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Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Advancing the interests of Australia and Australians internationally

Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Advancing the interests of Australia and Australians internationally

Secretary and Deputy Secretaries

Mr Dennis RichardsonDennis Richardson

Secretary

Biography of Dennis Richardson

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Ms Gillian BirdGillian Bird

Deputy Secretary

  • South-East Asia Division
  • International Organisations and Legal Division
  • Consular, Public Diplomacy and Parliamentary Affairs Division
  • Australian Passports Office

Ms Bird serves as Ambassador to ASEAN and carries responsibility for the East Asia Summit. She represents the department on the Australia-Indonesia Institute, the Australia-Malaysia Institute, and the Australia-Thailand Institute. She chairs the Pandemic Contingency Task Force and the Department's Audit and Risk Committee. Ms Bird also attends, as required, the National Crisis Committee.

Biography of Gillian Bird

Download the photo of Gillian Bird in print-quality (13x18 cm at 300 dpi, RGB, approximately 900 KB). Images can be freely used for any non-commercial purpose.

Mr Bruce GosperBruce Gosper

Deputy Secretary

  • Office of Trade Negotiations
  • Free Trade Agreement Division
  • Trade and Economic Policy Division (except for G20)
  • Corporate Management Division
  • Overseas Property Office

Mr Gosper chairs the Workplace Relations Committee, the Indigenous Task Force and the Ethics Committe. He is also an alternate ex officio government member on the EFIC Board.

Biography of Bruce Gosper

Download the photo of Bruce Gosper in print-quality (13x18 cm at 300 dpi, RGB, approximately 800 KB). Images can be freely used for any non-commercial purpose.

Mr Paul GrigsonPaul Grigson

Deputy Secretary

  • South and West Asia and Middle East Division
  • Europe Division
  • Pacific Division
  • International Security Division (Intelligence Policy and Counter Terrorism)
  • Protocol

Mr Grigson represents the Department on the National Intelligence and Coordination Committee, the Homeland and Border Security Policy Coordination Group, the Development Effectiveness Steering Committee, the Australia International Cultural Council, the Australia-India Council, and the Council for Australian-Arab Relations. He also carries responsibility for the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM).

Biography of Paul Grigson

Download the photo of Paul Grigson in print-quality (13x18 cm at 300 dpi, RGB, approximately 900 KB). Images can be freely used for any non-commercial purpose.

Heather SmithHeather Smith

Deputy Secretary

  • North Asia Division
  • Americas and Africa Division
  • International Security Division (Strategic and Defence Policy and Arms Control)
  • Information Management and Technology Division
  • Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO)
  • G20

Dr Heather Smith represents the Department on the Strategic Policy Coordination Group, the International Economic Policy Group (G20), the Council on Australia-Latin America Relations, the Australia-China Council, the Australia-Japan Foundation and the Australia-Korea Foundation. She also chairs the ICT Strategy Committee and the Business Continuity Task Force.

Biography of Heather Smith

Download the photo of Heather Smith in print-quality (9.5x11.7 cm at 300 dpi, RGB, approximately 900 KB). Images can be freely used for any non-commercial purpose.