Consul-General in Los Angeles

Today I announce the appointment of Ms Tanya Bennett as Australia's next Consul-General in Los Angeles.

The United States is Australia's vital security ally and closest global partner. Our modern Alliance is focused on working together to support a region that is peaceful, stable, and prosperous.

California is the fifth-largest economy in the world, and the Consulate-General supports Australia's strong trade, tourism and investment interests in the United States.

Through its concentration of clean energy technology and innovation, California plays an important role in driving global climate action.

In 2023, the governments of Australia and California signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to accelerate our shared efforts to deliver climate action and support clean energy transition.

California's ability to set standards for new and emerging technologies makes it a critical partner as Australia becomes a renewable energy superpower.

Ms Bennett is a senior career officer with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Assistant Secretary, First Nations Taskforce.

She has previously served overseas in Japan and at Australia's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.

I thank outgoing Consul-General Jane Duke for her contributions to advancing Australia's interests in Los Angeles since 2020.