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Gary Quinlan

b. 1951

Australian diplomat

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About Gary Quinlan

Born 1951. Gary Quinlan is an Australian diplomat.

Gary Francis Quinlan (born 11 March 1951) is an Australian diplomat and public servant, who served as the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia from 2018 to 2021. He has previously served as High Commissioner to Singapore and as the Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations, including two terms as President of the United Nations Security Council.

Early life Born on 9 February 1951, Quinlan was educated at the University of Newcastle and graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history with honours.

Diplomatic career Quinlan joined the then Department of Foreign Affairs in 1973 and served in several senior positions in the Department in Canberra including First Assistant Secretary, Consular, Public Diplomacy and Parliamentary Affairs Division (2007) and First Assistant Secretary, Americas and Europe Division (2000–01). He was Head of the Australian Delegation to the Law of the Sea Preparatory Commission from 1987 until 1988.

From 2007, until his appointment as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in 2009, Quinlan was the Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Defence, and National Security.

Following his return from the United Nations in New York in 2014, Quinlan became Deputy Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was tasked with the role of Australia's chief negotiator with Timor-Leste over the East Timor maritime boundary dispute. The two parties reached an amicable agreement in February 2018, immediately before Quinlan was appointed as Australia's Ambassador to Indonesia.

Honours Quinlan holds the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (Hon DLitt, 2007) from the University of Newcastle.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
University of Newcastle, University of Newcastle (Australia)
Awards
Officer of the Order of Australia
Also known as
Gary Francis Quinlan

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Gary Quinlan's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Gary Quinlan?

Australian diplomat

When was Gary Quinlan born?

Gary Quinlan was born on 9 February 1951.

What is Gary Quinlan's occupation?

Gary Quinlan is a diplomat.

What nationality is Gary Quinlan?

Gary Quinlan is Australian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Gary Quinlan

· Wikidata: Q5525792

· DBpedia: Gary Quinlan

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Gary Quinlan. https://biography.guide/gary-quinlan/

MLA: "Gary Quinlan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/gary-quinlan/.

Chicago: "Gary Quinlan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/gary-quinlan/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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