# Permanent Representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization

The ambassador and permanent representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the Permanent Mission of the Commonwealth of Australia to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and continues Australia's representation to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT; 1948–1995), as a charter member joining the WTO to replace the GATT on 1 January 1995. The Permanent Mission to the WTO is based with the Australian Permanent Mission and Consulate-General in Geneva. Prior to 1973, the role of Australia's representative on the GATT was filled by the Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations Office in Geneva.

## Office holders

| # | Officeholder | Title | Term start date | Term end date | Time in office |
| 1 | George Warwick Smith | Special Trade Representative, Geneva | 16 January 1973 (1973-01-16) | 20 April 1976 (1976-04-20) | 3 years, 95 days |
| 2 | J. T. Fogarty | Special Trade Representative, Geneva | January 1977 (1977-01) | 1980 (1980) | 2–3 years |
| 3 | Francis Patrick Donovan | Special Trade Representative, Geneva | 1980 (1980) | 30 August 1982 (1982-08-30) | 1–2 years |
| 4 | Peter Stewart Field | Special Trade Representative, Geneva | 30 August 1982 (1982-08-30) | March 1985 (1985-03) | 2 years, 6 months |
| 5 | Alan Oxley | Special Trade Representative, Geneva | March 1985 (1985-03) | 1 August 1988 (1988-08-01) | 4 years, 4 months |
| 5 | Alan Oxley | Permanent Representative of Australia to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade | 1 August 1988 (1988-08-01) | July 1989 (1989-07) | 4 years, 4 months |
| 6 | David Hawes | Permanent Representative of Australia to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade | July 1989 (1989-07) | March 1993 (1993-03) | 3 years, 8 months |
| 7 | Donald Kenyon | Permanent Representative of Australia to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade | March 1993 (1993-03) | 1 January 1995 (1995-01-01) | 3 years, 9 months |
| 7 | Donald Kenyon | Permanent Representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization | 1 January 1995 (1995-01-01) | December 1996 (1996-12) | 3 years, 9 months |
| 8 | Ted Delofski | Permanent Representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization | 11 December 1996 (1996-12-11) | December 1997 (1997-12) | 11 months |
| 9 | Geoff Raby | Permanent Representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization | January 1998 (1998-01) | August 2001 (2001-08) | 3 years, 7 months |
| 10 | David Spencer | Permanent Representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization | August 2001 (2001-08) | August 2005 (2005-08) | 4 years |
| 11 | Bruce Gosper | Permanent Representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization | August 2005 (2005-08) | 19 December 2008 (2008-12-19) | 3 years, 4 months |
| 12 | Peter Grey | Permanent Representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization | 19 December 2008 (2008-12-19) | 1 March 2010 (2010-03-01) | 1 year, 2 months |
| 13 | Tim Yeend | Permanent Representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization | 1 March 2010 (2010-03-01) | June 2013 (2013-06) | 3 years, 3 months |
| 14 | Hamish McCormick | Permanent Representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization | 25 June 2013 (2013-06-25) | December 2016 (2016-12) | 3 years, 5 months |
| 15 | Frances Lisson | Permanent Representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization | January 2017 (2017-01) | 27 October 2020 (2020-10-27) | 3 years, 9 months |
| 16 | George Mina | Permanent Representative of Australia to the World Trade Organization | 27 October 2020 (2020-10-27) | Incumbent | 4 years, 122 days |