Consul-General in Istanbul

Today I announce the appointment of Ms Jeffie Kaine as Australia's next Consul-General in Istanbul.

The Australian Consulate-General in Istanbul plays a significant role in fostering trade and investment between Turkey and Australia. Istanbul is the business and finance capital of Turkey. It generates almost one quarter of Turkey's GDP and accommodates one fifth of Turkey's population of almost 80 million. Istanbul is a popular destination for Australian travellers and a gateway to the Gallipoli peninsula.

Our enduring relationship with Turkey is grounded in our shared experience at the Gallipoli battles of World War I, and covers a broad range of areas including ANZAC commemorations, cooperation on counter-terrorism and participation in the MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia) Forum.

Australia and Turkey enjoy close people-to-people links, with some 67,000 Australians claiming Turkish ancestry. Our economic relationship continues to strengthen, with two-way trade growing by 14.6 per cent in 2015–16 and totalling almost $1.5 billion.

Ms Kaine is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She was most recently Director, Head of Mission/Senior Executive Service Section. In Canberra, she has held a range of positions, including in the Iraq Task Force and Staffing Branch. She has served previously overseas in the Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva and the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

Ms Kaine holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from the Australian National University.

I thank outgoing Consul-General Stephen Rank for his contribution to advancing Australia's interests in Istanbul since 2016.