Australian High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands
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The high commissioner of Australia to the Solomon Islands is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the High Commission of the Commonwealth of Australia to the Solomon Islands. The position has the rank and status of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and is based with the High Commission on the corner of Hibiscus Avenue and Mud Alley, Honiara.
ReportstoMinister for Foreign Affairs
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
| High Commissioner of Australia to the Solomon Islands | |
|---|---|
| |
 Incumbent since 22 November 2022Rod Hilton | |
| Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | |
| Style | His Excellency |
| Reports to | Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| Seat | Honiara |
| Nominator | Prime Minister of Australia |
| Appointer | |
| Inaugural holder | Trevor Harvey Boyd Sofield |
| Formation | 1982 |
| Website | Australian High Commission, Honiara |
The high commissioner since January 2023 has been Rod Hilton, whose appointment was announced in November 2022.[1] The Solomon Islands and Australia have had diplomatic relations since 1982, following the independence of Solomon Islands on 7 July 1978.
List of high commissioners
| # | Officeholder | Term start date | Term end date | Time in office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trevor Harvey Boyd Sofield | 1982 | 15 August 1985 | 2–3 years | |
| 2 | Max Gaylard | 15 August 1985 | 1988 | 2–3 years | |
| 3 | John Starey | 1988 | March 1992 | 3–4 years | |
| 4 | Ruth Lorraine Pearce | March 1992 | June 1994 | 2 years, 3 months | |
| 5 | Robert Kenneth Flynn | June 1994 | July 1997 | 3 years, 1 month | |
| 6 | James Batley | July 1997 | July 1999 | 2 years | [2] |
| 7 | Martin Sharp | July 1999 | July 2001 | 2 years | [3] |
| 8 | Robert Davis | July 2001 | December 2003 | 2 years, 5 months | [4] |
| 9 | Patrick Cole[note 1] | December 2003 | 12 September 2006 | 2 years, 9 months | [5] |
| 10 | Peter Hooton | 12 January 2007 | 12 May 2009 | 2 years, 120 days | [6] |
| 11 | Frank Ingruber | 12 May 2009 | 26 April 2011 | 1 year, 349 days | [7] |
| 12 | Matt Anderson | 26 April 2011 | 20 December 2013 | 2 years, 238 days | [8] |
| 13 | Andrew Byrne | 20 December 2013 | December 2016 | 2 years, 11 months | [9] |
| 14 | Roderick Brazier | December 2016 | 2019 | 2–3 years | [10] |
| 15 | Lachlan Strahan | 10 January 2020 | January 25, 2023 | 6 years, 8 months | [11][12][13] |
| 16 | Rod Hilton | January 2023 | December 2025 | [14][15] | |
| 17 | Jeff Roach | January 2026 | incumbent |
Notes
- ^[note 1]: On 12 September 2006 the Australian High Commissioner was declared persona non grata by the Solomon Islands Government alleging that he was "talking too much to the opposition," and had been expressing his opposition to a government-appointed commission of inquiry into recent civil unrest.[16]