Today I announce the appointment of Mr Marc Innes-Brown PSM as Australia’s next Ambassador to the Philippines.
Australia and the Philippines share a long partnership and a deep friendship built on mutual trust and cooperation, and a commitment to peaceful, stable and prosperous region.
In 2023, building on our long-standing ties, President Marcos and Prime Minister Albanese announced the elevation of our bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership.
Our Strategic Partnership underpins our close cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment, development, education and the energy transition.
Our bilateral relationship is supported by strong people-to-people ties, with over 400,000 people of Filipino heritage in Australia – our fifth-largest migrant community.
Mr Innes-Brown is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently First Assistant Secretary, Middle East and Africa Division.
He has previously served overseas as Australia’s Ambassador to Türkiye, Iran and Iraq, and had previous postings in Thailand and the United States.
I thank outgoing Ambassador Ms HK Yu PSM for her contributions to advancing Australia’s interests in the Philippines since 2022.