Agent-General for New South Wales
Incumbent
Vacant
since 28 June 2023
Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade – Investment NSW
Reports toAnoulack Chanthivong, Minister for Industry and Trade
SeatAustralia House, London
AppointerGovernment of New South Wales
Formation10 November 1864
First holderWilliam Colburn Mayne
WebsiteInvestment NSW – United Kingdom

The Agent-General for New South Wales is the representative of the State of New South Wales in the United Kingdom who is responsible for the promotion of New South Wales' trade and economic interests in the United Kingdom, Europe and Israel. The holder is a state government public servant, as part of the Investment NSW agency, and also concurrently serves as New South Wales' Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for Europe and Israel.

The first agent-general was appointed in 1864 as a representative of the Colony of New South Wales, and apart from a short period between 1932 and 1934, the role existed until its abolition in 1993. The position was revived in 2021, and was held until June 2023 by former Investment NSW CEO Stephen Cartwright.[1]

History

The New South Wales Office in London was one of several overseas offices established by the colonies of Australia to represent their interests. The London Office was established after the appointment of the first Agent-General on 1 May 1864. In June 1932, the Agent-General's Office was abolished as a cost-cutting measure and was replaced by the New South Wales Government Offices, London, to be headed by an "Official Representative".[2] The title was renamed Agent-General in 1937, but was left vacant from 1939 to 1946 due to the Second World War. From 1972 to 1993, the Agent-General's Office was located in separate premises from Australia House, at the nearby address of 66 The Strand, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in May 1972.[3][4]

In October 1992, the position of NSW Agent-General in London was abolished by the Fahey government. This occurred following an expenses scandal by the last Agent-General, Neil Pickard, who had been appointed as a consolation for losing his seat in parliament.[5] Following its abolition, Fahey noted to Parliament: "It was abundantly clear to me, to all Cabinet and to all Government that we no longer needed an agent-general's office in London. That was a throwback to colonial days - to the days when it was important to have garden parties and to participate in ceremonies. Quite frankly, little or no benefit accrued to New South Wales by participating in such a process."[6] The Agent-General's Office was replaced by the NSW Government Trade and Investment Office, London, which had no ceremonial function, but focused on the promotion of investment and trade in the UK and Europe.[7] The NSW Government of Gladys Berejiklian considered reviving the Agent-General position in late-2019, noting that "We know the post-Brexit environment is going to be very different and NSW can gain a lot of opportunities in business from the UK".[8][9]

The position was revived in 2021, with an expanded remit to additionally cover Europe and Israel.[1]

List of Agents-General

Agents-GeneralTerm startTerm endTime in officeNotes
William Mayne 10 November 1864 1871 6 years [10][11]
Charles Cowper 6 December 1870 19 October 1875 4 years, 317 days [12][13]
William Forster 8 February 1876 7 October 1879 3 years, 241 days [14][15]
Alexander Stuart 25 November 1879 April 1880 142 days [16][17][18]
Sir Saul Samuel 11 August 1880 1 October 1897 17 years, 51 days [19]
Sir Daniel Cooper, Bt 1 October 1897 27 March 1899 1 year, 177 days [20][21]
Sir Julian Salomons 27 March 1899 14 May 1900 1 year, 48 days [22][23][24][25]
Henry Copeland 14 May 1900 18 July 1903 3 years, 65 days [26][27][28][29]
The Earl of Jersey 18 July 1903 1 April 1905 1 year, 257 days [30][31][32]
Sir Timothy Coghlan 1 April 1905 26 May 1915 10 years, 55 days [33][34][35]
Bernhard Wise 26 May 1915 21 September 1916 1 year, 118 days [36][37][38]
Sir Timothy Coghlan 21 September 1916 2 May 1917 223 days [39]
Sir Charles Wade 2 May 1917 15 March 1920 2 years, 318 days [40][41][42]
David Hall 17 March 1920 6 May 1920 50 days [43][44][45]
Sir Timothy Coghlan 6 May 1920 20 April 1925 4 years, 349 days [46][47]
Sir Arthur Cocks 20 April 1925 21 September 1925 154 days [48][49][50][51]
Sir Timothy Coghlan 21 September 1925 30 April 1926 221 days [52][53]
Edward McTiernan (acting) 2 May 1926 14 June 1926 43 days [54][55]
The Viscount Chelmsford 14 June 1926 14 April 1928 1 year, 305 days [56][57][58][59]
Sir George Fuller 14 April 1928 14 April 1931 3 years, 0 days [60][61][62]
Albert Willis 14 April 1931 30 July 1932 1 year, 107 days [63][64][65][66][2]
Albert Heath (Official Representative) 15 February 1934 26 January 1937 2 years, 346 days [67][68][69]
Albert Heath 26 January 1937 27 May 1938 1 year, 121 days [70][71][72]
Clifford Hay 20 June 1938 November 1939 1 years [73][74][75][76]
Jack Tully 1 June 1946 1 July 1954 8 years, 30 days [77][78][79]
Francis Buckley 1 July 1954 24 September 1965 11 years, 85 days [80][81][82]
Abe Landa 24 September 1965 5 November 1970 5 years, 42 days [83][84][85][86]
Sir John Pagan 5 November 1970 18 January 1973 2 years, 74 days [87][88]
Sir Davis Hughes 18 January 1973 December 1977 4 years [89][90][91][92][93]
Peter Valkenburg 18 January 1978 April 1980 2 years [94][95]
Jack Renshaw April 1980 January 1983 2 years [96]
Reginald Watson January 1983 March 1986 3 years [97]
Kevin Stewart March 1986 February 1989 2 years [98]
Norman Brunsdon February 1989 August 1991 2 years [99]
Neil Pickard 16 September 1991 4 March 1993 1 year, 169 days [100][101][102][103]
Stephen Cartwright OAM 1 October 2021 28 June 2023 1 year, 270 days [1][104]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Government of New South Wales. "NSW Agent General to boost business networks in UK, Europe and Israel". NSW Government. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Agency-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 June 1932. p. 13. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  3. ↑ "People and Fashion". The Australian Women's Weekly. 14 June 1972. p. 13. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  4. ↑ New South Wales (1972), A House in the Strand : a history of the site of New South Wales House, New South Wales Govt, retrieved 16 February 2018
  5. ↑ "Greiner admits broken promise on plum London post". The Canberra Times. 29 March 1991. p. 3. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  6. ↑ Fahey, John; Carr, Bob (3 May 1994). "Former Agent-General Neil Pickard". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). New South Wales: Legislative Assembly. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  7. ↑ "NSW Government Trade and Investment Office, London". Archives Investigator – Agency Detail. NSW Government State Records. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  8. ↑ Risso, Angelo (1 September 2019). "NSW could revive UK agent-general role". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  9. ↑ Smith, Alexandra (1 September 2019). "'Throwback to colonial days': NSW considering reinstating plum posting in London". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  10. ↑ "Agent for the colony of New South Wales". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 216. 10 November 1864. p. 2541. Retrieved 11 March 2021 – via Trove.
  11. ↑ King, Hazel (1974). "Mayne, William Colburn (1808–1902)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 5. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  12. ↑ "Agent General for the colony of New South Wales". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 295. 6 December 1870. p. 2712. Retrieved 11 March 2021 – via Trove.
  13. ↑ Ward, John M. "Cowper, Sir Charles (1807–1875)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  14. ↑ "Appointment of Agent-General". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 42. 8 February 1876. p. 543. Retrieved 5 June 2021 – via Trove.
  15. ↑ "Recall of the Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 October 1879. p. 5. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  16. ↑ "Summary of news: political". The Sydney Morning Herald. 4 December 1879. p. 7. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  17. ↑ "The Sydney Morning Herald". 19 April 1880. p. 4. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  18. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 427. 5 December 1879. p. 5373. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  19. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 326. 11 August 1880. p. 4117. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  20. ↑ "The New South Wales Agency-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 September 1897. p. 5. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  21. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 770. 1 October 1897. p. 7072. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  22. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 84. 27 January 1899. p. 734. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  23. ↑ "Sir Julian Salomons". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 March 1899. p. 5. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  24. ↑ "The New Agent-General". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. 14 January 1899. p. 5. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  25. ↑ "Return of Sir Julian Salomons". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 July 1900. p. 8. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  26. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 297. 3 April 1900. p. 2659. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  27. ↑ "The new Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 May 1900. p. 7. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  28. ↑ "The Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 June 1903. p. 8. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  29. ↑ "The Hon. Henry Copeland". The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser. 24 March 1900. p. 693. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  30. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 360. 13 July 1903. p. 5253. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  31. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 466. 23 August 1904. p. 6439. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  32. ↑ "The Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 July 1903. p. 7. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  33. ↑ "The agent-generalship". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 February 1905. p. 7. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  34. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 87. 17 February 1905. p. 1119. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  35. ↑ "Mr. T. A. Coghlan". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 April 1905. p. 7. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  36. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 92. 26 May 1915. p. 2917. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  37. ↑ "Mr. B. R. Wise". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 September 1916. p. 9. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  38. ↑ "Death of Mr. Wise". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 September 1916. p. 6. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  39. ↑ "Acting Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 September 1916. p. 6. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  40. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 67. 4 May 1917. p. 2335. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  41. ↑ "Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 May 1917. p. 10. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  42. ↑ "Sir Charles Wade, K.C.M.G". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 June 1920. p. 6. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  43. ↑ "Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 February 1920. p. 6. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  44. ↑ "Mr. D. R. Hall". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 April 1920. p. 7. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  45. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 89. 7 May 1920. p. 2713. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  46. ↑ "Agency-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 May 1920. p. 13. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  47. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 24. 16 February 1925. p. 984. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  48. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 24. 16 February 1925. p. 984. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  49. ↑ "Sir Arthur Cocks". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. 17 February 1925. p. 5. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  50. ↑ "Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 July 1925. p. 10. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  51. ↑ "Sir Arthur Cocks". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 September 1925. p. 11. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  52. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 139. 16 October 1925. p. 4472. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  53. ↑ "SUDDEN DEATH". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 May 1926. p. 11. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  54. ↑ "MR. McTiernan". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 May 1926. p. 11. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  55. ↑ "State's representative in London". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 May 1926. p. 12. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  56. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 82. 18 June 1926. p. 2604. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  57. ↑ "Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 June 1926. p. 9. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  58. ↑ "New Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 June 1926. p. 8. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  59. ↑ "Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 June 1926. p. 13. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  60. ↑ "The Cabinet". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 November 1927. p. 17. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  61. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 54. 27 April 1928. p. 1863. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  62. ↑ "Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 March 1931. p. 13. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  63. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 42. 2 April 1931. p. 1304. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  64. ↑ "Agent-Generalship". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 July 1932. p. 12. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  65. ↑ "Mr. Willis". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 March 1931. p. 9. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  66. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 148. 14 October 1932. p. 3781. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  67. ↑ "Mr. A. E. Heath". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 January 1934. p. 8. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  68. ↑ "The state in London". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 March 1934. p. 8. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  69. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 160. 24 August 1934. p. 3142. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  70. ↑ "Mr. Heath's term extended". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 January 1937. p. 13. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  71. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 86. 3 June 1938. p. 2184. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  72. ↑ "Mr. A. E. Heath". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 March 1938. p. 11. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  73. ↑ "Appointments". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 73. 13 May 1938. p. 1845. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  74. ↑ "Appointment of new Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 4 March 1939. p. 10. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  75. ↑ "Mr. Clifford Hay". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 November 1939. p. 17. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  76. ↑ "Agency-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 November 1939. p. 15. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  77. ↑ "Appointments". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 63. 14 June 1946. p. 1341. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  78. ↑ "New Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 February 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  79. ↑ "Tully as Agent-General". Lithgow Mercury. 13 February 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 26 September 2016 – via Trove.
  80. ↑ "Appointments". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 101. 2 July 1954. p. 1927. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  81. ↑ "Buckley will be Agent-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 March 1954. p. 1. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  82. ↑ "Choice for top post must wait". The Canberra Times. 20 January 1965. p. 7. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  83. ↑ "Appointment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 128. 1 October 1965. p. 3201. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  84. ↑ "Landa accepts Liberal post in London". The Canberra Times. 24 September 1965. p. 1. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  85. ↑ "Landa begins 'selling' NSW". The Canberra Times. 6 November 1965. p. 7. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  86. ↑ "Mr Landa expelled from ALP". The Canberra Times. 20 November 1965. p. 9. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  87. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 147. 13 November 1970. p. 4524. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  88. ↑ "Attitude 'improved'". The Canberra Times. 18 January 1973. p. 8. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  89. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 10. 19 January 1973. p. 139. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  90. ↑ "Hughes to London post". The Canberra Times. 20 September 1972. p. 7. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  91. ↑ "Women to stand in State poll". The Canberra Times. 15 January 1973. p. 8. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  92. ↑ "Hughes 'already resigned post'". The Canberra Times. 7 December 1973. p. 7. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  93. ↑ "State post in UK 'grows in importance'". The Canberra Times. 31 December 1977. p. 3. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  94. ↑ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 97. 18 August 1978. p. 3456. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  95. ↑ "IN BRIEF ANU solar-energy project reprieved". The Canberra Times. 14 December 1977. p. 3. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  96. ↑ "Renshaw poll date set". The Canberra Times. 30 January 1980. p. 17. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  97. ↑ "Agent-General". The Canberra Times. 13 December 1982. p. 12. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  98. ↑ "Two NSW ministers retire today". The Canberra Times. 31 December 1985. p. 6. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  99. ↑ "Accountant Agent-General". The Canberra Times. 14 November 1988. p. 3. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  100. ↑ "Aust media 'the pits', says Pickard". The Canberra Times. 17 August 1991. p. 16. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  101. ↑ Fahey, John; Smiles, Philip (1 September 1992). "European Trade Opportunities" (Hansard). Legislative Assembly. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  102. ↑ "Fahey uncertain whether Agent-General will return". The Canberra Times. 29 October 1992. p. 4. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  103. ↑ "Pickard sacked, ordered home". The Canberra Times. 28 October 1992. p. 4. Retrieved 16 February 2018 – via Trove.
  104. ↑ Harris, Rob. "NSW's London trade commissioner caught up in Barilaro job saga quits". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
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