Today I announce the appointment of Mr Glen Askew as Australia's next Consul-General in Surabaya.
Indonesia is one of Australia's closest and most important partners. We are deepening our cooperation under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to keep our region safe, grow our economies and transition to net zero.
Surabaya is Indonesia's second largest city, with Central and East Java contributing almost one-third of national GDP and comprising a combined population of over 70 million people.
The Consulate-General in Surabaya is working to strengthen two-way trade and investment by implementing initiatives under Invested: Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, as well expanding people-to-people ties in a powerhouse region of Indonesia.
The Consulate-General also provides services to Australians in Surabaya, including consular assistance.
Mr Askew is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Assistant Director, Israel-Gaza Taskforce.
He has previously served overseas in Papua New Guinea, Ghana and Indonesia and was a Peacekeeper with Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti and the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) with the Australian Federal Police/United Nations.
I thank former Consul-General Fiona Hoggart for her contributions to advancing Australia's interests in Surabaya since 2022.
