28 July 2020

Media release | The Hon Joe Hockey joins the United States Studies Centre

The United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney (USSC) is delighted to announce the appointment of former Australian Ambassador to the United States The Hon Joe Hockey as a Distinguished Ambassadorial Fellow.

USSC Board Chairman Mark Baillie welcomed Mr Hockey’s appointment, noting that “No one is more qualified to speak to the Australia-United States relationship than a recent Australian ambassador. But Ambassador Hockey is deeply and personally committed to ensuring this relationship thrives.”

During his appointment from 2016 to 2020, Ambassador Hockey oversaw the transition from the Obama to Trump administrations, deftly advancing Australia’s interests in the United States during one of the more tumultuous periods in recent American history, building close relationships across Washington and the United States more broadly.

Prior to serving as ambassador, Hockey served as Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia (2013-15) and a variety of ministerial roles in the Howard government. While Treasurer he chaired the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings. Hockey represented North Sydney in the Australian House of Representatives for almost twenty years. He is a graduate of the University of Sydney where he was President of the Students’ Representative Council.

USSC CEO Professor Simon Jackman said, “Ambassador Hockey excelled in advancing Australia’s interests and Australia’s relationship with the United States, at a time when many other nations struggled to find their footing with the Trump administration. As he did as Ambassador, Joe will continue to help the US Studies Centre understand Washington and the trajectory of American politics, power and prestige, a contribution now all the more valuable given that so few Australians are able to travel to the United States.”

“We are also tremendously grateful for his ongoing support, most recently moderating our flagship event with Prime Minister John Howard, his successor Ambassador Sinodinos and other key players in the historic Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement.”

Ambassador Hockey continues to strengthen ties between Australia and the United States as the Founding Partner and President of Bondi Partners, a Washington DC-based consultancy firm with offices in Washington, Sydney, Los Angeles and Canberra.

The Hon Amb Joe Hockey (ret)

The Honourable Joe Hockey is a Distinguished Ambassadorial Fellow at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. He is Founding Partner and President of Bondi Partners. Before this, he served as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States of America from 2016 to 2020. Notably, Mr Hockey was responsible for Australia’s relationship with the United States during the final year of President Obama’s tenure and the first three years of President Trump’s first term. Previously, as the elected Treasurer of Australia, Mr Hockey was responsible for all aspects of the Australian economy. In 2014, Mr Hockey chaired the highly successful G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings. He first entered Parliament in 1996 as the Member for North Sydney and spent more than seventeen years on the front bench.