In a major diplomatic appointment, the Albanese government has selected Defence Secretary Greg Moriarty as Australia’s next ambassador to the United States, succeeding Kevin Rudd who will depart the key post a year early.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on Sunday that Mr Moriarty, a top public servant with deep national security credentials, has been nominated for the role. The government will formally recommend his appointment to the Governor-General.
Greg Moriarty commenced as Secretary of the Department of Defence on 4 September 2017 and was reappointed for another 5-year term in September 2022.
The move places a seasoned strategist with direct oversight of the AUKUS pact at the heart of the Australia-US alliance. Mr Moriarty has led the Department of Defence since 2017, where he “has unsurpassed credentials across Australia’s international policy,” according to the joint statement. In that role, he oversaw a historic defence budget increase, the implementation of the new National Defence Strategy, and, crucially, the development of the AUKUS nuclear submarine agreement with the US and UK.
“AUKUS is central to Australia’s relationship with the United States,” Prime Minister Albanese said. “Mr Moriarty is uniquely experienced to take forward the Australia-US alliance.”
Mr Moriarty’s career spans decades of high-level diplomatic and security posts. He served as Ambassador to Indonesia (2010-2014) and Iran (2005-2008), and was Australia’s inaugural Counter-Terrorism Coordinator. He also held senior national security advisory roles in the Prime Minister’s office, later becoming Chief of Staff to former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
His operational experience includes postings in Papua New Guinea, serving as a senior negotiator on Bougainville, and a deployment to the US Central Command headquarters in the Persian Gulf during the Gulf War.
The government expressed its thanks to outgoing ambassador Dr. Kevin Rudd for his service. Mr Moriarty’s appointment is seen as ensuring continuity and expert leadership in Washington during a period of significant strategic focus for the alliance.
