Murray McLean (ambassador)

Murray McLean AO
Murray McLean in 2004
15th Ambassador of Australia to Japan
In office June 17, 2004 – April 7, 2011
Prime Minister	John Howard Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard
Governor General	Michael Jeffery Quentin Bryce
Preceded by	John McCarthy (ambassador born 1942)
Succeeded by	Bruce Miller (diplomat)
Personal details
Born	Alistair Murray McLean 1947 Melbourne
Alma mater	University of Melbourne, University of Hong Kong
Occupation	Diplomat, Public Servant

Alistair Murray McLean AO is Chair of the Australian Government's Australia Japan Foundation,^[1] and is a Non Resident Fellow of the Lowy Institute.^[2]

Prior to this, McLean was a senior career officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade until 29 February 2012. He joined the Department as the Department of External Affairs (later Department of Foreign Affairs) in 1970 and has had wide experience, particularly on Asian issues.

Fluent in Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin) his previous postings and placements include: Australian High Commissioner (Ambassador) to Singapore (1997–2001); Australian Consul-General in Shanghai (1987–92); Counsellor in Washington (1983–86); Counsellor in Beijing (1979–83), as well as earlier postings in Beijing (1973–76), and Hong Kong (1971–73). Mr McLean arrived in Tokyo on 24 November 2004 to take up his appointment as Australia's Ambassador to Japan,^[3] which was an appointment that ran until August 2011.^[4]

His placements within the Department included: Deputy Secretary (February–November 2004); First Assistant Secretary, North Asia Division (2001–04) and Head of East Asia Branch (1992–96).

In 1991, McLean was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his services to international relations, particularly as Australian Consul General in Shanghai. In 2013, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia.^[5][6]

In 2014, the Japanese Government honoured McLean with the award of Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in recognition of his distinguished achievements in international relations.^[7]

McLean is a B.A. (Hons) graduate from the University of Melbourne in 1969, and later studied Chinese at the University of Hong Kong.

He completed his secondary schooling at Benalla High School and Geelong College, where he was Head Prefect in 1965.^[8]

Born in 1947, he is married with two adult children and his interests include golf, tennis, classical music and Asian arts and antiquities.

References

1. http://dfat.gov.au/people-to-people/foundations-councils-institutes/australia-japan-foundation/governance/Pages/board-member-profiles.aspx
2. http://m.lowyinstitute.org/people/murray-mclean-ao
3. Downer, Alexander (17 June 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Japan" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
4. Australia-Japan Foundation Board Members, Australian Government, archived from the original on 7 April 2014
5. "McLean, Alistair Murray: Officer of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour. Australian Government. 26 January 2013.
6. "McLean, Alistair Murray: Medal of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour. Australian Government. 10 June 1991.
7. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 November 2014). "Australia-Japan Foundation Chair Mr Murray Mclean AO, receives the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from the Government Of Japan" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 14 August 2015.
8. http://gnet.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au:8080/wiki/McLEAN-Alistair-Murray-OAM.ashx