Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna

Today I announce the appointment of Mr Ian Biggs as Australia’s next Ambassador to Austria. Mr Biggs will also be accredited to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Australia has strong relationships with Austria and Central Europe, based on community ties and a shared commitment to support a world which is stable, peaceful, prosperous, and respectful of sovereignty.

We are broadening our cooperation with the region in trade and investment, climate and energy, and foreign and security policy.

Mr Biggs will also be Australia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where he will also serve on the IAEA Board of Governors.

Australia has a record of steadfast commitment to strengthening the international non-proliferation regime and to supporting the IAEA’s mission to harness the peaceful application of nuclear technology. We are proud of our historical and continued leadership in promoting entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. 

Mr Biggs is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Ambassador for Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation.

He has previously served overseas as Ambassador to Iran, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, Deputy Head of Mission in India and Austria and as Special Assistant to the IAEA Director General.

I thank outgoing Ambassador Richard Sadleir for his contributions to advancing Australia’s interests in Austria since 2019.