided invaluable advice and guidance to our work. In particular I want to thank him for his enthusiasm to meet his commitments to the Board even when at times sudden and urgent matters called for him to be elsewhere in the Indonesia archipelago.

Gary’s energy, his genuine personal interest and his commitment to the bilateral relationship have been important factors in the success of his term as Ambassador. His warmth and sincerity in his direct engagements with Indonesian partners and the Australian community will long be remembered by all concerned. I have no doubt that Gary will continue to play a valuable role in the Australia-Indonesia space well into the future. We wish him every success in all his future endeavours.

At the same time, and on behalf of the whole AIC family spread across both countries, and beyond, I extend our congratulations to the incoming Ambassador, Penny Williams PSM. We look forward to working closely with you and continuing to develop the partnerships we have built with your predecessors.