About the Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand
Ms Harinder Sidhu was appointed as Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand on 31 March 2022.
Ms Sidhu is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and was most recently Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary. She has previously served overseas as Australia’s High Commissioner to India and in Moscow and Damascus.
In Canberra, she has served in DFAT in senior leadership roles, as well as in the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Office of National Assessments and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Ms Sidhu holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney.
About the Australian High Commission in New Zealand
The Australian High Commission is the official representative of the Australian Government in New Zealand. We provide a range of services to the general public, including consular, passport, visa and immigration, citizenship and cultural relations services. We also act on behalf of various Australian Government authorities by representing Australia's interests to local, regional and multilateral government and business organisations in New Zealand.
Accredited representation of Australia in New Zealand is the responsibility of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Australian High Commission in Wellington and the Australian Consulate-General in Auckland represent Australia in New Zealand, Tokelau and Pitcairn Islands.
Both diplomatic missions also act on behalf of Australian Government authorities by representing Australia's interests to government and business organisations. The Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Defence have offices at the High Commission.
About the Australian Defence Force
The Office of the Defence Adviser at the High Commission represents the Australian Defence Organisation, and liaises with their counterparts in New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Niue. For more information about the Australian Defence Force, go to the Defence homepage at www.defence.gov.au