Consul-General in Surabaya

Today I announce the appointment of Mr Chris Barnes as Australia's new Consul-General in Surabaya, Indonesia.

The establishment of a Consulate-General in Surabaya, Australia's fourth diplomatic post in Indonesia, is part of the single largest expansion of our diplomatic network in over 40 years.

Australia's new Surabaya Consulate-General will focus on enhancing trade and building economic partnership opportunities in East Java, including in financial services, education, health, manufacturing and infrastructure. East Java accounts for about 15 per cent of Indonesia's gross domestic product and Surabaya, as Indonesia's second largest city, is an increasingly important destination for Australian trade and investment.

Our Consulate-General will also work to bolster people-to-people links in the dynamic eastern region of Indonesia and provide consular and other services to Australians in East Java.

Mr Barnes was most recently Commissioner and Regional Director of the Western Australia Trade and Investment Office in Jakarta. He has also held a number of senior positions in the private sector and with groups promoting trade with Indonesia.

Mr Barnes holds a Master of Letters from the University of St Andrews; a Bachelor of Laws, University of Technology Sydney; and a Bachelor of Arts, University of Sydney.