Name Start of term End of term References Norman Makin (Head of Delegation) 1945 1946 Paul Hasluck 1946 1947 John Hood 1947 1950 Mick Shann (acting) 1950 1951 Bill Forsyth 1951 1956 Edward Ronald Walker 1956 1959 James Plimsoll 1959 1963 David Hay 1964 1965 [1] Patrick Shaw 1965 1970 Laurence McIntyre 1970 1975 Ralph Harry 1975 1978 Harold David Anderson 1978 1982 Richard Woolcott 1982 1988 Michael Costello (acting) 1988 1989 Peter Wilenski 1989 1992 Richard Butler 1992 1996 Penelope Wensley 1997 2001 [2] John Dauth 2001 2006 [3] Caroline Millar (acting) 2006 2006 Robert Hill 2006 2009 Gary Quinlan 2009 2014 [4] Gillian Bird 2015 2019 [5] Mitch Fifield 2019 incumbent [6][7]