David Stuart

Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Australia, Washington, D.C.

David Stuart arrived in Washington D.C. as Deputy Chief of Mission in July 2007.

David Stuart joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1981. He has served overseas as Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York (1999 - 2002); Western Bureau representative and Vice-Chairman of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development; and as Counsellor for Political Affairs in the Australian Embassy in Jakarta (1997-99).

He served in Australia’s Mission to the United Nations in New York as delegate on the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee (Social and humanitarian affairs), and as a member of the Australian delegation to the Commission on Human Rights (1988-1992). He also served as Third Secretary in the Australian Embassy in Madrid (1981-1984).

In Canberra, David Stuart was the First Assistant Secretary, International Security Division from January 2004 to January 2007. Prior to that he was Assistant Secretary, Strategic Affairs Branch and Assistant Secretary, Strategic Policy and Intelligence Branch.

Other positions held in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have been Director of the UN Political and Commonwealth Section and of the OECD and Group of 7 Section; Executive Officer of the Human Rights Section, Executive Officer of the UN Social and Technical Section and a member of the Refugee, Immigration and Asylum section.

David Stuart holds degrees in Arts and Economics from Macquarie University and the Australian National University, and is a graduate of the Joint Australian Services Staff College (1995). He speaks Spanish and Indonesian.

David Stuart is married, with a daughter and two sons.