AUSTR ALIAN HIG H C OM M IS SION
INTRODUCING THE NEW DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER
Meet Australian Deputy High Commissioner ANGELA ROBINSON, who recently arrived in Singapore to take up her posting. Australian High Commission Singapore 25 Napier Road Singapore, 258507 Tel 6836 4100 Fax 6737 5481
H
ot on the heels of the new Australian High Commissioner to Singapore, The Hon Will Hodgman, our new Deputy High Commissioner – Angela Robinson – took up her post in March 2021. We grilled Angela shortly after she arrived to hear about her role, first impressions of Singapore and previous work in Dili, Baghdad and at a greyhound racing track in Cannington, Western Australia!
What is the role of a Deputy High Commissioner? The best part of my job is that there’s no template. As Deputy Head of Mission in Iraq, I was flying to meetings in Black Hawks. In Timor-Leste, I was opening sanitation plants. Here in Singapore, I’m driving collaboration on cutting edge digital economy projects. The role also adapts to the strengths the Head of Mission and Deputy Head of Mission bring to the table. It’s great working with High Commissioner Hodgman and the political skills he brings. Think of him as the Chairman and me as the CEO of the High Commission!
STAY CONNECTED Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/ AustraliaInSingapore LinkedIn: linkedin.com/ company/ahc-sg Twitter: @AusHCSG Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner to Singapore Angela Robinson
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You have been in Singapore for a few weeks now. What are your first impressions? I’ve always known how diverse Singapore is, but it’s amazing to see this in-person; on the streets, in the food culture, and in workplaces. Australians pride ourselves on our multiculturalism. Singapore also embraces this wonderful strength as part of its national identity. In terms of what has impressed me day-to-day, I love how kid-friendly Singapore is. I have a four-month-old son and an eight-yearold daughter. Everywhere we go, my kids are greeted with smiles.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed your role and how are you adapting? COVID-19 turned diplomacy on its head. No country can tackle this crisis alone and strong foreign relationships have never been more important. But diplomacy has traditionally been driven by human interaction behind closed doors. We had to quickly invent a new form of digital diplomacy. For me, this crisis is an opportunity to break down the (high) walls of our diplomatic buildings and innovate how diplomats work and communicate. Lucky for us in Singapore, the Government has handled the health crisis amazingly well. I arrived after you all did the hard yards on lockdown last year. For now, I’m enjoying being able to meet people face-to-face (or mask-to-mask). But it’s clear that diplomacy will never be the same again.
We all want to help families and friends reunite and a bubble will be an important step for economic recovery.
May/June 2021
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