Diplomat from Down Under: George Brandis

Mace | Issue 1 | Diplomacy, International, Magazine

From the Archive

Australia’s top envoy in London reflects on moving from politics to diplomacy and on the deep historical ties that bind his country with the United Kingdom.

It is always better to leave politics at a time of your own choosing. Very few do, because politics is such an exciting career that most people cannot bear to let go. I had reached the highest office I could aspire to (leader of the Senate), and I had been attorney-general and, before that, the shadow attorney-general, for ten years. In my final year, I led two very important law reforms: marriage equality, and reform of Australia’s national security law relating to foreign interference. So I had a perfect opportunity to go out on a high, and I took it. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was certainly the right one – much better than the way most political careers finish. There are similarities and differences between my previous jobs and my current one. I am still a public figure, and still closely involved in policy at the highest level. But there are important differences too: I am an observer and an interpreter of events, rather than a protagonist. So there is less adrenaline. It’s...

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