Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues
Media Release
28 February 2010
Today I announce the appointment of Mr James Larsen as Australia's new Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues. Mr Larsen succeeds Mr Peter Woolcott, who has been Ambassador since June 2009.
The appointment underlines the Government's strong ongoing commitment to regional cooperation to combat people smuggling, human trafficking and related transnational crime.
The Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues is responsible for high-level advocacy of Australia's interests in promoting effective and practical international cooperation to combat these crimes, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
Mr Larsen will continue to promote closer regional cooperation through the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, which Australia co-chairs with Indonesia.
A particular priority for the Ambassador will be to work with Indonesia and other countries in the region to utilise the Bali Process Ad Hoc Group mechanism to address particular country and regional situations involving people smuggling.
This was one of the positive outcomes of the Bali Process Ministerial meeting in Bali in April 2009 which I jointly chaired with my then Indonesian counterpart, Dr Hassan Wirajuda. The Ad Hoc Group mechanism is part of the revitalisation of the Bali Process agreed on at that meeting.
Mr Larsen will work closely with other governments, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, to take forward the practical measures adopted under the Bali Process, including the promotion of regional and international cooperation between key agencies.
Mr Larsen has most recently been Australian Ambassador to Israel (2006-10). Mr Larsen has held a number of positions in DFAT, including Assistant Secretary and Legal Adviser, Legal Branch (2004-06) and Director, Administrative and Domestic Law Section (1998-00). Mr Larson has also served overseas in Brussels and Bangkok.
Mr Larsen holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne. He is married and has one son and two daughters.
Media inquiries
- Minister's Office: (02) 6277 7500
- Departmental Media Liaison: (02) 6261 1555